Glass or Steel what say you?

AVigil

AVigil

Adam Vigil working the grind
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Feb 17, 2009
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So I was happily grinding away and could tell the grind was getting wonky. Some belts showed it better then others and I could see the grind was not flat the way it should be.

Diagnosis, platen was dished and need to be flatten again. I am using a hardened O1 platen and it lasts a good while before this starts to show up. So I flatten it and the grind smooths out again.

I am thinking of making a platen out of D2 or maybe going to glass.

For those using glass platens how are you liking them after all this time?
 
Glass all the way for me. I haven't changed my platen in 2 years or more. Still nice and flat.

You will have to change glass eventually but it takes a long time.
 
My glass one has chipped on the edge, but hasn't dished out at all, after three years. Time for a new one, as the chipped edges challenge my plunge accuracy.
 
Personally, I think glass is great for windows and steel works pretty well for knives.

:D


I've used pyroceram platens for years and wouldn't work without them. Good stuff.
 
Pyroceram, no contest. Even hardened tool steel will show wear faster, from what I understand. With the pyroceram, you don't have to worry about getting it flat or heat treating it. That's already done for you. Just adhere it with your chosen method, and grind. Just MAKE SURE you have a ledge for it to rest on at the bottom of the platen.

Personally, I use a quality, exterior grade double stick tape. When it's time to replace, I just heat the back of my plate with a torch and slide a thin blade or scraper between the glass and steel backer. I comes right off in one piece, and then acetone is used to clean any residual adhesive off and get it ready for the next piece of glass.

Search pyroceram or robax on eBay and sort for lowest price, that will give you the best source/price I've found for platen liners anywhere. Order 2 or 3 and you'll be good to go for years.
 
I have used pyroceram glass since it came out maybe 15 or 20 years ago. I would not use anything else. I consider the pyroceram glass for a flat platen to be the single most important improvement in knifemaking since I started 36 years ago.
 
Hey, Tom, I thank you for that. I introduced the piro cerran platens back around the year 2000 in the Knife Network forum. I have of course used it myself since then. I started off and still apply it as Drew does. I've used many pieces - 2" X 6". I've been given many pieces by glass shops when having a car window replaced and me making an inquiry about getting some. I always ask to just get it cut. I clean and trim with a 120 silicon carbide belt. I may be leaving this place soon. I did want a few people knowing I did contribute something to this site.
Frank
 
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knife to a gunfight said:
Pyroceram, no contest. Even hardened tool steel will show wear faster, from what I understand. With the pyroceram, you don't have to worry about getting it flat or heat treating it. That's already done for you. Just adhere it with your chosen method, and grind. Just MAKE SURE you have a ledge for it to rest on at the bottom of the platen.

Personally, I use a quality, exterior grade double stick tape. When it's time to replace, I just heat the back of my plate with a torch and slide a thin blade or scraper between the glass and steel backer. I comes right off in one piece, and then acetone is used to clean any residual adhesive off and get it ready for the next piece of glass.

Search pyroceram or robax on eBay and sort for lowest price, that will give you the best source/price I've found for platen liners anywhere. Order 2 or 3 and you'll be good to go for years.
Click to expand...

In regards to the ledge, how are you doing yours? It's seems like the majority of the ones I've seen are made to take up the entire platen on a KMG. Is possible to grind a little bit off of the glass, then drill a hole through the platen, and put a pin or two through for the glass to rest on?

To be honest I haven't been using a ledge. Just JB weld. I'm sure it's soon to blow up in my face like everything else in my life lol.
 
JG Custom Metal Works said:
In regards to the ledge, how are you doing yours? It's seems like the majority of the ones I've seen are made to take up the entire platen on a KMG. Is possible to grind a little bit off of the glass, then drill a hole through the platen, and put a pin or two through for the glass to rest on?

To be honest I haven't been using a ledge. Just JB weld. I'm sure it's soon to blow up in my face like everything else in my life lol.
Click to expand...

