Frustration!!!!

There once was a very wise man that said "Frustration leads to creative thinking". Given that premise, I have got to be the most creative person I know!

Sent yet another knife shaped object to the scrap heap last night (started out as a hollow grind, blew it and tried to save it a a flat grind, blew that too!). Amazing how much metal can come off the spots you don't want to go and how easy the places that are perfect get 'bit'!

Sent for Allen Blades videos yesterday and will hope that they come ASAP. I know what I want to do, think that I know how to do it and realize that I don't. Thirty years as a gunsmith and you'd think that I had a handle on how to do the impossible with nothing on a regular basis. Surprise! Surprise!

Don't need responses...just venting!

All the Best

Dileas Gu Brath
 
Jerry Hossom

Jerry Hossom

Joined
Aug 1, 1999
Messages
3,036
Dav, nice you could vent. You just revealed something that every one of us encounters from time to time, and it's normal. When I finally threw away my box of knife shaped objects, it was almost too heavy to lift. I'll bet there were over 50 butchered pieces of steel in that thing. That's probably about the right number if you are teaching yourself to make knives. Had I asked more questions earlier, I likely could have cut that pile in half.

Sometimes it helps to talk about what's going wrong, so if you want to pick up the phone and bat it around, feel free to do so. Days, when I can hear the phone over the grinder noise, or evenings after 9 and before 11 are best. 770-449-7809. Same goes for any the others who have a question and aren't sure how to word it.

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Jerry Hossom
www.hossom.com
 
GLAD youre still alive jerry...thought the gators got you!! the most important thing to realize when grinding knives is that you cant see whats going on. so you need to constantly look at the grind...you need to be situated so that you are looking straight down on the knife edge......also...and most important....you need to keep it square to the wheel and parrallel to the floor...you probably know all this but those are the basics....follow them and you will get it right.....i use a stick or some micarta with a small notch in the end and a firm hold on the handle.....do NOT leave the blade in one spot and grind...ever...keep it moving... hope this helps some...good luck...tom

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http://www.mayoknives.com


 
will also add...think it works best to start at the edge and work towward the spine of the knife...i usually grind almost to my blade edge line and about 1/4 of the way up and then slowly roll the grind up the blade until i get it like i want.....its not easy and i still screw up after 18 years....a few months ago tom haas (hoss on the forums) came over and i was showing him how and i ground almost all the way thru the middle of the knife....just cause youve done it before doesnt mean you dont have to pay attention, but once you get it wired its like riding a bike...just watch out for the parked cars while youre looking at the beautiful girls walking by....
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http://www.mayoknives.com


 
Dav,

I don't have nearly as much experience as the pros but keep trying it is really worth it when you find that groove feeling,you won't be able to tear the GRIN off your face for about a week when you get it going your way.
The best thing I was told was to let the grinder do the work and not to bury the blade on the wheel. My first grand blade I ground started as a bowie and ended as a 3" sharp thing that I killed in heat treat(I think it turned to rubber)with a sorta wood handle.It was frustrating then and a good laugh now.



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Scott Jones
Heck yea I invented it ...What is it???
I only do what the voices in my wifes head tell me to do.
It's kinda like hangin, you never get used to it.
 
Many thanks to one and all!! Yes, I'll keep grinding and yes, I've got a lot to learn (learn something new everyday my four year old keeps telling me).

Jerry; I'll probably take you up on your offer to chat. What's the best way to say thanks to a Georgian?

All the Best

Dileas Gu Brath
 
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