Machinist needs some knife grinder advice

Nathan the Machinist

Nathan the Machinist

KnifeMaker / Machinist / Evil Genius
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Okay guys, I need some advice. With the machine shop tools, I've never needed to get any "knife specific" machinery and I've been getting along fine. I mill things that most folks would grind, I'm a machinist, what would you expect.

My 10" hollow grinds are being done on a customized grinder I built up that uses stone, not sanding belts, which works great for everything except knife grinding. My belt sander is a 6 by 48 POS, certainly not a knife grinder. Hand finishing could be reduced if I got a proper knife grinder, I've been getting along without one too long.

I was going to get a Coote, but a knife making buddy of mine said I would be disappointed if I didn't get a KMG.

My question is this: Considering I'll be using it mostly for finishing work and hollow grinding, never for major material removal, is there a functional difference in the performance of the Coote and the KMG? The Coote is a lot less expensive. Anybody in this situation have any experience they'd like to share? Is there a different grinder I should be looking at? I was about to get the Coote, but now I'm wondering if the KMG would be smarter.

I've used the search function. This (exact) topic has not been covered (that I can find).

Thanks guys.
Nathan
 
Nathan, I've never heard any complaints about the KMG. For the work that you'll be doing with it, I'd get a variable speed, if you could swing it.
- Mitch
 
KMG all the way, though you could get the smaller motor if it is just for finish work, definately need the variable speed or step pullies.
 
Nathan,

You can't go wrong with a KMG. I'd second the recommendation for some method of slowing it down if it's primarily for finish work. Of course, being a machinist, you might be able to make yourself a KMG clone with much more ease than many of us....

-d
 
KMG rock solid and built like a tank also lots of extras to be had or made for it

no one here should need to tell you about tools and mass and how that effects how smooth the tool

if you can swing it KMG all the way
 
If you have machine tools why not build a KMG clone? You could probably build a KMG clone with variable speed for about the same price as a Coote.
 
Nathan - the Coote is a great machine and I don't think anyone would be disappointed in one. I just think that most folks would "graduate" to a larger, better machine later on. But, you asked about the functional differences, which there are many. The KMG will give you many, MANY more options for contact wheels, which you may or may not find useful.

I really love to use a 14" wheel and a 4" wheel, along with a series of small wheels to a certain extent. There is a small wheel attachment for the Coote, but I don't think it has the same wheel options, you definitely won't be able to run a large wheel, nor one as small as a 4" without some hackery. The rotary platen for the KMG is a neat little setup that I have seen, but never used. A lot of folks tell me that these are great for doing handles.

I don't know anyone who dislikes their Coote or wishes they'd not bought it. I do know folks who have upgraded to the KMG or Bader. I also don't know anyone who regrets buying their KMG (aside from maybe paying the bill), but I've never heard of any one of them downgrading to a Coote.
 
Hey, I have 2 grinders. One is a KMG the other was a nice well built machine my brother made. Tracks well, power is great. Platen and a 8" contact wheel working togeather. But, I have gathered the parts and am tearing it down to make it basically a KMG clone, so I can use all the same options. The ability to change from a platen to a wheel, to a small wheel. The steadiness of it. Just makes the other seem much less usefull and difficult. 2 of them weeeeee!!!!!!!! Guess you know my opinion.
 
KMG or a Bader, there really are no other grinders. Yes i know, some folks use Burr King, but . . . I seriously looked at a coote, and kept looking. the KMG and it's clones give amazing flexibility with all sorts of options, the Bader doesn't have quite as much versatility, but darn things are tanks!
Rather than spend money on a coote then buy the grinder I really want in another 2 years when I have finished paying off my casting equipment and the bill for a coote, I will just save the money, use my grizzly which is paid for and buy a KMG or Bader next year (the KMG is real tempting whith the creator of it right here on forums all the time

-Page
 
KMG Nathan :thumbup: Many more tooling options available than on the coote. Buy one from Rob if you don't have the time to build one. If you decide to build the clone and need a close-up pic or a number (dimension) of one of the components, let me know :)
 
