Grind line tool < $5

I

itrade

Joined
Jul 3, 2002
Messages
645
OK, I've built another simple tool that works (These are few and far between ;) ).

Cheap Picture Frame 8x10 $1. (Dollar Store)
2 spring clips $.50 (Home Depot)
1 1/2" x 3/4" x 14" board free.
Epoxy
2 little wood screws
9 x 11 sand paper

I cut the glass to get a 1 1/2" x 10" piece. Epoxy that to the wood. Attach a clip on either side. Clip in a piece of SC paper. With one sheet of 9x11 paper you can get 4 strips. These fit over the glass perfectly and have room to clip.

To use, clamp the board in a vise. Now work the blade like you are sharpening the entire bevel. Also work the flats. Not only can you get a perfectly flat bevel, but the grind lines pop out.

This seems to work better than a bench stone. There is an endless variety of grits, it will be flat forever, and when it loads up you put on fresh paper. Compared to the price of one 2x8 diamond stone I'm set forever.

I didn't invent this. I've seen it before for sharpening and always wanted to use one. With the other discussion about grind lines I thought it was time to try it out.

Steve

Edit: 6 strips from 9" (I'm math challenged today).
 
Good tip I'm going to try it. I been using a 1 " wide by 4 " long oak sanding block / a handle that I made. I have 3 one flat one round and one V shaped. You can use up sandpaper ( as you well know ) and this uses all of the paper , very little waste. Every time you need fresh paper just move it over 1 inch. ( I hope I explained that ok )
anyway good luck
Jack
 
Gothca Jack,

I use a stick for finish sanding too. (In fact at times I've covered it with a piece of rubber for the final strokes. Why? Because the paper will conform to the mistakes I made and covers 'em up ;) )

But with glass I found it gets really really flat. Maybe I won't have as many mistakes to cover!

Hmmmm, you've got me thinking. I gonna try it for the finish sanding next time out. On the other hand, with a stick you can really focus the pressure on hardened steel.

This tool I was using to clean up the marks (ok I'll admit it: gouges) from the grinder, before heat treat.

Steve
 
I have been using a piece of aluminum plate about 2x3x3/16 and sandpaper off of rolls. This gives me a good sized flat for leveling out the unevenness from my grinding, or I can use the side to increase the pressure.

WS
 
Hey Chris,

Pictures aye. Hmmmm. The thing is butt ugly and crude. Trying to embarrass me ;) .

I think I'll make another that's a little cleaner first. This one was just made from scraps to try the idea. I have a few improvements to make - I'll post that one.

BTW, last night I was flattening out a bevel and found it needed a touch more meat removed. Back to the grinder. Oppps now the grind lines don't match on each side. Change sides. Oppps took off a bit too much. Back and forth. Guess what? Those swell grind lines, gone ... all gone.

Oh well, the worst day grinding is better than the best day at the grind.

Steve
 
A co-worker gave me a piece of tempered glass from an old photo-copier. It is tempered glass so it is much tougher than what you might find in a picture frame or normal window. The copier was one of a bunch that he got for free from a place that repaired copiers and printers. They were ones that were beyond repair and would have put in the dumpster. He tore them appart for the gears, cogs, pulleys and belts to make robots and other stuff with his son.

Phil

PS: I just remembered. My father used a similar setup to sharpen his knives and other tools. I think that he just taped the whole sheet on the the piece of glass. It worked well for large items like meat cleavers.
 
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