Hand Sanding 101

Hope I never stop learning the "basics." There's always something in there that's so worth watching.
Sure appreciate you, Mr. Wheeler.
 
Thank you very much for this video Nick. Can't add to anything already said.

One question- can you post a pic at clean 220 of what ever you stopped at?
 
Great video Nick, I know it's been said a lot but it is so nice of you to share your technique, thanks.

A quick question. At what grit do you start the straight pulls? Is it something like the last or second to last grit you take the knife to?
 
NickWheeler said:
Ian- your work background has to be the best platform for getting a guy into knife making that I've ever heard of! :thumbup: :cool: I totally agree... it's the accidental scratches that I fight with MUCH MORE than the ones that I expect to deal with. :grumpy: :D
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I laugh sometimes, because it seems like my entire career had essentially no purpose at this point other than being a (very) prolonged training program for Knifemaking. :p

I thought maybe I could try to make a video on scratch mitigation, but it would probably be VERY boring, and I'm not sure I'm that much of an expert anymore, at least with how much trouble I seem to have sometimes.
 
Thank you very much for taking the time to do this video. I've only made a handful of knives and actually enjoy the hand sanding-it's fun to me to see the blade reaching that finished stage. I'll certainly be using some of your tips on the next one.

Jeremy
 
Nick,

I am not sure how the embedding would work, but you can host videos on Google drive as well. At least there the HD file size won't be an issue.
 
Nick what I really appreciate about you is you not only give good advice you also put up a lot of good pictures and videos of your work. So many good makers put up examples of their work which is always nice to see they put into practice what they preach.

Some makers sure are quick to give advice but try finding their work online or in magazines and it is a ghost town.
 
Thanks guys-

I went and looked at the Grizzly vises again, and they changed from the ones they were selling around 2012. The new ones look just like the HF one in a different color. So that's not much of an option, LOL.


Jason- That's a good point. My intention was to show you can scab together some things to use...not that you have to have a 2X4 and C-clamp. Having the full length of the blade supported with screws and such isn't a must at all. But if you really bear down when sanding like I do, it just makes sure the energy is going into the sanding and not into moving the blade up and down. :)

I don't have a picture of the blade finished, because I didn't finish it yet. ;) I will finish grind it the rest of the way on my 9" disc before I go ahead and finish it out.

Pat- I don't do straight pulls until I've got the blade sanded with the final grit. And I do back and forth strokes first, because that's faster. IMHO :)

Adam- Thanks :) There's been guys that were frustrated with me for posting pics here in ST, saying they don't belong here. But personally, I think if a guy is going to talk about how to do things, others should be able to see if he really does the stuff he says, or if he's just good at talking about it. ;) :)
 
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NickWheeler said:
Jason- That's a good point. My intention was to show you can scab together some things to use...not that you have to have a 2X4 and C-clamp. Having the full length of the blade supported with screws and such isn't a must at all. But if you really bear down when sanding like I do, it just makes sure the energy is going into the sanding and not into moving the blade up and down. :)
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If we can't scab stuff together, we won't turn into much of a knifemaker :) I'm past the "newb" stage and well into chasing diminishing returns. That 10 seconds I save with my vise grips vs. a C-clamp adds up at this point. I know what you mean about the blade flex taking the cutting power off the sandpaper.
 
Thanks for making this video, I'm working on my first knife and this helps more than you know. Your time put in to do the video was not in vain....I used several of the points you made today while I was hand sanding my knife. I have to admit I even seen that dang sign you had hanging in your shop that said don't quit in my head today. I had a scratch that I guess I missed in the(not sure what it's called) but the grip part of my full tang and I thought crap....but I went back a grit and fixed it.
Look forward to more.
 
Good stuff, Mr. Wheeler. Have been asked to make a knife for a charity event, and that will need to be my best. Your advice will certainly help me get there. Thank you for sharing your time and experience!
 
Nick,
Thanks again for the time and energy you put into helping! Being in South Dakota, these videos really help me see your attention to detail. So thanks again for this and every video you do!
 
Nick, I really appreciate the time you took in making this video. I have been teaching a few wounded vets where I am stationed, and this helped solidify what I've been trying to show them about finishing. I'm still learning a lot myself, and have been working out how best to explain some of the basic concepts. I, as well as my students are indebted. ..
 
Like everyone else has said thanks a ton for sharing this. I know this newbie has really learned a lot from your videos as well as videos from a lot of other guys on here. It's really awesome that yall are willing to take the time to put something like this together to help teach those of us just getting started in knife making.
 
William Schrade said:
Thanks Nick. Great video. Some makers told me to use old belts for hand sanding. What's your take on that?
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Just a newbie here myself so take this for whatever it's worth.:foot: If a belt is too worn out and dull to use on a grinder I can't see how it would work very well at a fraction of the speed. That being said, I still struggle with the concept of using belts and other supplies like they are free. Especially with the glares I get from the wife every time I go ordering more supplies. :D

Nick, I along with everyone else thanks you for your willingness to share and help others. Most of us will only ever be able to dream about the level your knives are.

Chris
 
Nick, this video was very helpful. Although I don't make knives, as a hobby woodworker I've put some nice handles on pre made blades. Recently Mike Williams spent some time in his shop forging a blade with my son. He gave it to me at ABS show and now my son has to finish sand it before HT. This video is perfect to illustrate how he needs to do it right. Thanks for doing this. Mark
 
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