flat grinding

marekz

marekz

Joined
Jun 16, 2008
Messages
1,699
profiled my first blade ever today. i need to fiquere out how to show yall pictures--i will. Now im going to attempt to either flat grind or hollow grind. ive been reading up on both and i really want to learn how to flat grind first.I watched a short video on it and from what i can tell:jerkit: i measure down about 1/64 on top and bottom and sribe it,then i grindboth sides down to wanted thickness: andother stuff i cant recall right now-but my question is --on the very few flat grind knives that i have the top of the blade seems to have the same thickness through the tang. i would think with flat grinding the sharpened top of the blade would be thiinner than the tang. So im i not suppose th touch the top of the blade at all while grinding?. I will do more research but if anyone can spell out the general priciples i would appreciate it. thanks mark
 
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Is this a full tang knife you are making? If it is, it is ok, that the tang and spine are of the same thickness.
May be you are referring to the technique of tapering the tang from the ricasso to the butt of the knife.

If you always refer to the unsharpened or back of the knife, as the spine, people will know what you are talking about.:cool:

Understanding the nomenclature will help you learn faster.

The Jerk-It guy is a bit distracting in your thread looking for information.:eek::D
Use more question mark characters

Flat grinding is a good grind to start with. It is a bit more forgiving than hollow grinding as far as ease of technique.

I would scribe a couple of lines along the soon to be edge. Use a new drill bit to do this.

Spend the same amount of time on each side. The bevels should be even when you are finished with grinding. The first few will be trial runs. Don't expect perfection on the first ones. You will improve if you stay at it.

Best of luck! Post a pic when you get something ground, Fred
 
marekz said:
yes it is a full tang--sorry about the jerkitz, thanks for the info
Click to expand...
No problem, just trying to help you communicate here.

Being its a full tang knife; if you want to grind the tang to a taper, just grind forward from the ricasso then thin the tang going the other direction. Make the ricasso the focus point of your grind. If you can make that area straight the rest of the knife will follow, so to speak.

Fred
 
MY way,but not the only way
After blade is profiled hold it vertical and grind off the mill scale,check with dial caliper to make sure the spine and edge are the same.IE .125
You want to leave about .035 for you edge, subtract that from.125 and you have .090 left devide by 2, leave .045, set your caliper for .045 and lock it and scribe a line down each side of the edge,and on the spine about an inch back.
At about a 45 deg angle grind the edge down to the scribe line on each side, then start flat grinding from ricasso to tip. Try not to run over the top of the spine,your grind should end just below or at the spine. Watch the tip as you grind as not to get it to thin.
Practice,Practice,Practice.
Hope it is some help
Stan
 
thanks im sure ill need plenty of patience and time before i can get it. just to let you know--im using a "planer blade" to practice on. on my other thread i mentioned itt and the general idea is that the steel is some kind of high speed tool steel.It is hard as heck and about 1/4" thick. so profiling takes awhile. when you mentioned the spine my interpretation is you never grind the top of the spine--is that a correct assumption? -so the spine on the blade should stay the same thickness throughout till the end of the tang. ? thank s
 
I think before I would spend to much time on the planer blade,go to one of the big box stores and get a piece of mild steel in 1/8" X 3' for about 5 bucks and cut out and grind afew blades out of it.won't harden but will give you a lot of valuable practice. Or get a good piece of known knife steel in flat bar and go from there. Trying to grind the planer blade will drive you crazy.Buy or rent Flat Grinding with Harvey Dean, this video will teach you alot that is hard to put into words.
Stan
 
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