Recommendation? Questions for Trizact Gator Users

Can you guys please educate me? what you are looking at in the photo that you deem problematic? What i see as potential issues are: different angles on the bevels on one side versus the other (ie grinding to/towards the centerline), differing angles on the plunge itself, and the plunge having an angle at all (versus being perpendicular to the blade.). Which are you concerned about?
 
All of the above. I'm concerned about them not being identical. I probably just need practice with the Gators (Or lean on my J-Flex crutch!).

I think since I didn't round over the edges of the gators they cut very square plunges. And since I wasn't using a new 120grit belt, each side of the belt may have had a different profile.

Those plunges were so bad, it was embarrassing to post that picture, but that was my first go with these belts. I was riding the belt right at the edge of the platen with no overhang. Maybe I try over hanging it some next time.
 
I always break the edges of belts and over hang them on the platen or wheel.

I do not like sharp angles on knives
 
Cushing - plunges should be rounded. A straight, right- angle plunge sets up a stress point at the angle and that is where the blade will break.
Tim
 
There are 2 ways to do it.
You can put a radius on the lateral edges of the platen or wheel and run the belt even to the edge. The belt will bend to mate with the radius on the wheel or platen.

Or you can over hang the belt on the edge, site down the edge and move the belt an 1/8" or less and see how that does. The steel thickness will depend on how much you over hang the belt.

As you grind and approach the center line you will see how far the belt moves in relation to the steel. You do not want it to big overhand unless you want a large sweeping plunge.
 
tim37a said:
Cushing - plunges should be rounded. A straight, right- angle plunge sets up a stress point at the angle and that is where the blade will break.
Tim
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Ive seen a few videos where people claim flat or rounded is an esthetic choice - but your point makes sense!
 
I was able to get it cleaned up enough wit the J-Flex. At-least good enough for pre-HT.



I'll have to make another run at it on a different blade with those gators. Too flustered to try again today! I'll try the overhang method next for sure.
 
OMG. Im poking around in my kitchen cooking dinner, and your photos of your plunge line were running through my mind (sorry, its just the way my head seems to work, ) and thought, shi*, i have a butt load of rather old Sabatier Carbon’s sitting around. What do THEY look like? Suffice it to say that your “junk” product puts their product to shame. I will try to post photos, but i have a lot of travel coming up (including to Atlanta and Pops ), so not sure when i will be able to post, but will when i can. “Art” versus “acceptable” is where i suspect this is playing. Is it worth my posting those later photos to help draw this distinction?
 
Yeah, those production knives can be pretty weak on the plunges. I feel like with the knives I'm putting my name on they have to be symmetrical to the eye, or they become "test knives." I definitely have a few now. They perform fine... but just don't "cut it" for others.

See what I did there.... ;):cool:
 
OMG ... and sorry about this ... i am a six sigma master black belt ... so i gotta ask ... and again sorry about this ... just what is your quantitative numerical tolerance for “symmetrical”? The answer is seldom very clear.... but it helps to clearly define it...
 
On my Culinary knives, Other than the finally cutting edge. Everything else is rounded! Or radiuses if you get technical . The Spine, Plunges, Ricasso, it’s as much for the comfort of the user as to control stress risers.
 
JTknives said:
I dress mine with a strip of 50grit blaze belt glued to a wood backer. I also dress the edges a little bit on fresh belts. The sharp corner will bite into the plunge cut. So using the same dressing tool I break the corner into a slight radius. I don’t flip the belt when I switch to the other side but I do dress them to the same shape. As the belt edge wears away I will use the same dressing tool and sand away the edge of the cloth belt till I get back to a good think edge. Then radius that and get back to grinding. I go straight from a 50g roughing belt to a gator A300. I usually use the A300 to establish the plunge cuts. It’s amazing how fast those remove steel. The higher the grit on the gators the more picky thy become. I usually stop at A65 and hand sand from there.

A65 is actually the belt I use on my surface grinder and I have never had a complaint from a customer. It leaves a very nice finish that’s ready for hand sanding if that’s your cup of tea.

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On my next order I'll take one of those nakiris!
 
J. Keeton said:
I was able to get it cleaned up enough wit the J-Flex. At-least good enough for pre-HT.



I'll have to make another run at it on a different blade with those gators. Too flustered to try again today! I'll try the overhang method next for sure.
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My question is why do you feel the need to use the gators if you are good with the j flex? Getting the gator scratch pattern into the plunge for a machine finish blade?
 
Maelstrom78 said:
On my next order I'll take one of those nakiris!
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LOL. Those Nakeris are actually mine from JT's first AEBL run (a present for my son). You are welcome to the design if JT still has the cad file. Be aware though that the design is not quite standard: the blade is a little wider to allow for more effective scooping of cut vegetables, and also a little longer than standard to allow more effective slicing motion in use.....
 
i cannot do a nice looking plunge as viewed from the bottom of the riccasso ( like you have been posting) with a gator. its too thick even though it hangs over the edge. i always use j flex. its probably just my technique, but it makes sense to use whichever one seems easier or more natural.
 
Maelstrom78 said:
My question is why do you feel the need to use the gators if you are good with the j flex? Getting the gator scratch pattern into the plunge for a machine finish blade?
Click to expand...

I had run out of J-Flex for a weekend and had some gators... That's the real reason I was messing around with them. I've heard rave reviews and wanted to see what the fuss was about! I do like the finish they give.
 
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