Seasoned Pro Grinding Question Follow-up

Milt

Milt

Joined
Nov 16, 2008
Messages
260
Josh Dabney's thread for the seasoned pro's was great. I have not enjoyed the luxury of a mentor, so this forum has been so very helpful to me. I have made 11 knives with good success. But, number 12 is giving me fits. It simply may be more than my present skill level can handle. Three attempts have gone in the can! It is a recurved blade similar to a Buck 119, but shorter. I use a Coote's 8" with the knife rest attachment. My grinds have been OK, but not consistent. After reading all the posts about "freehanding" I think I need to change my grinding technique to just that.

One post in the thread spoke about doing the plunge with coarse grits, then moving to finer grits for the passes. I have not really been doing this. My question is, when you start a hollow grind is it common to concentrate on the plunge (deepen it) and then start making passes against the wheel?

Milt
 
Milt,
Just to clarify, Will Levitt's recomendation was to grind primary bevel with a 60 or 80 and use a 120 or 220 to grind in the plunge after the primary bevel. The idea being to go a bit slower with more control for the plunge to aid in getting even plunges.
I'm glad that others are finding that thread helpfull :D and arent we fortunate to get advice from such high caliber makers !! -Josh
 
I do use 80 grit to cut my bevels. But, I have been using 80 grit to also do the hollow grinding, then going to 220 to clean them up prior to HT. I think part of my problem with knife #12 is that an 8" wheel may be too small. A ten or even a twelve might be better since this blade is a bit wider than what I have been doing. I just don't know for sure. I am definitely going to start freehanding.

Milt
 
I set my plunges with the same belt I grind my bevels with. Ken Onion came on here a while back and said that he completely sets his plunges before he grinds the rest of the knife, I've been playing with that and really like it. If you wait to do your plunges until after the blade is ground, it's sometimes hard to push them back and even them out, especially in finer grits.
 
Thanks again to the members of this forum. I freehanded two identical blades this evening. It went so well, I scared myself. They are the best I have done so far- hands down. I beveled with an 80 grit and started the hollow grind with a new 80 grit. Then I went to a 180, and then a 240 Gator. They are stamped and ready for HT.

I did not wear gloves and could really feel what I was doing. It was quite easy to make minor adjustments in holds, pressure, and angles. I am going to tackle that recurve again this weekend.

Milt
 
I have just finished the first knife I am happy enough with to totally finish.
I had a hell of a time with plunge cuts and ended up with the bevel closest to them being to deep and having to go back and thin out the rest. Finally I just stopped grinding way earlier and finished the plunge and the bevel up with files so i could go slower.

I am going to try doing the plunge first next knife for sure.
 
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