grinder?

KennyC

KennyC

Joined
Nov 7, 2002
Messages
671
hi, im trying to make a knife, whatever's easiest for a beginner. i've made some throwing knives before but the grind came out uneven and "layered". it doesnt really matter thought because throwers dont need nice grind. am i doing something wrong or do i just need more practice?
my grinder is a masterccraft 1HP and currently has an 8 inch stone on it. is this the right thing to use?

thanks for your help
 
Kenster, you can use a stone wheel grinder to make knives, it's just a lot easier on a belt grinder. Stone wheels wear down rapidly, they also heat up fast, and need to be cleaned and trued at regular intervals. Each time you clean and true a wheel up, the diameter of the wheel changes(smaller), and consequently you change the contact area of the wheel on the blade bevel. One other thing, the grey, vitreous clay wheels can get internal cracks from heat etc. If that happens, life can become very interesting if a wheel blows up on startup, or during grinding. You can get Norton, or = aluminum oxide wheels from machine shop supply houses and the like. At least with those, there is not quite the danger as vitreous clay type, and you can get various grit wheels. Good luck to you.:)
 
so should i just screw the stones, put wire/cloth wheels on it and buy a belt grinder?
 
If you've got the money, and really want to make knives, that would be the way to go,IMO. You can turn the stone wheel into a buffer, and also use it to put a satin finish on your knives with scotchbrite wheels attached. Before using it as a buffer, please find out all you can about it, as buffing is the most hazardous part of knifemaking. You can get seriously hurt, if you are not careful.
http://www.beaumontmetalworks.com/

http://www.cootebeltgrinder.com/

http://www.hardcore-products.com/

http://www.trugrit.com/

http://www.popsknifesupplies.com/
 
Are you trying to hollow grind? If so the only way to go is a belt grinder.

If your trying to flat grind you can do it with the stone grinder. I remember seeing Bill Moran flat grind a knife on a stone wheel in his damascus vidio. He took shallow passes and then cleaned the flats up with a file I think. Wayne Goddard also showes how in his 50$ Knife Shop book, useing lawnmower steel and a washing machine motor and grind rock.

After all that if you can aford a belt grinder and intend to make many knives, get one. A side note, since I got my belt grinder I haven't used my stone grinder hardly at all. The belt grinders just that convenient for other stuff besides knifemakeing.

And Mikes got it right on the safty, a belt grinder can slap you with a broken belt, but a wheel can come apart at high speed and act like a grenade.
 
Try a Lortone lapidary supply. item #o73-13, what it is is a 8 x 2 expandable rubber drum that takes 25 7/32" belts in various ceramic and diamond grits. The belts are held on with centrificul force. They come with a set of arbor adapter to fit 1/2 to 1' arbors max speed is 1750 rpm. price 58$ belts are 3$(silicon carbide)
www.lortone.com
They have some other useful goodies too
be safe,have fun.....
bob
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top