I've been putting some work into my "Grinding Tips" page...

Salem Straub

Salem Straub

Joined
Oct 20, 2008
Messages
5,547
Just some basics, really. Plunges, bevels, stance/technique, belts. Of course, just my perspective. If you learn from it, great. If I can learn from you, please give me feedback and ideas. Please and thanks.

http://www.prometheanknives.com/shop-techniques-3/grinding-tips

I wrote more and inserted some images today. I get inquiries from time to time about grinding, and I figured instead of trying to explain with text only and off the cuff every time, it would be nice if I could just post a link to my page for info. The pics, I hope, make it more visually interesting and help to clarify things that are hard to express verbally.

If I had bandwidth, I'd just post videos. One day...

If you read this, Fred Rowe, I wanted to ask if I could link to your "progressive grinding" document for the "bevels 102" section. I sure couldn't explain that better.

Thanks for looking, feel free to look around the rest of the "shop techniques" as well if you like.
 
Salem,

I was reading your tips a while back and your tips about hanging the belt off the edge have really helped, I used to file in my ricasso and now I do 99% by belt. I have been experimenting with every belt around and have to say the blaze/gator combo really rocks.

The one about approaching the grinder with relaxation really helps, yesterday I was convexing a cheap machete I really didn't care about and didn't look at my work nearly as much, lol it came out better than normal. I usually look every few passes, I looked at the belt changes on this one. I know you were talking about finding the bevel, but relaxation really helps.

Thanks, the tips are awesome! The new stuff helps a lot, great job on it.
 
Salem that was well done. Good explanations and the pics help a lot. Thanks for the post. Larry
 
Good job. I appreciate the comment at the end about slowing down the grinder. I am less than a year in but have been told that I grind pretty well. I attribute this to grinding slow. I think too many people assume you need the dramatic shower of sparks to be a good grinder.

BTW I have referred to your site on many occasions for info or links; Thanks

David Sharp
Sharpwerks
 
Good info!

I'll have to try a sweeping plunge one of these days.
 
Thanks for sharing these great tips!I just came in from grinding and my fingers are burned.I need to master that pushstick.I just cant get used to gloves.
 
Yes, gloves suck. I still burn my fingers sometimes with higher grit belts, though.

David, it's good to hear that someone out there is reading my site for info. You're totally welcome.

Fred said I can link to his progressive grinding doc. That's good stuff. Back into page edit mode!
 
Nice salem, I enjoyed reading your tips. I've been practing off an on on sweeping plunges and finally getting the hang of it. thanks for the info.
 
Thanks for the tips. I just tried using a push stick (literally just a stick) two weeks ago and I see how your design would be better. From the work that you do I'd have to say I will be trying out all your tips to see if they can work for me.

This is a site that new knife makers can be directed to for info.

Thanks again.

- Paul Meske, Wisconsin
 
Whenever I meet someone that shows an interest in coming to the shop and making knives, I tell them to come on up. Some don't finish one knife, some make more than one. The upside of it for me is that I gain experience in how to explain/demonstrate the process. Grinding is such a hard thing to learn to do cleanly on your first few knives that teaching it takes some thought. Especially for those trying to learn online without a teacher in person, explanations need to be as clear as possible.

I'm trying to work on it. Thanks for looking, guys.
 
Salem,

Can you give a few more tips on doing the sweeping plunge? I've never been able to get it right and I want to.

Dave
 
I'm going to do some drawings about that, I find it hard to explain with text (or at all) and hard to take pics of.

I would describe the process as "carving with the corner of the belt." I only had any repeatable, controllable success with it after I started beaming light right onto the area being worked, and watching it while grinding.

I'd also describe it as "pushing the bevel and plunge to 95% of where you want it, then lifting the blade evenly off of the belt while grinding into the plunge to gain the desired transition."

See? I can't explain it well. I'll try to draw it soon. Also, I don't claim at all to be a master of this stuff, some guys like Phillip Patton, Thomas Haslinger, David Broadwell, etc. are really killing it with the swept plunges. I'm just trying to catch up...
 
A few drawings. I have a point of discernment between what I call "fully swept" and "semi swept" plunges. I like both, but find the fully swept plunge more challenging and ultimately more appealing. I also suspect it may be a bit stronger, although I find the degree to which people focus on things like that to be a bit ridiculous.

Tell me what you find confusing. I know there will be something; I'm no artist.

IMG_6457.JPG


IMG_6458.JPG


IMG_6459.JPG


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The main thing is to be smooth and not dig in unevenly. I know I'm working on this. Also, it may help, especially when trying to match sweeping lines exactly, to make a pattern, use it to mark your grind lines, then "color inside the lines" with the grinder. On a dagger with swept lines, for instance.
 
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I think I get it. I confess I've spent little time playing with this, but I've long admired this type of plunge, and I think I'll work on it. I'll need to study your drawings and do some pondering, but they'll help, Salem. I appreciate your taking the time to do these and post them.

Thanks mucho.

Dave
 
Salem,

I saw this pic on your website last week:

IMG_6453.JPG


I think that style of plunge looks very elegant, and I set about trying to find out how to do it, your hints pages helped a lot (push stick = simple genius) but it's still a slight mystery to me.

It's very hard to write about this topic, as you mention. I wish I live closer! In this pic, is the blade being moved from left to right, or right to left?

IMG_6452.JPG


When you do the first pass at 45 degrees, do you start at the point you want the plunge to be, then as you decrease the angle of the grinding, and move further up the blade, do you always touch the belt at that same spot, but change the angle of the blade as you move away from the ricasso?

So with a bubble jig, would you start the pass with the bubble way off, then bring the bubble to where it should be as you move from the ricasso to the flat?

It's hard because I've never seen a plunge like that in person.

I know the blade is kept parallel to the platen.

Thanks for any more tips, or photos, video, drawings etc!

Steve.
 
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