consistent bevels?

[SR_matt]

hey,
im pretty new at this but i am enjoying it. i am having a problem though getting consistant bevels across my blades. if the blade has no curve its not to bad but once i throw a curved blade in im not sure how to bevel the curve well and cinsistantly. i am using a bench sander (36X4 inch belts and something like a 6 inch, i think, disc).

any help would be appreciated.
thanks
-matt

 

[Longstrider]

Hi Matt, I'm going to offer my opinion here but please take note.. I have made only a very few knives and I may wellbe talking out of my **** here. Someone (many of them I suspect) who really know what they are talking about will soon be along to give you some better info.

I use a belt/disc sander like yours sounds to be and I find that I can put the most even bevel on the curved part of the blade (i.e. nearing the tip) by simply keeping the blade at exactly the same angle as when I did the straight bit. This leaves all the grinding scratches running parallel to each other and gives me as even a grind as I could ever hope to achieve any other way.
I tried turning the curved section of the blade on the belt as I ground it (keeping the grind scratches perpendicular to the cutting edge) and screwed up so many blade blanks I gave up on the idea. In desperation I kept it straight and hoped it would come good... It worked !

 

[Houseknives]

Go to lowes and buy some wooden lathe strips and cut out some wooden knives and grind them out it will teach your hands control and give you a soft touch..please it is easy on belts..it is a good learning tool that is real cheap

 

[joe9knives]

i took a 6" piece of angle iron and i clamp my blade to it, then i put it on the work table of my sander and press it to the belt. then i flip it over. to do the tip i push the tip to the belt at a anle. this takes practice but after you get the hang it is much faster and consistent. i forgot to mention my table is set at the angle i want my bevel to be.

 

[SR_matt]

i forgot to mention my table is set at the angle i want my bevel to be.

~smashes head into work bench... walks back in.. sits back down~

wow that would have been so logical for me to see its not even funny.

so im gathering that the tip just ends up being pratice and figureing out how to hold it more so. i know that the tip has to angle in as well as down but will just 2 grings (one form top to botom, and the other towards the tip) give what you expect on a blade or will i need to rotate my blade through the curve?

thanks
-matt