OK, admit it ... who uses a grinding jig?

When I attempted my first hollow ground knife I wanted to use a jig because I thought that hollow grinding was very difficult, but I could not afford to buy one so I went at it freehand. They turned out surprisingly not bad, but I gotta tell ya that for the first little while I was literally shaking. Now I do just fine freehand & would not go to a jig, but if a guy wants to use one I have no problem with that. There is alot more to a hand made knife than just how the edge was ground. The mirror polish for example, the fit of the Bolsters or Guard. The finish of the handle. All this takes time & skill & is not done with a jig.

[This message has been edited by BCK (edited 13 March 1999).]
 
I made a simple hollow grinding jig from some angle iron. All I did was cut a 2 1/4" slot in the back of it for the contact wheel to stick through and bolt it to my stock table . I still use it for hollow grinding bowies or knives that have a severe curve to them such as a trail point skinner. I simply cannot control the grind enough to do these type of knives free hand. Sure, a flat grind or a simple hollow ground drop point is easy to free hand.
I'll use anything I can to make a better knife. Call it cheating if you want, I call it doing my best!
Take care!! michael

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"Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!"

 
well, i don't think it's cheating if you use a jig for grinding, i don't use one and never have. i free hand them, even threw away my work rest. that was just cuase it was annoying me though, when i start hallow grinding, i'm using a work rest, no jig though. even grinding is a skill, but everyone can use a little help, like better grinders, mills, surface grinders, or jigs.
 
Funny! If I do it it ain't cheating but if you do it it is cheating. Come on guys next thing it will be cheating to wear my glasses or hearing aids. What ever produces the best knife for you and your customer is the best way to go about it, Why should you care what I think, I didn't pay any of your costs so it"s none of my business. By the way I do all my own work including heat treat. :>)

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old pete
 
I guess it's the difference between an artist and a tool maker.

One crafts a fine product by using "primitive" means, the other produces a fine product using technology.

Each to his own.

Darren
 
Hey,
My only thought on the matter comes down to how you think of knifemaking.

Personally I find knifemaking is more of looking for the way to produce the best knife that I can.

So, given this, I wouldnt suggest to anyone to start with a jig and just keep on with that, as you will never learn how freehand filing will help your knifemaking.

It's kind of a walk before you run type approach.
I dont find it cheating, just trying to improve. Try a jig, and then when you are sure-handed with the jig, try without it.

mind you .. this is coming from someone who has never tried a jig as yet.. so please do take with a pinch of salt.
wink.gif


D.
 
Hi folks,
From your replies, I understand that most of you grind freehand, with no or little technological help. So do I after I bought a fixture (Hollow Grinding Made Easy, Reba's Enterprises Corp., Huntsville)for quite a lot of $$$. I tried a few hollow and flat grinds. It took me more than half an hour just to fix the device to the grinder, and then one or two hours more to achieve real poor results. My freehand grinding is now improving, thank you, but I was wondering: am I really clumsy, or is it the fixture that does not work? Does anyone have an experience with this particular jig?
Thanks for your replies, merry Christmas and happy New Year to all of you and your families.
Claude, surgeon-bladesmith from Switzerland
 
I don't remember if there were fixtures for grinding advertised when I started making knives. Probably were but nevertheless, I didn't start out using them. When I did see them advertised, I couldn't see how you would be able to do different styles and keep the grinds uniform without a lot of trouble. I prefer doing things the easy way and for me, I dopn't want any fixtures to keep up with and adjust. If it were easy, you could be safe in betting that a lot of people would be using them.
Most knife makers don't usually make a lot of one style knife at a time unless they have a lot of orders for them. To me, that would be more like a boring job if I had to do the same thing hundreds of times. Some of the blades I forge come out close to the same but none are never exactly the same so that each one is treated as one of a kind.
Even the grinds will be slightly different and will produce a different feel and look.
I don't believe a jig would be cheating as well as using CNC equipment. If a buyer knows what he is buying, he should be happy with his purchase. I use belt sanders, table top drill press, portaband band saw, forge and hammers. I am not as fast as the CNC but a lot faster than the f-i-l-e.
Free hand is easier. Ray Kirk-RAKER Knives
 
I don't remember if there were fixtures for grinding advertised when I started making knives. Probably were but nevertheless, I didn't start out using them. When I did see them advertised, I couldn't see how you would be able to do different styles and keep the grinds uniform without a lot of trouble. I prefer doing things the easy way and for me, I dopn't want any fixtures to keep up with and adjust. If it were easy, you could be safe in betting that a lot of people would be using them.
Most knife makers don't usually make a lot of one style knife at a time unless they have a lot of orders for them. To me, that would be more like a boring job if I had to do the same thing hundreds of times. Some of the blades I forge come out close to the same but none are never exactly the same so that each one is treated as one of a kind.
Even the grinds will be slightly different and will produce a different feel and look.
I don't believe a jig would be cheating as well as using CNC equipment. If a buyer knows what he is buying, he should be happy with his purchase. I use belt sanders, table top drill press, portaband band saw, forge and hammers. I am not as fast as the CNC but a lot faster than the f-i-l-e.
Free hand is easier. Ray Kirk-RAKER Knives
 
Personally, I don't consider jigs to be cheating, just clumsy and unnecessary. One knifemaker I know and respect greatly uses a jig. I have also seen him grind freehand with the same results. Myself, I just can't see the utility - it is not that hard to do freehand, the setup time is nill, the cost is nill, and there is no jig to get in the way. Really, a little practice (like 10 blades if you're paying attention), and you can grind bevels and plunges as well as 30% of the knifemaker's guild.

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Matt Harildstad
Knifemaker
www.planet.eon.net/~matth
matth@planet.eon.net

 
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