Nathan,
The Kmg Is A Great Machine.
Change Over Is Very Fast & The Quality Is Excellent.
Tracking On Unit Is Good.
I Have Never Used The Coote, However, From The Looks Of It, Looks Kinda "crampy" To Hollow Grind On?
With The Kmg, The Wheel Sits Out Away & Proud From The Bulk Of The Machine & You Can Get Up Into Your Grinding With It (nothing In The Way)
My Next Purchase Will Be A Hardcore Grinder.
I Will Use The Hardcore For Bevels & The Kmg For Everything Else.
I Almost Bought The Hardcore Over The Kmg Initially, But The Change Over Time Was Too Long On The Hardcore.
All The Machines Are Expensive, But The Idea Is That They Should Pay For Themselves.
Thanks, Randy
 
Wow. No ambiguity here. A lot of knifemakers whose opinions I respect are saying KMG. You guys know your stuff. Thank you for your input fellows, I'll be getting (or building) a KMG.

David, I appreciate the offer. A buddy of mine right up the road has one, I'll cruse by and study it.
 
Nathen,take it from someone who cant get a kmg....GET ONE!!!! Rob will not ship to my location so i had to break down and buy a two wheel machine similar to the coote.needless to say,6 months later im looking for a used kmg or trying to find a way to get one.think of it as a mini chinese mill vs a bridgeport :)
 
Hi

i have to say the same... i've got a coote only cause kmg won't ship up here....
-still POed about it ... but thats life :jerkit:

spend as much as you can on a grinder... you won't regret it... its a wonderful tool for knife making...

Greg
 
Nathan the Machinist said:
David, I appreciate the offer. A buddy of mine right up the road has one, I'll cruse by and study it.
Click to expand...

Nathan,
Being a machinist, and having one up the road, I can't imagine why you wouldn't just build one. The money you would save,(I didn't say time) should pay for an attachment or two. Plus, there has to be a lot more satisfaction in building than buying. Now that I have a KMG on the bench, it bothers me that I didn't build it. I have the step pulley speed control, and have honestly never longed for variable speed. The one thing I can't do without any longer though, is the small wheel attachment. I AM ordering one TODAY!!!:D
Step pulleys are cheap, I'd build a unit whith pulleys, use the money you save for the small wheel attachment, and a good motor, and then upgrade to vsd if you feel the need down the road.
Just my .02 keep us informed of your choice,
Matt
 
deker said:
Nathan,

You can't go wrong with a KMG. I'd second the recommendation for some method of slowing it down if it's primarily for finish work. Of course, being a machinist, you might be able to make yourself a KMG clone with much more ease than many of us....

-d
Click to expand...

Thats what i was going to say! I'm building one (pending materials) and these are the links im going by, I'm sure yours would be perfect with your machinist background!

http://www.dfoggknives.com/PDF/GrinderPlans.pdf

this isnt mine, but from another thread by Ken Kelley.
http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t248/alphairon/KMG Clone 1/
http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t248/alphairon/KMG Clone 2/
http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t248/alphairon/KMG Clone 3/
http://s162.photobucket.com/albums/t248/alphairon/KMG Clone 4/
 
KMG on the way.

To answer the question, why not just build it myself. If I knew much about knife grinders and had opinions about things I wanted different, I'd build a custom. But for now there is enough machinery I need to build or rebuild that it is tough to build something I can get off the shelf.

Thanks for the input getting the right one guys, I do appreciate it.

Nathan
 
I would recommend from your selection the KMG -because you can add accessories later.

If you don't have the bucks, a Grizzly will get you started. Coote's good, but there isn't much difference from a Grizzly.

I've had all 3. Go KMG, and have no regrets.
 
flatgrinder said:
I would recommend from your selection the KMG -because you can add accessories later.

If you don't have the bucks, a Grizzly will get you started. Coote's good, but there isn't much difference from a Grizzly.

I've had all 3. Go KMG, and have no regrets.
Click to expand...


The KMG gets here Friday.
 
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