For mine, I took a 3/4" wide piece of 1/8" bar stock and cut it to 2". I drilled two holes in the bar and two corresponding holes at the bottom of a piece of 2" steel angle. Put epoxy between the two and pin/peen it all together with the two holes you drilled. Make sure to radius the bottom corner of the bar stock to make for a better transition off of the platen. It has worked well for me so far. Hope this helps ;)
 
Frank Niro said:
. I may be leaving this place soon. I did want a few people knowing I did contribute something to this site.
Frank
Click to expand...


Hate to hear this, Frank. I would have thought the shadow you cast across the knifemaker section was long, and well acknowledged.
 
Frank Niro said:
Hey, Tom, I thank you for that. I introduced the piro cerran platens back around the year 2000 in the custom knifemakers forum. I have of course used it myself since then. I started off and still apply it as Drew does. I've used many pieces - 2" X 6". I've been given many pieces by glass shops when having a car window replaced and me making an inquiry about getting some. I always ask to just get it cut. I clean and trim with a 120 silicon carbide belt. I may be leaving this place soon. I did want a few people knowing I did contribute something to this site.
Frank
Click to expand...

Frank, the handful of times that you and I have chatted in person and online have been insightful to me. I'm going to make a folder this year like you and I were talking about in kamloops.

I lost your card with your number on it. Can you send it to me again? I have a "few" questions about folders...
 
I use an 8" piece of pyroceram, and I made a steel backer that was about 3/8" longer and screwed a piece of flat stock to the bottom.
I recently built a new grinder where I did similar, but just milled out everything but the very bottom ledge on a 1/2" thick piece of flat bar.

Both pieces were just a little longer than the glass to accommodate the ledge though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Frank, thanks for introducing the glass platens. I couldn't remember where I had first heard of them. I think glass platens and norax belts (because they have no splice bump) to be the two most important improvements to knifemaking in my lifetime.

I attach the glass to the steel platen with JB weld. I don't have a ledge for the glass to sit on. The glass platen lasts me a long, long time. I have done hundreds of tapered tangs on the same one.
 
Sean, I have no concerns about posting my email. It is frankniro2@gmail.com. I expect you in a reasonable manner will pick up the making of liner locks. I usually am able to help and am pleased you are looking forward to me giving you a boost here and there.
Frank
 
Matthew.
Thank you for that.
I'm having a very rough time right now and because of circumstances have been doing next to nothing . Funny, though I do feel I'm cheating myself. It has almost always been about me including the strong desire to help and now with a couple of major changes in my life, I can't seem to make an adjustment. I want to work through these. Perhaps, I'm hoping, I will.
Frank
 
knife to a gunfight said:
exterior grade double stick tape.
Click to expand...

Would that be this stuff?



http://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Scotc...-SearchPLPHorizontal1_rr-_-NA-_-100575385-_-N

23378242-ea50-4d1f-9e03-100e8b598d4f_400.jpg
 
AVigil said:
Would that be this stuff?



http://www.homedepot.com/p/3M-Scotc...-SearchPLPHorizontal1_rr-_-NA-_-100575385-_-N

23378242-ea50-4d1f-9e03-100e8b598d4f_400.jpg
Click to expand...


That my very well work.

http://www.mscdirect.com/browse/tnp...gle-PLA+-+Test&CS_003=7867724&CS_010=47028899
4702889-21.jpg

This is what I originally used, from my local hardware. Last time I went to pick up a roll, I didn't see it anymore, but they had a similar vinyl flooring tape that seems to be about the same stuff.

IIRC, 3M makes a VHB (very high bond) double stick tape that comes in high regard too.
 
...and in case no one mentioned it, the platen never seems to heat up if you use glass- there's just not enough friction (at least with the belts I use).
After four years of production grinding, I'm thinking about flipping my glass platen over, since ordering a new one would take effort, and I have to remove it anyway to put on the new one. :)
 
I just got 5mm ROBAX glass 190x50mm piece :)
Corners rouded with sandpaper.
Degrease glass and plate before appling tape.
 
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