Cheap Newbie Grinder Options?

J

JakeMakes

Joined
Mar 8, 2016
Messages
58
Hey guys, I am new here and this is one of my first posts. My name is Jake, and I have made knives off and on for the last year. (as a hobby, of course) I have a lot of tools, because my dad is a trim carpenter/painter/handyman. I think I have made around 8 knives, with probably five more in progress. All of which I have ground on that little old 1x30 harbour freight belt sander. And. It. Sucks. As you might imagine I need to upgrade....badly. I can't afford a real grinder, not even close. I am wondering what the alternatives are. Obviously anything I could get wouldn't be ideal, but at this point anything is an improvement. Price range? 200$ would be pushing it. I am currently 15, which explains the low budget. :) Thanks ahead of time, Jake.
 
Also, don't be afraid to post something above the said price range. I am interested in all the options, even those I couldn't possibly afford or build at the moment. That's what the future is for.
 
take a look at the viel s-5 its a 1x42 and made for metal. I bought one yrs ago and still use it for pocket knife blades and smaller fixed. next step up would be the polar bear forge gib but it is a kit and wheels are expensive. most bang for buck is the viel and if you have a motor already you could get by for around 100.00 or so, I even use mine for drill and scissor sharpening I have all the attachments bought them after the grinder and handwheel attachment. this is one you can set up a sharpening business and pay for it in a good day's time and its tough to boot. I have a 1hp motor on mine and it was upgraded from 1/2 hp. I would say at 3.00 a knife to sharpen in your neighborhood there are probably at least 100 knives needing sharpened and if you do a good job they will return. I make my money off making knives not sharpening but I sharpen the blades I make free, if I didn't make it and its a someone I have made a knife for I usually charge 2.00.
 
kn4wd said:
take a look at the viel s-5 its a 1x42 and made for metal. I bought one yrs ago and still use it for pocket knife blades and smaller fixed. next step up would be the polar bear forge gib but it is a kit and wheels are expensive. most bang for buck is the viel and if you have a motor already you could get by for around 100.00 or so, I even use mine for drill and scissor sharpening I have all the attachments bought them after the grinder and handwheel attachment. this is one you can set up a sharpening business and pay for it in a good day's time and its tough to boot. I have a 1hp motor on mine and it was upgraded from 1/2 hp. I would say at 3.00 a knife to sharpen in your neighborhood there are probably at least 100 knives needing sharpened and if you do a good job they will return. I make my money off making knives not sharpening but I sharpen the blades I make free, if I didn't make it and its a someone I have made a knife for I usually charge 2.00.
Click to expand...

Dang. Now I wish I lived in a neighborhood. Bummer. Thanks for the info, I will look into those.
 
I went with Polar bear grinder in a box. ~300$ including shipping USPS flat rate. Its a KMG (ish) BADER 3 clone

need to buy bolts/wheels/platen/tool-arms and build a base for it
 
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71a9ed4477e7602b4959cf5460585a75.jpg
. The wheels were 75.00 and the 1.5 motor was 185.00. The rest was fabricated. 350.00 as it sits. Off the shelf I don't know.


Pedaling
 
I've been using an old Delta 1x42, with upgraded wheels and platen by Jim Liechty.

It's not the best but it's worked for quite a number of things. Takes about 3 seconds to change a belt too, so it's pretty easy to use.
 
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