Bevel grinding jigs

I wish there were still those around who personally knew Egnath and could regale us with stories of the master chatting away to you while he ground blades at a red heat.
 
fitzo said:
I wish there were still those around who personally knew Egnath and could regale us with stories of the master chatting away to you while he ground blades at a red heat.
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I knew him and would spend a good amount of time in his store. He could grind like no one else. He was really a great knifemaker and the scrimshaw was amazing.

Where I lived I was lucky enough to have Bob Engath, Phill Hartsfield, Bob loveless 35 minutes away, Rick Browne around the block and met Red Watson once who lived in the same city.
 
AVigil said:
I knew him and would spend a good amount of time in his store. He could grind like no one else. He was really a great knifemaker and the scrimshaw was amazing.

Where I lived I was lucky enough to have Bob Engath, Phill Hartsfield, Bob loveless 35 minutes away, Rick Browne around the block and met Red Watson once who lived in the same city.
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I don't know if I can say, "Dammmn" here or not, but that would have been quite the place to live for a new knifemaker. I have a bit of envy... :)

I only found out recently that Hartsfield had died. Quite a few have passed while I was busy trying to avoid joining them. Read that list somewhere here and shed a couple tears.

Some years back, I used to hang out in a knifemaker chat on Paltalk. My best buds from there are all gone now. RIP Steve Pryor, Mike Hull, Ken Beatty, and recently, Bowie. Miss you guys. (Sorry for the OT)
 
I grind free hand, tried to like jigs but to date I found none of my liking. Need to try the Nathan parallelogram idea. I can't even grind with a helping table on the grinder, 100% free hand...

Pablo
 
PEU said:
I grind free hand, tried to like jigs but to date I found none of my liking. Need to try the Nathan parallelogram idea. I can't even grind with a helping table on the grinder, 100% free hand...

Pablo
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Have you not heard? That is impossible to master :D
 
AVigil said:
Have you not heard? That is impossible to master :D
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I get the sarcasm :D but always there is room for improvement.

I don't agree to the statement that says that is better to start with a jig, because it delays the proper learning, what a jig does for a newbie IMHO is to cope with frustration since the skills aren't there yet. Buy if you use and keep using it you won't advance beyond it.

And I say proper learning because I think you cannot improve your knifemaking skills with a jig, you just get better with it


Pablo
 
For 12 plus years I have been making knives with a 4x36 ,a 6x48,and a square wheel grinder with an 8 inch contact wheel and 1x42 . All " freehand" . I finally got a flat platen attachment for the Wilton and now I am not going to make another knife until I get some jigs made. I have been dreaming about using jigs for years now and I just won't make another knife until I can use a jig.
 
Well, thank you all for the information. I got a bubble jig as it seems to be the best compromise between free hand and jigs. I believe it is like the "training wheels" many of you have mentioned. Thank all of you for the fascinating information and the interesting points of view.
Thank you again.
 
MoSmith said:
Well, thank you all for the information. I got a bubble jig as it seems to be the best compromise between free hand and jigs. I believe it is like the "training wheels" many of you have mentioned. Thank all of you for the fascinating information and the interesting points of view.
Thank you again.
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The good thing about the bubble jig, I have 2 of them, is they actually help train you to grind free hand. As you grind and learn how to move the blade across the belt with the bubble jig one day you will no longer need it to grind.
 
Mobius1 said:
I've spent a lot of time looking into different jigs and jig ideas, and this is the best system I have seen:

Multi Guide Pro X Bevel Guide | Ships Free Worldwide – Belnap Custom Knives LLC

There's a few videos of it in action on Youtube, here's just one I found:

Bevel Grinding and Plunge Cutting with Multi Guide - YouTube

It's pricey, but he offers the plans for free if you want to build it yourself.
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Does anyone but me remember that jig in the original incarnation? Black, brass knobs? I evaluated one fifteen years ago or so.
 
