Not nearly as easy as you make it seem...

Justin Schmidt

Justin Schmidt

Joined
Feb 18, 2016
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2,209
So I got a 2x42 tonight picked up some HD metal to practice on before. Never made a knife before. I attempted to make one just using a file but I just don't have that kind of patience. And trying to grind a bevel is NOT easy. Frustrating but not easy. I can't seem to walk the bevel back it just grinds down the edge or creates a whole new bevel.
 
Any advice from the masters of the craft out there? My wife's advice to me? "It's a craft for a reason. If everyone could get it right the first shot it wouldn't be skill or craft. It would be boring."
 
Your wife is right, all those people you see on youtube and here they have likely invested hundreds of hours, well likely thousands of hours into the craft and they make it look easy. About walking down the bevel, think of it like you are creating multiple facets starting from the initial 45 degree bevel to the final bevel height. Then you are blending the bevels into one bevel. Others have a much better explanation I'm sure.
 
Practise practise practise. in the beginning you don't even SEE what you're doing wrong.

Then with enough practise you see what goes wrong and you mess up fixing it.

In the end you start to do it right. But it takes many hours.

Or you could just build some kind of jig. Which also works very well I'm told. Me I just wanted to learn the skill.
 
Red, that actually makes alot of sense. I kept trying to grind the same spot over and over instead of walking it back little by little.
LX I got 6ft of this stuff so it should be enough to keep me busy for a few days ;) I'm not into the jig thing. I tried it with files and it messed me up even more so that's a no go for me.
 
Dont overcomplicate it. Its really not magic.

What will help you is better layout in the beginning to make sense of what you are actually trying to accomplish. First, take your steel and get the flattest surface you have. If you dont have a height scribe, get a drill bit the same thickness as your steel and drag it down the edge. This is your center line and you will never grind down past this (and really only want to come within .010" of it). The decide what type of grind you want. Full flat is the easiest for beginning I think. So if youre doing a full flat, your bevel angle will be a straight line connecting that center line to the edge of the spine. Anything outside of that has to be ground off.

So take your knife, edge up and line up your angle in a way that matches the angle you want. Start grinding. If you are moving too aggressively towards the center line you scribed, tilt the edge away from the belt and put more pressure on the flat of the knife. If your grind line is moving too far back towards the spine and your edge is too thick, tilt the edge toward the belt. Eventually as you move back the goal is to dial in that angle. When you find it you need to carefully repeat the same stroke of sliding the knife across the belt at the same angle every time.

Thats just how I do it. I am sure others will chime in and give their input. Everyone has their own methods. Find one that works for you. You rarely see anyone get it right the first time. Hours in front of the grinder will help you more than anything.

Pics help too for giving advice.
 
Also, be sure you're using good, new, sharp belts. Dull, worn belts don't cut cleanly and will cause some of the kind of problems you've mentioned. Next, keep your elbows in tight to your torso when you grind, and support the blade with your off hand. It would be easier to show this than tell it...
 
i wish I could help... it takes me a while to get it close every time, then I fix it with sand paper. elbow grease is the most important lube in my shop
 
I scribed a center line as mentioned by BKT. Imy going for a full flater grind. I'm also using anow 80 gr craftsman belt it came with so that might be part of the problem. I'll keep at it
 
valknut said:
I scribed a center line as mentioned by BKT. Imy going for a full flater grind. I'm also using anow 80 gr craftsman belt it came with so that might be part of the problem. I'll keep at it
Click to expand...

400 grit belts will take forever. The lowest i would go for primary grinding of bevels would be 80. I have always used 40 grit to start.
 
One thing that I had to realize starting out is you need to shut out the noise and vibration made by the grinder. It can kind of overwhelm the senses when you are starting out. Focus on evenly applying pressure and try to feel where that grind is against the platen, then apply gentle pressure toward the top of of the grind to move it up the blade. It is really a subtle feel that you have to perceive, when all manner of violence is happening around you. Once you get in that zone the first time, you will know you are doing it right.
 
Jason Fry said:
This....
https://trugrit.com/index.php?main_...d=2826&zenid=42e1c7f95ae5b342e39b42d7ef2c6a48

Then this...
https://trugrit.com/index.php?main_...d=5728&zenid=42e1c7f95ae5b342e39b42d7ef2c6a48

Anything over about 220 grit on that machine is going to wear out fast, and cut poorly after the first few passes. I built 150 knives on my Craftsman before I built a 2x72... not just talking out my keyboard.
Click to expand...

