Best way to put an edge on a blank

[natecham]

Hello, I'm in the process of getting a Damascus knife blank and was wondering if anybody had some ideas as to how I should put the edge on it. This is my first attempt at "making" my own knife so all pieces of advice are appreciated thanks.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Here's another currently active thread along the same lines (with a D2 blade). You might find some ideas there as well:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...arpening-a-D2-blade-that-has-NO-initial-bevel


David

(Welcome! to the forum, BTW )

 

[natecham]

Thanks man I think I have an idea now

 

[Ben Dover]

The Edge-Pro with an Atoma 140 would be near ideal.

 

[Noctis3880]

My question is just this:
How do you make sure the apex of the edge is reasonably centered?

 

[Omega Leather Works]

My question is just this:
How do you make sure the apex of the edge is reasonably centered?

You can scribe a line with a matching width drill bit. At least that's how I've seen it done.

 

[Noctis3880]

You can scribe a line with a matching width drill bit. At least that's how I've seen it done.

What's a "matching" width? Just curious, since I figure a drill bit tip is a drill bit tip, no matter how wide the bit is. Do you use a detailed ruler to know where to mark or do you just eyeball it? I'm also guessing that after the initial grind and heat treatment it should be thin enough to just grind the edge bevel on without anymore fidgeting about the edge centering? I've got a piece of 1080 and D2 steel that I've long neglected for a year but am thinking about using at some point.

 

[Tripwire895]

What's a "matching" width? Just curious, since I figure a drill bit tip is a drill bit tip, no matter how wide the bit is. Do you use a detailed ruler to know where to mark or do you just eyeball it? I'm also guessing that after the initial grind and heat treatment it should be thin enough to just grind the edge bevel on without anymore fidgeting about the edge centering? I've got a piece of 1080 and D2 steel that I've long neglected for a year but am thinking about using at some point.

What he means by that is if your blank is say, 3/16" thick, a 3/16" bit would have a tip 3/32" from either side. If you lay down your blank on a flat surface, you can also lay the drill bit beside it and scribe lines by scraping the tip against the blank. You'd want to do this from both sides though, in case the tip isn't exactly in the center of your bit.

 

[Noctis3880]

What he means by that is if your blank is say, 3/16" thick, a 3/16" bit would have a tip 3/32" from either side. If you lay down your blank on a flat surface, you can also lay the drill bit beside it and scribe lines by scraping the tip against the blank. You'd want to do this from both sides though, in case the tip isn't exactly in the center of your bit.

Ah okay, that makes sense now.

 

[BluntCut MetalWorks]

My question is just this:
How do you make sure the apex of the edge is reasonably centered?

Paint blank edge with Dykem or other steel marker, then use a divider to draw center line. This way you can clearly see the apex line as you grind toward it.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Thank you Tripwire895

 

[Tripwire895]

No problem.