Grinder Ordered - now what else do I need right away?

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blindrobert

Joined
Jan 15, 2014
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I'm just getting into knife building I'm planning my first knife, doing a lot of reading, and making room in my shop for some new tools. My usual projects involve building guitars and turning bowls.

Anyway, I ordered my KMG VS grinder today. Obviously I need some belts and steel to work with. What other tools should I be thinking about acquiring? I'll be outsourcing heat treatment for a while, I have tons of files, hammers, sharpening stones, and all the major (and most of the minor) shop tools.

What do most of you use for pinning/riveting? I've never done any pin/rivet work so not really sure what I'll need.

Also - if you can turn me on to an dealer with good prices on belts I'd appreciate it. I don't mind paying for the good stuff, but I don't want to overpay for the good stuff.

Okay - looking forward to getting started. There are some really talented people here, I'm looking forward to getting to know you and being further humbled by your work.
 
I just ordered from true grit haven't received shipment yet but they shipped it next day after ordering. cheap prices to. supergrit is the other one I see mentioned a lot here.
 
Drill press! (You probably are have one already) With that grinder and a drill press you can do just about anything. You can always cut the steel to length with a hacksaw and profile with a wheel (that's a must if you don't already have one) and 36 grit in no time. Use those for awhile and get experience flat grinding on a platen. Reface your flat platen with Pyroceram and figure out your style and niche. Figuring out what you like to do will determine what to invest in next. If you like flared tubes, for example, then a 1/2 ton arbor press and dies will help. A Dremel or Foredom may come in handy. How about a bandsaw or a tumbler? Small wheel attachment would be nice down the road.

Micrometer, good lighting, PPE, and some layout dye are a must.

Once you have a few knives under your belt the decisions are easier but never ending.

ETA - PPE is personal protective equipment. I.e. respirator, eye protection, hearing protection and gloves.
 
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strider214 said:
Drill press! (You probably are have one already) With that grinder and a drill press you can do just about anything. You can always cut the steel to length with a hacksaw and profile with a wheel (that's a must if you don't already have one) and 36 grit in no time. Use those for awhile and get experience flat grinding on a platen. Reface your flat platen with Pyroceram and figure out your style and niche. Figuring out what you like to do will determine what to invest in next. If you like flared tubes, for example, then a 1/2 ton arbor press and dies will help. A Dremel or Foredom may come in handy. How about a bandsaw or a tumbler? Small wheel attachment would be nice down the road.

Micrometer, good lighting, PPE, and some layout dye are a must.

Once you have a few knives under your belt the decisions are easier but never ending.
Click to expand...

Thanks everyone. I have a bandsaw (Jet 14" for wood) and drill press, have a rotary tool and an angle grinder and a disc sander/grinder. I was looking at a Milwaukee or Dewalt portable metal bandsaw, but thought it could wait a few weeks to see if it made more sense to maybe get a bigger unit later. I do have a bench grinder, but it's low RPM (1725) for sharpening my lathe tools. Would that still work okay (with a different wheel of course) or do I really need a VS or high RPM unit?
 
I may have missed it but the first thing you should make sure you have is a decent respirator. The little cheap dust masks really are not very good. A fire extinguisher nearby is a good requirement as well.
 
I second the motion for getting a decent respirator. I hear that the 3M half face masks with p100 filters are great. In fact I'm ordering one now.
 
a depth gauge, digital calipers and a dead flat surface to work on, (granite steel) In a clean area away from the grinder
 
GET YOURSELF SOME LUNG Protection.

I used to use the 3M respirators but recently found these and am quite happy with them. Easy to answer the phone etc and doesn't block my view like a half mask can.http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008N1NZEQ/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

For Pins I prefer Loveless style bolts Or Corbys. You have a mechanical connection that way and with a good epoxy to seal out moisture the handle won't be going anywhere for a long long time.
 
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I really like that you are all so safety and health conscious. Got a respirator long ago for woodwork...ditto for fire extinguishers. Reference table is a great idea!
 
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