Nice I appreciate the help. About how long did a belt last ? I'm only making edc knives for now so nothing huge.
Did you ever try the trizac gator belts? A couple of threads I've seen say they work pretty well on this machine at higher grits.
 
On a 60 grit blaze, I could grind maybe 5 or 6 EDC sized. Use a worn belt for profiling, and save the fresh ones for bevels. Your mileage may vary...

I used the gators a lot on the 2x42. I would go to an A160 after the 120 grit ceramic, then usually hand sand from there. I used the a45 some as well. One thing about the gators, they HATE water. If you need to dip your blade to keep it cool, be sure and dry it off before you put it back on a gator belt.
 
Ok awesome thank you. I'll be picking some up next month. Done spent all my extra money this month on the grinder lol
 
I share your frustrations. There are some gifted and talented people who can just put steel to a moving belt and grind a perfect bevel. That's not me. Grinding good bevels has not been easy for me. Below are things that have helped me. None of them are magic pills that miraculously enable me to make wonderful knives but they help me improve.

I bought a "Bubble Jig" to help me get and keep the proper angle while grinding. It still takes a steady hand to keep the bubble centered and one can easily screw up. It takes a couple blades before you get the feel of using it. I saw a major improvement in my grinds.

I also use a Sears 2X42. The sears belts are for wood. They can be used on metal but will not have much of a life. Invest in GOOD belts from True Grit or Super Belts. They will cut much better, with less heat, and last longer.

I've recently moved my grinder to a proper level for me. It had been on my work bench placing the grinding surface about chest high. It's now much lower, about belly-button high, and I can look down on the blank and better gauge the angle as I grind.

I'm also wearing leather gloves to keep me from burning my fingers. Without them I was holding the knife blank loosely and rushing because I knew it was going to burn me. With gloves I approach the grinder with more confidence and can better apply/present the steel to the belt. It would sure help if I could slow the darn motor down but that's not going to happen so I have to learn to work around it.

Are my grinds all pretty and flat, and even on both sides? Nooooooo... not exactly, but they're getting better and I'm having fun.

What sort of knife are you trying to make? Start small, something about the size of a kitchen paring knife. It will be less frustrating.

Good luck and good grinding,

- Paul Meske
 
lonepine said:
I share your frustrations. There are some gifted and talented people who can just put steel to a moving belt and grind a perfect bevel. That's not me. Grinding good bevels has not been easy for me. Below are things that have helped me. None of them are magic pills that miraculously enable me to make wonderful knives but they help me improve.

I bought a "Bubble Jig" to help me get and keep the proper angle while grinding. It still takes a steady hand to keep the bubble centered and one can easily screw up. It takes a couple blades before you get the feel of using it. I saw a major improvement in my grinds.

I also use a Sears 2X42. The sears belts are for wood. They can be used on metal but will not have much of a life. Invest in GOOD belts from True Grit or Super Belts. They will cut much better, with less heat, and last longer.

I've recently moved my grinder to a proper level for me. It had been on my work bench placing the grinding surface about chest high. It's now much lower, about belly-button high, and I can look down on the blank and better gauge the angle as I grind.

I'm also wearing leather gloves to keep me from burning my fingers. Without them I was holding the knife blank loosely and rushing because I knew it was going to burn me. With gloves I approach the grinder with more confidence and can better apply/present the steel to the belt. It would sure help if I could slow the darn motor down but that's not going to happen so I have to learn to work around it.

Are my grinds all pretty and flat, and even on both sides? Nooooooo... not exactly, but they're getting better and I'm having fun.

What sort of knife are you trying to make? Start small, something about the size of a kitchen paring knife. It will be less frustrating.

Good luck and good grinding,

- Paul Meske
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice man. The 2x42 is FAST and gets VERY hot. I realized if i apply more pressure it actually helps me BUT I can only make 2 passes before my fingers burn. What sucks is how expensive belts are. Sure 3.75 doesn't sound much but my disability only comes in once a month so I have to get enough belts to last a month and that adds up. For just about 8 belts it's 30 bucks. But it's all worth the sacrifice.
Right now I lmfao not trying to make any knives I cut 6in pieces of mild steel drew a line down the center and that gives me 4 "knife edges" to practice on. It's SLOWLY coming together
 
Paint stir sticks are free, and you can learn technique by grinding them. Get the roughly 3/16 thick bigger ones. If you're buying belts, buy a few of the cheapest 100 or so grit aluminum oxide belts for working wood. Don't waste a blaze or ceramic by clogging it up with wood.

Also, make a knife or two, even if you have to use files, sell them, even if they're only $50 each, and there's your belt money.
 
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