Scribe lines & discussion on tapers.

[DustinY]

So, i've quickly learned the importance of really good layout lines, especially for a serious rookie like myself. As i've fallen deeper down this hole - i've upgraded my scribers, the most recent acquisition was a high gauge with a carbide scriber. The question i have is how do you guys scribe a tapered line on your tang (or in my case here, the swedge)? My best guess after thinking about it would be to shim one of the ends up, and make sure it was in the exact same place using something like feeler guages on the surface plate. If there is an easier method, or you have some cool tool that you've found, please expand about it here

Pictures of the layout for this progressive swedge i was thinking about how to layout (i'll do more, and this time i'll shim and create a tapered line to follow exactly so i'm not going back and forth trying to even areas out by eye).

Hand sanded the spine out and removed the two lines i had here, which set the tip thickness i was wanting. Would prefer a tapered line though, and just started putting thought into how to produce that.

 

[Tom Lewis]

For me the easiest way to taper a tang is to use the method Bob Loveless uses in his book "How to make knives." I have found his method to be easy and I have tapered at least 1000 maybe 2000 knives in my forty years of knifemaking. I would have a hard time describing his method in words but if you get his book the pictures show how to do it.

 

[DustinY]

For me the easiest way to taper a tang is to use the method Bob Loveless uses in his book "How to make knives." I have found his method to be easy and I have tapered at least 1000 maybe 2000 knives in my forty years of knifemaking. I would have a hard time describing his method in words but if you get his book the pictures show how to do it.

I'm looking to ways to mark it though, and it's for the swedge, not the tang I'll look for the book too though, thanks Tom.

 

[HSC ///]

I guess I don’t really understand your question... What is it that you want to mark?

how do you guys scribe a tapered line on your tang

 

[DustinY]

Sorry for the hard to follow post. I can scribe straight lines on the blade, but would have liked to have straight lines that tapered to my 0.02" to the tip, so that i could grind the progressive swedge like i did, but had easier lines to follow going down the blade of the knife. See the attached picture.

I'm assuming that shimming the tip of the knife up and using my height gauge scribe would achieve this effect. Was wondering if anyone had a more cheeky method or tool for doing this.

 

[HSC ///]

So you want to know how to grind a swedge evenly?

 

[Natlek]

I'm assuming that shimming the tip of the knife up and using my height gauge scribe would achieve this effect. Was wondering if anyone had a more cheeky method or tool for doing this.

I just checked .....................it would work flawless

 

[DustinY]

So you want to know how to grind a swedge evenly?

Yes, ha.

 

[HSC ///]

Use a door hinge. A big heavy one.
Drill and tap a threaded hole for a setscrew to control the angle.

this basically becomes your fixture to grind a swedge. Set this up on your work rest in front of your platen

use the 2 inch belt to grind a relief into the hinge... if you need the clearance

Clamp your blade to the hinge jig. Your angle has been set already

Practice on a flat bar of steel. grind your swedge

I’ll post a pic tmrw

this came to me from Mike Butcher

 

[coldsteelburns]

Use a door hinge. A big heavy one.
Drill and tap a threaded hole for a setscrew to control the angle.

this basically becomes your fixture to grind a swedge. Set this up on your work rest in front of your platen

use the 2 inch belt to grind a relief into the hinge... if you need the clearance

Clamp your blade to the hinge jig. Your angle has been set already

Practice on a flat bar of steel. grind your swedge

I’ll post a pic tmrw

this came to me from Mike Butcher

To make sure I'm getting this right, the hinge basically becomes an adjustable angled work rest to slide your blade across?

Or are you describing the usual type of bevel grinding jig, but just used for the swedge?

I like the thought of the first one, I'll have to give something like that a try. I'm just a little thrown off with what you mean by clamping the blade to the jig, which it why I'm imaging the typical adjustable bevel grinding jig via a hinge.

~Paul
My YoutubeChannel
... (Some older vids of some of the older knives I made)

 

[coldsteelburns]

Ok, now that I think of it, the first thought I mentioned may have a couple of kinks to it lol. Still seems like a neat concept though.

But ya, I'm still interested in seeing a pic of what you're describing.

~Paul
My Youtube Channel
... (Some older vids of some of the older knives I made)

 

[HSC ///]

To make sure I'm getting this right, the hinge basically becomes an adjustable angled work rest to slide your blade across?

Or are you describing the usual type of bevel grinding jig, but just used for the swedge?

I like the thought of the first one, I'll have to give something like that a try. I'm just a little thrown off with what you mean by clamping the blade to the jig, which it why I'm imaging the typical adjustable bevel grinding jig via a hinge.

~Paul
My YoutubeChannel
... (Some older vids of some of the older knives I made)

I don’t grind many swedges and I’m no expert at this so I’m just offering this as one possible aid

This is a 5 inch hinge

you can clamp the blade or you use ça glue or if you’re doing 20 of the same pattern you can make stop pins

 

[Ken H>]

I like that idea - Thanks. I think I'd use a bit of angle iron and set the angle with toolrest, but same principle.

 

[HSC ///]

I like that idea - Thanks. I think I'd use a bit of angle iron and set the angle with toolrest, but same principle.

Sure of course that works too

But if you have different patterns in different angle swedges you could buy a few cheap hinges and preset them and have them ready to go

 

[coldsteelburns]

Sweet! That actually is what I was thinking regarding using it as a sort of work rest, but I wasn't sure how one would lock the hinge in its position. That set screw is a great idea. Thanks for sharing that.

~Paul
My Youtube Channel
... (Some older vids of some of the older knives I made)

 

[Tenebr0s]

Harbeer, what is that sweet-looking clamp you have on the blade?

 

[HSC ///]

Harbeer, what is that sweet-looking clamp you have on the blade?

Kant twist. Not cheap but excellent clamps

you can find some used on eBay and I just got four 2 inch in stainless steel

I use them a lot

 

[Hubert S.]

The Kant twist clamps are nice. I bought a few last year and to my surprise, McMaster-Carr had the cheapest price I could find at the time. Their product page for them is here.