Grinding freehand?

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HallHandmade

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One of my personal pursuits in knifemaking has been to make knives with high quality fit and finish, using as few aids as possible (jigs, fixtures, templates etc.) I try to do as many steps as possible freehand, as I feel that it gives each finished knife a more unique personality, and helps me to make small subconscious design changes as I go, to suit that particular knife.

I still use precision marking where needed, but try to stick to handwork/by eye on more organic sections.

Because of this, I started out using a workrest when I began to grind blades. Not having an angle reference caused me to ruin a couple of blades in the beginning, but I've worked through it.

Now, I'm starting to find the workrest is just hindering me during finishing. I'm lifting the knife off the rest and going freehand more and more, especially on knives where two or more grinds meet, such as daggers or deep swedges.

Once I get the profile very close to final, the workrest is screwing me up more than it is helping. When I go freehand, I have a lot better tactile feedback as far as what is happening on the grind... especially when grinding the plunge higher or thinning the edge.

I do think I will continue use of the workrest during roughing though, as I like to lay in pretty good on blades that I'm familiar with, and it is a lot less physical stress on my body during that operation.

I was just curious whether any other makers have had this same change in their grinding style.
 
I use the work rest and once I get a good angle established on both side I freehand grind.

It just feel better.
 
I haven't made many knives yet, but I did start grinding my blades with a homemade grinding jig. After reading Salem Straub's excellent tips for freehand grinding I decided I should give it a try. I felt like I didn't want to HAVE to rely on a jig to grind a knife. The tactile feedback makes a world of difference! The biggest difference I noticed was in being able control the plunges and getting a much nicer transition at the top of the plunge. I think something like the bubble jig would be a big help in controlling the angle of the bevels, but I'm definitely not going back to the grinding jig!
 
I'm honestly shocked that as clean as your grinds are, you're not using a jig. I personally don't think there's anything wrong with using grinding aids, but to know you're achieving your grinds freehand is inspiring.
 
Thanks for the replies. I don't feel jigs/fixtures should be looked down upon either. It just seems that I do better with fine tuning on some blades when I don't use any aids. I think that I will always use a rest to some degree, but hope that other makers who haven't tried freehand choose to do so once in a while, just to try it out.

It took me a few times dipping my toes in the water before I was able to comfortably freehand along the entire length of the grind.
 
I have been told by more than one fellow maker that I grind both freehand and blind. I still don't know whether that is a compliment or an insult... Ha!
 
I was just curious whether any other makers have had this same change in their grinding style.[/QUOTE]

A very long time ago.
Ken
 
I use a bubble jig to control my angle but the blade is held fully freehand. I have never felt comfortable using the work rest so it comes off before I start bevels. It's technically freehand, the bubble jig simply helps me stay more consistent when establishing the initial bevel angle.
 
I think you're on the right track with wanting that tactile 'feel' when grinding. I personally find the 'feel' to be the most important part of grinding. Sight provides reference points but you can't see all of what's going on. Also, at least when flat grinding, you can hear when you're not grinding along the same plane any longer. I know, for me, it just all seemed to click suddenly. I think you already got it though and your grinds look good from what I can see.
 
I use the work rest to profile the blade and later to add a swedge but other than that it is totally freehand.
 
I rough grind with a workrest, but remove it for finish grinding as well... for much the same reasons as you listed. I guess I'm glad to see I'm not alone in that :P
 
Rick Marchand said:
I have been told by more than one fellow maker that I grind both freehand and blind. I still don't know whether that is a compliment or an insult... Ha!
Click to expand...

*Cue Steve Urkel* Did I say that? :p

But in all fairness I was commenting on the way your grinder is setup not the quality of your knives. :thumbup:
 
On the beginning of my knife-maker career I used jig all the time. But now I'm in some transition period where I start with a jig and make only rough
lines and then I use only rest and freehand. I notice to be more comfortable with that technique. It's matter of time when I will throw jig away.
 
When flat grinding, I use a work rest to rough grind the bevel as I can put more pressure against the platen and keep it stable. After I hogged off a bunch of metal, I belly grind/ freehand as I have much more control and feeling. When I hollow grind, I do it all freehand.
 
Reading through threads on this subject my mind always conjures up the picture of the guy you see in the magazine ad, squatting in the dirt in Pakistan, forging a Kukri; its being held down by one of his feet while he uses his hands to stoke the fire and work the hammer. I'm not kidding! I know the guy would give his other foot to have an anvil to work on. :)
 
Everyone knows that I don't have much experience, but I simply don't own a work rest either, so my choices are pretty limited. ;)

I've been working on laying out a sheath template all day following guides, making dozens of measurements drawing on and cutting out forms, and all of it sucks. I kind of know deep down that I'm not that kinda guy. I'm a freehander doing everything I do (anything artistic, not just knives) by feel and sight. If any kind of math or logic gets involved, I seem to have problems. Character flaw I guess, but that's what works for me.

I believe there are those that can do it one way or the other, or both ways. I fall into the first category. I aced anything having to do with English, art or critical thinking in school, failing math, technical drawing, and anything else that required that side of the brain.

Knowing that you have a very technical mind, I'm a little surprised that you aren't using technology as much as possible. On the other hand, I happen to know that you're a southpaw. Never really knew what to think about that nonsense. :D
 
I took my work rest off of my grinder about a month after I got it.
 
I never started out with a jig for anything, though I will use some homemade ones when the drill press needs to become a substitute lathe for multiple duplicate turnings, and like several makers who have belt/disc grinders, after a while I took the work rest off too. The work rest never really got in the way for me, but I just decided that if I wasn't going to use it, then it might as well come off.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone, it has been interesting to see that some other folks have come to the same conclusion, sooner or later. When I very first started this, I though it was one of those have it or don't have it type of things, but now I'm feeling that it may very well be a natural progression.


Fred.Rowe said:
Reading through threads on this subject my mind always conjures up the picture of the guy you see in the magazine ad, squatting in the dirt in Pakistan, forging a Kukri; its being held down by one of his feet while he uses his hands to stoke the fire and work the hammer. I'm not kidding! I know the guy would give his other foot to have an anvil to work on. :)
Click to expand...

Funny, I always think of that photo too.

Strigamort said:
Knowing that you have a very technical mind, I'm a little surprised that you aren't using technology as much as possible. On the other hand, I happen to know that you're a southpaw. Never really knew what to think about that nonsense. :D
Click to expand...

Hehe, my old boss always used to hand me schematics and sternly say, "Now, we don't need this artistic, just make it work, Ok?"

Then, if it was something that was going to be seen by anyone that mattered, before handing me the drawing he would say a bit more politely, "Do you think you could get a little artistic on this one?" :p
 
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