How do you make the edge?

H

HKG36

Joined
Oct 14, 2003
Messages
129
How do you make the sloping edge of a knife? Do you forge it? Grind it?

Im not talking about the sharp cutting edge...the edge that keeps the thickness of the blade from being the same throughout the knife.
 
What you refer to is the "grind." It can be hollow ground, flatground, convex ground, etc...

A flat grind can be done on a belt sander. A hollow grind is usually done on a grinding wheel. Sometimes with the aid of a jig.
 
A flat grind can be done on a belt sander
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Can you describe how its done on a belt grinder? Getting the right angles on both sides seems like it would pretty hard.
 
Yes, it is hard. Riding a bicycle is hard too.

I suppose the most difficult part is to get the same amount of grind on both sides of the blade such that the leading edge, when it comes out, is centered on the spine of the blade.

When I do it, I put on a pair of leather gloves, and just hold the blade to the belt over the platten. I hold'er there untill the I've ground about half way thru the edge of the blade that will be the leading edge. then I flip it and repeat. There is some rocking and swaying required to work the grind out along the tip.

Disclaimer: I am not a knife maker, though I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express a couple of years ago.
 
Moving to Shop Talk ...

It's not that hard to do if you don't care how long it takes you, and it's not too hard if you don't care about making it exactly right. The difficulty is getting it right in a reasonable time. That takes practice. :cool:
 
Stock removal method:

First thing you do is scribe the edge barstock to get a centerline.

Then you grind a short, obtuse bevel to about 1/16" thickness.

Then work the upper part of the bevel higher and higher until you reach the spine.

See the pic:

attachment.php




Forging method:

Hitting the bar with a cross pein hammer will spread the steel slightly, and then flattening those blows with a regular hammer will spread it farther.

attachment.php



BTW, what you're refering to is called the "face" - the non-sharpened part of the knife. The "grind" is the what you put on the "face".
 
Cougar Allen said:
Moving to Shop Talk ...

It's not that hard to do if you don't care how long it takes you, and it's not too hard if you don't care about making it exactly right. The difficulty is getting it right in a reasonable time. That takes practice. :cool:
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True story..... getting it right is what counts...don't worry about the time it takes. That will show in the finished product. :D
Mike
 
Daniel Koster said:
Hitting the bar with a cross pein hammer will spread the steel slightly, and then flattening those blows with a regular hammer will spread it farther.
Click to expand...

Some of us have special hammers designed for forging the bevels in. (always called it a bevel, not a face personally, but that's just me, and I'm justy a crusty blacksmith)

Tony
 
ysforge said:
Some of us have special hammers designed for forging the bevels in. (always called it a bevel, not a face personally, but that's just me, and I'm justy a crusty blacksmith)

Tony
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I'd be glad to see a picture :)
 
HKG36 said:
How do you make the sloping edge of a knife? Do you forge it? Grind it?

Im not talking about the sharp cutting edge...the edge that keeps the thickness of the blade from being the same throughout the knife.
Click to expand...

Maybe I'm the one mistaken, but I think you guys are misunderstanding the question...

HKG36, are you talking about it getting narrower from the spine to the edge? If so then these other guys are right and I'm the one who misunderstood. Do you mean it gets narrower from guard to point? If that's what you meant then that's not the "grind type" at all, it's known as distal taper. To get that the easiest way is to forge it in, it's almost hard not to do a distal taper if you're forging to shape. Grinding one in is harder, you'd want either a really good flat platen or a surface grinder.
 
HKG36, are you talking about it getting narrower from the spine to the edge? If so then these other guys are right and I'm the one who misunderstood. Do you mean it gets narrower from guard to point? If that's what you meant then that's not the "grind type" at all, it's known as distal taper. To get that the easiest way is to forge it in, it's almost hard not to do a distal taper if you're forging to shape. Grinding one in is harder, you'd want either a really good flat platen or a surface grinder.
Click to expand...

I forgot about that. Is there a diagram of the technical terms of a knife, so my posts wont be so confusing?
 
just restate your question in more detail - maybe post a knife pic for reference.
 
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