No. 30 - Full Stainless

ddavelarsen

ddavelarsen

Joined
Dec 7, 2000
Messages
5,179
This was my first time working with stainless for fittings, and while all the stories about the difficulty working it seem to be true, its permanence far outweighs any trouble that might be. I'm totally converted to stainless, it'll be hard to get me to use anything else from now on.

I'm convinced my trouble with pictures is my camera, it just doesn't have the resolution needed for this. Sorry about the crappy pic.

Specs:

Blade is 440C
12" overall, 6.75" blade
Guard, Ferrule and Pommel are stainless
Handle is stainless wire over oak

This knife has a major flaw in the grinding, and I'll add a pic following this post showing my mess.

Dave
 

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I don't know how I did this and don't know how I might have corrected it. I think if this happens again I'll grind a safe flat on a round file and file in the plunges. I don't know what else I'd do. Any ideas?

Dave
 

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Dave, that can happen from one side of the contact wheel, or platen, being slightly different from the other. Or it can be the variations in holding, from one hand to the other.
I am not going to tell you to recrown your wheel, too many get screwed up that way. You might try to carefully regrind that bevel, especially if you have a variable speed grinder, sloooooooow speed.
Lacking that, what you suggested sounds like it would work.
All problems aside, you did a good job on that dagger. :cool:
PS;the grind only has to come back a little way, so take it easy and slow. Goog luck.
 
That's one kick-ass blade, Dave. I wish I could grind a dagger half that well.

BTW, I love the guard.
 
Aside from practice, one thing I found that helps is to get the plunge close before heat treatment and then make them even after heat treat. The platen and wheel just seem to set in better when they have more resistance.

Good looking knife overall! I like the wire wrap handle.
 
I catch myself doing this all the time. For me, it's not holding the blade horizontally at the same angle to the wheel (or planten) in my right hand vs. my left hand. I'm really right handed so the grinds always come along differently and I have to concentrate to get the left hand strokes up to the right hand ones. My solution, at least until I get better, is/was to start putting a saw notch in the edge before grinding so I have something to zero in on when dressing the plunge cut. After the grinding is done, I'll come back and round out the notch. I rationlize this by saying to myself that it is an interesting design detail.
 
Awesome blade Dave, sorry but I'm a novice and have no solution for ya.

Thanks for the tip Tracy.
 
This is what I use to do before I got a var. speed to straighten up those places. I'm sure this is wrong, and I am NOT saying anyone should do it, but it worked for me. I took the drive wheel off my BaderIII and ran the belt on the drive shaft of the moter. Really slowes the belt down. Not quite sure how safe this is, but I never had any problems. You make do with what you have, I guess. Mark
 
I tried to do a double edge grind ONCE. After trying to correct multiple times (trying to keep symmetrical) the blade's width was shortened to much. I finally got so mad that I destructed the blade to how well the heat treat was. I finally concluded I wasnt ready for that skill level yet and didnt want to lose what confidence I had built. Your effort is way beyond what I did, but one thing that may also help you is using a black marker to see exactly how you are grinding in an area that you have previously ground in. I use this all the time especially when I'm doing my distal taper/edge. Its hard to tell sometimes and with the marker you can see exactly where you are grinding and how to correct before its too late. Excellent effort and I'm sure you learned alot.
 
Terry, it's even worse than that...I was using my cheater (see below) and it's supposed to eliminate the possibility of this completely! Usually it does. I just must not have been paying attention. I do have a var speed grinder, maybe next time I'll try to work it in by hand.

I have a hard time working the plunges though, because I haven't figured out how to roll the belt off the edge of the wheel yet. When I figure out how to control that, look out! There'll be some wicked grinds coming out of here. :D

BB, I did learn a lot, but the best lesson was about using stainless for fittings. I'm not kidding! The worst thing that will happen to this stuff is fingerprints; it stays finished.

Thanks for the support, on to the next one!

Dave
 
Ooops, here's the cheater. It clamps to the blade and helps guide me against the wheel or platen. Usually it does a good job of keeping my plunges even. I must not have been paying attention this time...

Dave
 

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Dave, track the belt about 1/8-3/16" off one side of the wheel/platen, take a small piece of scrap metal and put it on the wheel/platen at a 45deg., angle. It will round the belt over and take some of the bite out of it. Repeat for the other side, and start grinding. :eek:
 
Dave, I'm a new knifemaker and have done about 20 grinds so far, the hollow grings on a Multi tool II attachment with a single speed (high) Jet grinder motor riving it. I'll give you my 2 cents worth as I have wrestled with the same problem. First, I think all of the comments are right on & I have used all of them with positive results. I have been doing as Andrew does -as it also seems to me that it is easier to finish the plunge after heat treat. If I really need a drastic fix, I go to a slow 1" grinder and carefully rework the beginning (straight portion) of the plunge. Then I go back to the contact wheel and blend the top in with a worn 220. As far a flat grinding goes, I have a grizzly & it needs some mods - sountil I get to them, I have been finishing all my flat grind plunges on the 1" belt -works great.

Of course, as many have said, nothing beats practice and learning to relicate your angles and action from side to side as you do left, then right. As I getter (I hope) and move up to a variable speed grinder (I also hope) I'll do all my work the contact wheel and (improved) flat platen. I also have to say that I am very impressed with No. 30. For a learning curve, you are into warp speed.

Bob
http://www.southrivermodelworks.com/page15a.html
 
Ben, I don't do much of anything after HT. I get to 220 or 400 before, and do the final finish after. I'll consider doing more of the work after the steel's hardened, seems a lot of people do that - there must be a reason. :D

Dave
 
Dave, I see your problem, your 'cheater' is crooked! Sorry, just had to say that. I use somewhat the same thing but I like your design much better. Hope you don't mind if I "borrow" your design. What did you make it from? Did you harden it and leave it full hard?
Stealing again, Lynn
 
Dave-

Very pretty dagger! :)

I'll second what Mike said and not take up any more space here ;)

Nick

ps- I love stainless for fittings...
 
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