Grind edge help for first time maker

E

Ed Cav

Joined
Sep 8, 2013
Messages
8
I puchased a couple of blade blade blanks from Woodcraft and I am using a HF 1x30 w/ circular grinder on side. I am reshaping or profiling a 5 5/8" tanto down to a 5" tactical tanto. I can't keep my new grind edge striaght. Should I be using a tool rest I'm doing it freehand and I have noticed that the blade is now magnetized. Any help would be appreciated...Ed
 
It sounds very difficult to use a angle grinder to put in a finished edge.
A tool rest of some kind would help along with clamping down the grinder.

I suggest you get a 1 x30 or 2 x 42 belt grinder for sharpening or reprofiling. Keep a can of water near, Duck often, you don't want to get the steel hotter than about 250 degrees. Duck, wipe & grind. Dunk, wipe & grind.
 
Don't fret the magnetism - the heat treat will remove that.

The tool rest might help. I've never used one, after some practice you'll get steady hands :)

Bruce

Edited to add:
Unless the blanks have arleady been heat treated.
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
It sounds very difficult to use a angle grinder to put in a finished edge.
A tool rest of some kind would help along with clamping down the grinder.

I suggest you get a 1 x30 or 2 x 42 belt grinder for sharpening or reprofiling. Keep a can of water near, Duck often, you don't want to get the steel hotter than about 250 degrees. Duck, wipe & grind. Dunk, wipe & grind.
Click to expand...

He said he is using a 1x30. Not an angle grinder.

Just takes practice. Get some old scrap steel and spend a day practicing your grinding.
 
Yeah it was already treated it was a tanto kit knife blade that im reshaping into a diff kind of shorter tactical tanto blade. Will i need to heat treat it again after?
 
That will depend on how hot you got it while grinding. If you got it hot enough to discolour the edge anywhere then you likely will. If it stayed cool enough to hold then you may be ok.
 
If you're taking a full 5/8 off the end, a bit of discoloring while you're taking the first 1/2" won't matter much, you'll be removing the "softened" steel. If the whole end of the blade turns blue, that's another story. I used to sharpen chisels on my Craftsman 1x30 and it definitely took some skill as that belt jumped all over the place. A rest could help out, or try changing your attack angle. Slow is steady, steady is fast.
 
Rhinoknives1 said:
Keep a can of water near, Duck often, you don't want to get the steel hotter than about 250 degrees. Duck, wipe & grind. Dunk, wipe & grind.
Click to expand...

However, do keep your duck out of the water bucket and don't grind it.
>>> just messing with you Laurence.

Ed, just keep it cool. You are new knifemaker not trying to make a masterpiece here, enjoy the grind and don't let it turn colors on you. Who give an F how it looks? Make it work in the end and if it doesn't, do it again. If you are wanting to be a knifemaker, plan to make 1000 before they are any good. Plan to make 10,000 before you really know what you are doing. I'm around 1500 custom knives/swords, so I'll let you know how it goes when I get good.
>>> Enjoy the grind, -M
 
Michael Rader said:
However, do keep your duck out of the water bucket and don't grind it.
>>> just messing with you Laurence.

Ed, just keep it cool. You are new knifemaker not trying to make a masterpiece here, enjoy the grind and don't let it turn colors on you. Who give an F how it looks? Make it work in the end and if it doesn't, do it again. If you are wanting to be a knifemaker, plan to make 1000 before they are any good. Plan to make 10,000 before you really know what you are doing. I'm around 1500 custom knives/swords, so I'll let you know how it goes when I get good.
>>> Enjoy the grind, -M
Click to expand...

Michael,
I dunk my ducks on a daily basis! How many times can you say that?

Those 1 x 30s move around alot! You may not be using good belts and that makes them move more.
call the folks at www.trugrit.com and ask them for some Norton Blaze belts in 1 x 30 if you can, get 60 grit and 120 grit.

those will help alot since the belt will grind more and move and heat things up less. You will still need to dunk your ducks often. lol
 
You should post some picture so we get an idea of what your working with. I would say invest in some good belts and some 1084 from ALDO and you should be on your way. Post a lot of questions and when ever Stacy (Bladsmth) talks (or types) LISTEN!! I would get a couple blanks from the online forums (known steel and heat treat) and work on a few handles, in the mean time research what type of blades you want to make and style you want to make them.
 
Michael Rader said:
However, do keep your duck out of the water bucket and don't grind it.
>>> just messing with you Laurence.

Ed, just keep it cool. You are new knifemaker not trying to make a masterpiece here, enjoy the grind and don't let it turn colors on you. Who give an F how it looks? Make it work in the end and if it doesn't, do it again. If you are wanting to be a knifemaker, plan to make 1000 before they are any good. Plan to make 10,000 before you really know what you are doing. I'm around 1500 custom knives/swords, so I'll let you know how it goes when I get good.
>>> Enjoy the grind, -M
Click to expand...

Looking at Your site I'd say you are already pretty dang good. But I guess "good" is a relative term. For me being a home builder buy trade and trying the waters of knife making not wanting to spend money on a hobby that I did not know if I would take serious or not I did not want to spend a lot of money on tools. So I decided to make do with the tools I had. Which was a makita belt sander I bolted to my table upside down. It took about 20 files ( which was the steel I used) before I had a product I wasn't embarrassed to show someone. Now I can make a knife withe the same belt sander that is acceptable for the tools I have to work with. If I want to get better i need a better grinder. I will probably build one. You might find that you will get better with the 1 x30 you have. If you want a professional product you will probably need professional tools. Good luck it's a fun journey
 
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