Mobius1 said:
I've spent a lot of time looking into different jigs and jig ideas, and this is the best system I have seen:

Multi Guide Pro X Bevel Guide | Ships Free Worldwide – Belnap Custom Knives LLC

There's a few videos of it in action on Youtube, here's just one I found:

Bevel Grinding and Plunge Cutting with Multi Guide - YouTube

It's pricey, but he offers the plans for free if you want to build it yourself.
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You can make it for much less money if you want one ...............here is mine
6C7K86K.jpg

 
Mobius1 said:
I've spent a lot of time looking into different jigs and jig ideas, and this is the best system I have seen:

Multi Guide Pro X Bevel Guide | Ships Free Worldwide – Belnap Custom Knives LLC

There's a few videos of it in action on Youtube, here's just one I found:

Bevel Grinding and Plunge Cutting with Multi Guide - YouTube

It's pricey, but he offers the plans for free if you want to build it yourself.
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That’s a cool little jig, and I have nothing against jigs. I have one or two that I made, myself. But at some point, can you really call it a hand made knife anymore?
 
Blackdirt cowboy said:
That’s a cool little jig, and I have nothing against jigs. I have one or two that I made, myself. But at some point, can you really call it a hand made knife anymore?
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All guys advocating free hand grinding use drill mill for some task..............is it that hand made knife anymore ? Using laser or water jet or HT service ??
Personally I don t care how knife is made if i like it, like ........Rockstead .
And some of them use CNC like this ...........this is part of my friend shop ........ there are my future folders with genius lock ;)
S8L6wSM.jpg
 
Dimitar Popov said:
N Natlek - the problem is the way you say things - "Don't listen to that advice that learning to grind free hand is something special , learning free hand grinding is just a waste of time." - Instead of this you could express your opinion like a normal , reasonable person and the guy can read the information and make a decision if he wants to learn freehand or not. If jigs are the most optimal way of your type of knives - that's awesome , but don't be like - "Everyone should do what I do , It's the best thing"

Cheers
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The way I say things ................. ? Maybe you are right .I should say .............beginner start making knives with JIG today or try free hand and spend months of practicing and ruin at least fifty pieces of good steel .And many after that will realize that they simple can not do that free hand !
Is it well said now ??

My opinion ........my advice to beginners !And I don’t care if anyone agrees with that or not :p
 
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AVigil said:
It is about putting out bad information.

People moan and groan about how Youtube is on having bad info, well we should have a higher standard here.

The fact is there are less and less experience makers here on shop talk and if bad information is left unchallenged it does not help.

Free hand grinding is possible for a newbie to learn. It is a valuable skill as a knife maker and does not pigeon hole a maker in their knifemaking. To tell people to give up trying, and it " can not be mastered" simply is the cry of someone who gave up
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What is BAD information ? Advice to use jig ??
Are you sure that ANYONE can learn free hand grinding ?
WHY free hand grinding is a valuable skill ?
 
AVigil said:
You remember that bicycle you were talking about? Well, it seems you are adapted at back peddling LOL
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Back peddling...........Why you don t accept challenge? So we can see what is what ?Jig or hand ?
I will make three pairs of different shapes of knives of my choice .Three for you three for me .Two in 5mm , 64 HRC M2 steel and one long kitchen blank in 64 HRC and 1.5mm thick 1.2519 steel .I will draw a grinding line on every blank .You grind free hand/ not allowed support under blank / i grind with jig . Let see that valuable skill on video .........IF you WIN i will buy you knife material for 500 $ from any store you choose in the USA.If you lose ..... you have no obligation to me ?
We shall make list with points .....like 50 points for time .......50 points for grinding lines ...50 points for finish/40 grit belt/ .......symmetry......etc.
Flat grind ....!! Hollow can grind my grandmother :D
 
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Natlek said:
Why you don t accept challenge?
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Are you lonely and looking for someone to play with?

Instead of trolling Shop Talk, use that time to actually make knives
This is one I just finished. Let's see the last knife you just finished.

The challenge is to make high quality knives, not challenge people to see if you grind faster using training wheels.

 
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