Bevel grinding question for folder makers.

Carl_First_Timer

Carl_First_Timer

Joined
Dec 6, 2010
Messages
1,154
I am working on grinding the bevels on a folder for the first time. How do you hold your blades to grind your bevels? Jigs, fixtures, by hand?

I was holding the blades by hand, but with the size of the blade I cannot seem to get enough leverage to remove metal very fast.

Any help is appreciated. (As always)
 
I forget which DVD I was watching, but the maker used vise grips to hang onto the folder blades. If I recall correctly it was the "Fine Art of Hollow Grinding" DVD. Seemed to work well for him. He also did his grinds after heat treat, to avoid warpage etc.
 
+1 I have that DVD and he also pads the vise grips with a small piece of leather to prevent scratching the tang.
 
I'd think another solution would be to not cut it off the bar stock until it's ground, or leave plenty of extra to hold onto. Grind the bevels THEN come back and shape the rest. I'm just planning out my first folder though, so I'm as curious for solutions as anyone.
 
I use a small set of vicegrips with a leather pad and also support the blade with a push stick. This give you good contact on the wheel and lots of control. I do most of the grinding after HT so slow speed, new belts and dip after each pass. I watch the water sizzle on the blade espically the tip to make sure I dont overheat. I would be carful trying to remove too much in one pass unless you are pre-HT.
 
In the hardened state, after the frame is made. Makes getting them dead center a lot
easier when grinding them in the frame.
Ken.
 
I usually grind folders after heat treat and in the handle. I've also just bolted it to a piece of barstock through the pivot hole or screwed it to a chunk of wood.
 
I grind mine prior to heat treat and I make 2 blades at a time leaving them joined at the pivot end until the grind is done, then seperate and finish the pivot end of both.
Jim
 
All good advice. Thanks. Unfortunately I have them profiled already. They are made from .150 ELMAX, so too much to take off post HT. I guess I could get a handle ready and use it to grind, but was planning to make them after the blades were sent for HT.

I'll try out the Vice grips and push stick. Sounds much safer than what I was doing before. ;)
 
I use a kind of "file guide" made from 2 pieces of angle iron with 2 bolts run through it, and a handle attached.
It both holds the blade and keeps grind lines straight.
 
Here is what I am up against.

folders.jpg
 
Hell just get a piece of flat bar and drill a hole for the pivot and put in a 1/4 dowel steel pin for stop pin and screw the blade to the flat bar as tight as you can. THe pin will keep it from moving while grinding.
But I usually grind two blades back to back when making folder blades. I hold one while grinding the other etc.. Separate them later with a bandsaw after ground out.
I dont usually grind them while in the frame, I always end up marking my scales/frames up etc.
CW
 
Photo's of a grinders clamp, modelled from a sheffield museum piece
GrindersClamp4.jpg

GrindersClamp3.jpg

GrindersClamp5.jpg


EDIT: And some older models
GrindersTongsFH.jpg
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Stick some hemostats through the pivot hole and clamp them down to something to keep them open, instant handle.
 
A small pair of vise grips.I ground some of the teeth off just so they don't cut through the leather. Clamp the vise grips so they angle towards you when standing at the grinder.

Good Luck Rick
 
small 1095 handle with a .250 reamed hole for the pivot to go through and tighten it down. easy:)
 
Here's my approach. Scribe a center line and clamp in the fixture. This also keeps the plunges even.

P1050131.jpg
 
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