Just ordered a 2x72. Newbie advice

C

comet_sharp

Joined
Aug 22, 2016
Messages
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Hey guys,
After doing some research and talking to George on the phone I decided to pull the trigger on a Northridge Tool grinder with small wheel attachment. Pretty excited as I've made a few knife shaped objects and 2 real knives on a HF 1x30 so far. (Hand filing my choils has been a pain) My workbench is getting crowded so I think I'm going to mount it on a HF machinery stand. Just wondering what brand small wheels you guys use since Northridge is still developing some, pfunder labs or kmg? Just some decent small wheels for choil areas on kitchen knives and how helpful is a dust collection system/a decent affordable dust collector? My 1x30 is OK on dust with steel but when I do handles wood goes everywhere (I also have my washing machine/dryer in my garage so I have to clean it everytime I work on a handle. I also make a lot of wooden Sayas) Will the 2x72 be just as bad on dust as the 1x30 whirling at light speed?
Also I have been using Ceramic belts from trugrit on my 1x30 and was wondering if you guys still use ceramics with the 2x72 or aluminum oxide? I mainly use 60 and 120grit ceramics on my 1x30 atm and have a few trizac belts I like for buffing out scratches after I thin my kitchen knives on my diamond plates before resharpening on the stones.
Need to find a mount for this baby, get some belts, order a few shop rolls for hand sanding and I'm ready to go!! So excited!
Also I mainly use 52100 and AEB-L atm since I do kitchen knives and am going for good affordable steel until I feel confident enough to order some more expensive san mai billets or something. I'd really like to get my hands on some 1.2519 as I really love the way Hitachi blue performs on gyutos.
Any advice is helpful and thanks for taking the time to read this. Thanks as always.
-Trey/Comet
 
Trey I have a Northridge as well. I got the pfunder small wheel setup, and their 10" wheel also. I'm just a hobbyist but I've been plenty happy with it all so far. You'll love the Northridge, and having VS.

I use ceramics for steel. In my experience from the 2x42 days AO breaks down too fast on steel to be a good value. The members with more experience might be more help with belts.

Just for my curiosity, what are you doing for heat treat with those steels?

-Zed
 
Don't stick your finger on a running belt.
You can use a Shop Vac in the dust path when grinding anything except steel. (Steel is a fire hazard.)
 
I'm sending them to Peters. My first knife was 14c28n and was heat treated for me by Calvin Robinson. He is an amazing knife maker and I'm lucky he lives near me, his heat treat is awesome.
 
On my 1x30 I do most of my stock removal with 60 grit belts. I see 3m cubitron belts being really popular in a thread here but it is 4 years old. Most people still using 36-60g ceramics to rough bevels and profile, 120g for a bit of clean up then switching over to gators and trizac belts? The 3m cubitrons are expensive! I used 1x30 blaze belts and they seemed to get the trick done. Is the cubitrons still worth the money?
 
comet_sharp said:
On my 1x30 I do most of my stock removal with 60 grit belts. I see 3m cubitron belts being really popular in a thread here but it is 4 years old. Most people still using 36-60g ceramics to rough bevels and profile, 120g for a bit of clean up then switching over to gators and trizac belts? The 3m cubitrons are expensive! I used 1x30 blaze belts and they seemed to get the trick done. Is the cubitrons still worth the money?
Click to expand...

36, 60, 120 blaze, then x200, x100, x65 trizac. Sometimes I use a 220 zirconia as it gives a very smooth scratch pattern before hand sanding.

I only go to 120 blaze pre heat treat, leaving an extra 0.020" to grind off to clean up any scale/decarb after heat treat. The trizacs in ceramic last a very long time. When they seem dull, they can be cleaned up and they are quite friable, bringing a fresh edge back.
 
Thanks. I think I'm gonna try a few VSM and a few blaze in 36,50/60 and 120. grab a few trizacs and maybe play around with different finishing belts. I've hand sanded all my blades till not but wouldn't mind a nice machine finish on some kitchen knives for myself as they are quick to fix if I ding'm up. Just tried to drill a 1/2" hole for a dowel in my first attempt at a japanese wa handle and my drill bit is too long. Time to make another trip to the store for a shorter 1/2" drill bit. At least my block is squared and center marked..
 
Also for my Northridge Tool grinder would you guys recommend KMG small wheels or ones off USA knifemakers or pfunder labs? Rubber or aluminum? I was thinking aluminum might exaggerate the bump where the belts are sown together with the small diameter which makes me think the rubber ones might feel better.
 
comet_sharp said:
Also for my Northridge Tool grinder would you guys recommend KMG small wheels or ones off USA knifemakers or pfunder labs? Rubber or aluminum? I was thinking aluminum might exaggerate the bump where the belts are sown together with the small diameter which makes me think the rubber ones might feel better.
Click to expand...

You're thinking right. Rubber coated also leaves a better finish.
 
Thanks Josh, usaknifemakers is out of their rubber so it looks like im ordering 2 small wheels from KMG. Starter belt set I'm thinking VSM 36/50/120 grit and all gators from there up to 400 or 600 grit. maybe grab a few scotchbrite belts and I'll see how I feel about machine finishes since I've only hand rubbed up till now. (gotta hand rub coming off that 1x30)
 
You might check out some cork belts too. For scotch-brite belts I would recommend the fine or ultra-fine (whichever is grey).
 
Thanks. I'll be making kitchen knives with wa handles and if I can make one with a machine finish like a Konosuke or any Sekai machine finished knives I think I'd be happy. Filling up my cart on trugrit now so I'll look at some cork belts while I'm there
 
Cubitron belts are worth the money. I love then they are just expensive. Recently ive tried combat abrasives for my belts in 36, 60, 120, 220. And they are great. They dont make 220 ceramics yet but the ones thwy do make are awesome. I like trizact or gator belts from 3M (check on tru grit) they leave a nice finish and last for a super long time. Good luck with the northridge. I have heard nothing but good things. I hope to score one this year.

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