Raised clip point/swedge, grinding.

[Kevin Powers]

I've been meaning to ask this for a while now but haven't gotten around to it. I'm most comfortable grinding raised clips freehand and I'm not asking so much for methods of grinding them but more about what other makers do in regards to the spine. I like my clips to have a consistent angle when looking at the profile of the blade and in comparison to the grind of the bevels. But this brings up an issue with raised clips, especially with any curve to the spine of the blade. (Atleast I think it's an issue) The grinding surface contacts the high points, the highs being the tip and raised clip areas first. That creates a Tapered thickness along the spine. For lack of a better term, the clip bevels will be "sharper" at the raised section and tip than in the middle along the length of that grind line. It's not an issue as I don't sharpen the clip but is that uneven thickness seen in the community as amateurish or bad?
Current knife I'm doing won't have a sharpened clip.
Straight grind line the whole way.

Spine pictured are really hard to take, especially at 4 am but in this pic you can see it's slightly fatter in the middle than the tip or raised clip area.

 

[john april]

do you mean the "flat spot" that will become the edge is thicker in the middle of the knife ? if so, for me if that was occurring in the middle i would tip the blade so its only touching 1/4"-1/2" on the edge of the platen or wheel and even that area out to match the tip and near the handle.

 

[Kevin Powers]

Yeah the flat spot. I get what you're saying. Then the angle of the clip changes as it goes along that edge.

 

[john april]

yes, the angle changes, so if you use the whole width of the belt it wont contact all the spots, or it will ruin whats in front when you are trying to fix the middle. i use about a 1/16" or less space between the blade and belt on the side i am NOT sanding. if you use a bigger space it will cut too fast you risk cutting facets in the bevel that you will have to smooth out later. excellent blade and hamon, by the way...

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Just grind the sharper spot until it matches the rest of the spine. It won't change the profile much.

 

[kuraki]

Good topic I've had the same question. Previously I had only done straight spines and it's less of an issue. I also use a jig because trying to grind such a shallow bevel free hand is the easiest way for me to dick up a knife. I will hollow grind them free hand but not flat ones.

I've recently started grinding swedges first so I can make them a consistent straight line and modify that bottom line with a variable angle bevel.

But that doesn't solve the swooping swedge issue being thick in the center.

 

[Kevin Powers]

Just grind the sharper spot until it matches the rest of the spine. It won't change the profile much.

Genius! I just did this and the raised clip area dropped in height maybe 1/64" or so. Way better than regrinding the clip.
For information of the thread I usually rough in the clip on the belt and refine on the disc.

 

[coldsteelburns]

Since I'm not all the best at grinding anyways, I just rough in the clip on the grinder and then finish shaping it with a file. Draw filing goes pretty quickly on annealed steel, and it is easier for me to match them up and keep the transition nice and crisp.

It helps to switch files when you are nearly finished (like from bastard to mill) so when you begin hand sanding with 120 it cleans up nicely.

If the curve in the clip happens to be more dramatic, using a more narrow file or even a large half round file will work.

Also, grinding it vertically on a contact wheel works well, both for roughing and even for the entire process, as I have seen a number of makers do it that way. FWIW, I asked Will Morrison a while ago how he grinds in his curved clips on his Bowies and he said he uses a radiused platen.

Btw, that blade is beautiful! Great lookin profile and hamon. :thumbup:

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ETA: I forgot to mention that when draw filing the clip in, it REALLY helps a lot to use a knife vice or w/e to secure the blade at an angle. This way when you are draw filing, you are just keeping the file level with the floor and the angle for the clip is already set with the vice.


~Paul

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