My fingers have had it, keep getting blood everywhere.

JTknives

JTknives

Joined
Jun 11, 2006
Messages
8,651
Being that I don't use any jigs, sticks or other grinding helpers my fingers often end up bloody from grinding really thin blades. I rest the spine on the edge of my pointer finger at the first knuckle and press the blade agenst the belt with my thumb. I keep a little container of oil next to the grinder and I oil my thumb as it makes the blade pull through my hand much easier. Normally I would shift my entire body but with blades this thin I have to keep pressure directly over the belt. I am wondering if or what you guys do to save your fingers. I'm sure there is an easyer or less finger damaging way to do this but this is how I taught me self to do it many many years ago. Thanks guys
 
JT, Have you ever tried using a small work rest? It wouldn't take you long to get used to it and stop hurting your fingers. It's worth a try. I use one for every knife I grind and only worry about heat build up ...not skinned knuckles. There is no shame in using a rest. Larry
 
I have a rest on my KMG and have started using a chunk of micarta clamped to it as a rest. I run the micarta verticle and then push it into the belt so the belt runs in a groove. This makes it so the blade does not get sucked down between. But I'm still trying to get use to it because when something matters I end up going at it by hand. I think is not feeling the grind that gets me. I feel disconnected from the process and hence feel out of control.
 
I have had good luck with a small push stick with a thin shelf cut into to support the blade spine. It takes a little practice to get the feel of it in use but its far better than surrendering the finger tips.
 
I wear the grey knit metal work gloves. As the finger tips get ground away, and I change the glove. At $0.50 a pair, it is worth it to go through a couple pair each knife.

The main fingertip saving thing I use is a variety of grinding magnets. I have a narrow one that is about 4" long. It has a nice loop shape handle. I have big ones 9" and 12" long with heavy wood back frames. They grip so tight that it is sometimes hard to get the blade loose to flip over. I also have smaller ones that are about 3" long which are good when you need two magnets to hold an odd shaped blade or long blade. The magnets have saved my fingers the most.




My friend makes a work board for every knife. It is a piece of 3/4" pine that is cut to the shape of the blade. The tang holes fit on bolts with wing nuts. After roughing the shape and bevels, he fits the wood and does all finer grit grinding and polishing with it on the blade. As he refines the profile, the mandrel takes the exact shape of the knife. When switching sides, he unscrews the nuts, switches the blade to the other side of the wooden mandrel, and goes back to the grinder/buffer. He can switch it over in less than 30 seconds. The 3/4" thickness gives him something to get a grip on, as well as insulate his fingers from the heat. Because he gets a good grip, and the "edge" is effectively 3/4" wide when polishing, he almost never has a blade grab and go flying.
When done with a knife, he stores the wooden pattern mandrels in dry wall buckets. When he wants to make a popular knife shape, he pulls out the wooden pattern, drills the tang holes in a bar of steel, screws the bar to the pattern, and grinds to the shape of the wood.
 
Last edited:
I use small rare earth magnets also, when grinding thin blades. Place where needed along the blade surface to give your fingers a place for purchase. The magnets I use are 1/4 x 1/2 x 1 inch. They work well when sharpening also.
 
I feel your pain, literally. When I first started I cut into my index fingers so much that I think I might need a skin graft on my left index finger.
But I got better. Pain is a great teacher. I ground out 6 blades this last week without taking skin off.
One thing you can do is support the knife off to one side of the platen. You can even rest your fingers on the side of the platen when you do this.
Butch posted a great grinding video and you can see the technique in use here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07Q-eFEAs84
 
Magnets baby. Yeah! A good neodymium magnet will hold stronger than your fingers can. Just don't get em too hot.

Cheers.
 
I've used magnets and push sticks for the most part.

For very flexible pieces (mostly thin kitchen knives), I actually make an aluminum backing plate that is the same shape as the knife and bolt/clamp the blade to it.
 
Like the other guys have said. I started using magnets too, but I also wrap the area between the second and third joint of my pointer finger with athletic tape. As the tape grinds down I just wrap some more on. I usually wrap it with three layers so it lasts longer.
 
I use a one inch by three inch side piece of micarta. I cut an edge on it so I can rest the bottom of the blade on it. I can push the bottom in or the top in to make it grind where I want to.
I hold on to the three inch length.
 
I've never really had a problem with running my fingers into the grinder, just burning them. A lot. To the point where I can barely feel a few of my finger tips. On thinner blades I will sometimes wear I thin pair of mechanix gloves. Although some may hate the idea of wearing gloves by a grinder, I got use to it, and it helps a lot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top