Should I buy a KMG?

TooQuiet

TooQuiet

Joined
May 5, 2011
Messages
306
First off, I have never made a single knife. I have made some CAD drawings, sourced the steel I want, sourced a local waterjet service provider and want to start making knives in my spare time. I have my wife's blessing(permission) to buy a KMG if I want with some of our tax return money. Should I start there or start small and eventually work my way up?
 
If you can,get it.You will not regret it.If you find knife makeing is not for you,you can resell it for close to what you paid for it.
Starting with the best will keep you from buying 3 times.
Stan
 
I tried 2 knives on a cheaper grinder and it was not good. I bought the kmg and never looked back it is a great investment.
 
The KMG will grind more than knives! If you are a handy guy and you decide knife making is not your cup it will still be useful. I find too many other uses; I would never sell it.
 
I started with a trick tools grinder attached to a normal home depo grinder. Cheaper than the kmg and you can grind descent knives with it but it has lots of limitations. I later bought a KMG grinder and love the thing. I would say if you can afford the KMG get it. I use it for all my grinding needs.
 
If you have the money and your wife's blessing, the most serious impediments have been removed. The next question you should be asking is not whether to buy one, but which configuration to buy.
 
SBuzek said:
If you can,get it.You will not regret it.If you find knife makeing is not for you,you can resell it for close to what you paid for it.
Starting with the best will keep you from buying 3 times.
Stan
Click to expand...

Stan, you must be in my head because that was exactly my line of thinking. Thanks!!
 
You will want, at the least, a contact wheel and a platen. Other things can be added later depending on budget.

If you can afford it, variable speed VERY nice.
 
I pretty much figure that if you're thinking you should get one, you should probably get one. I use mine all the time. I even make knives on it.
 
I'll contribute my 1 cent. I have a craftsman 2x42 and very new to this. But I just tried Tobin Smith's Coote grinder Sunday and it was a world of difference (for the better). I got the craftsman for a really good deal on craigslist but if I hadn't have seen it the KMG or something similar would have been my first grinder. Go for it.
 
You have the blessing of "The One who must be Obeyed" to buy a "relatively" expensive and mucho cool tool/machine.

I fail to see the dilemma? ;)
 
Patrice Lemée;10424430 said:
You have the blessing of "The One who must be Obeyed" to buy a "relatively" expensive and mucho cool tool/machine.

I fail to see the dilemma? ;)
Click to expand...

I agree wholeheartedly. Where is the problem??
 
Ok so the debate is over, I'm getting one. Can someone explain or link me how to do the undermount motor? I would like to have the smallest possible footprint.
 
TooQuiet said:
Ok so the debate is over, I'm getting one. Can someone explain or link me how to do the undermount motor? I would like to have the smallest possible footprint.
Click to expand...

Just so you know, you'll need to secure your grinder to the work surface. By that I mean bolting it in place.
 
TooQuiet said:
Ok so the debate is over, I'm getting one. Can someone explain or link me how to do the undermount motor? I would like to have the smallest possible footprint.
Click to expand...

Her is mine with the motor mounted underneath (before it was used).

4-4-10006.jpg


Ed Caffery's website has a decent pic of basically how I did it:

http://http://www.caffreyknives.net/KMGarticle.html
 
I purchased my KMG right off the bat...I had it down for a while and had to use a 1x42.....it sucked, i love my KMG...You will not regret it at all.
 
Thanks TooQuiet for asking, and everyone else for answering. I am going to buy a grinder soon and want to go from the 1x30 Delta I know ha,ha (but it was bought for sharpening) to the best possible. (For making knives) The KMG sounds like it's the ticket. Now I just have too look up the prices again. Hope it doesn't hurt too much. :)
 
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