Steps for using belt grinder for bevels

[crocogator106]

I've made a few knives so far with mixed results and blame my process in the beginning steps (grinding bevels) for any failures or miscues. What is the process for grinding my bevels with a belt grinder? I will be doing a full flat grind on 1/8 1095. Please be specific in instructions as possible. My process so far has been to remove stock and using a grinding jig for the bevels. I start and finish the grind using 80 grit belts and go to the spine. I then begin hand sanding following the instructions Stacey posted in the "How To Make A Knife" sticky. I think I need to grind bevels using varying grit belts to varying heights but not sure. I guess what I,m asking for is an instruction guide like the one Stacey did before only explaining obtaining the bevel process using a belt grinder instead of a file. Thanks for any help you guys can give me. This forum has been awesome for information and people willing to pass their knowledge along to us beginners. Thanks again for past present and future advice.

 

[Varga Knives]

What kind of jig are you using? Words can only get you so far. You either just have to try different things and see what works or watch plenty of videos. You may want to look into Fred Rowe's Bubble Jig.

Paint the whole thing with dye or sharpie. Scribe two edge lines. Knock off the edge at 45 degrees. Make another pass on each side at a more acute angle while keeping the edge as the highest contact point of the belt (edge up grinding). I find I like to just remove some metal until I get about a 1/2" bevel then really concentrate on pulling it straight and even. Once your bevel is at the point where there is enough surface area to hold it against the belt then that is where the fun begins. From here on in it's about keeping pressure on either the top or bottom depending on where you need more metal removed.

You just have to practice to get the principals down and from there I'm sure it's a lifetime to perfect (okay, maybe a stretch).

Stay away from your plunge until your bevels are almost done. Leave an 1/8". Then plunge your plunge at once and match the other side. My plunges were an absolute struggle until I did this.

Also, stay just shy of the spine for a full flat grind and only break to the spine after heat treating. Hand sanding can fix a lot of issues if you leave enough metal to work with and aren't in a rush.

I'm still very new at this so if/when someone who has been around here a while contradicts me then I'd defer to them. .

There has been so much written on the process I probably should have copied a link from one of Fred's postings but I'm on the phone and it's not so easy. Search some of his stuff and you should be all set.

Good luck!

edit: I should add that you should use an old belt to knock off the 45 degree initial edge and then move to new quality belts after that. Grit, I don't think, is so important (anything between 36 and 100 would probably get the job done but I like Norton Blaze 50's for the bevel). As you get the grind height closer to where you want to end, move to 100. Finish off at about 220. I have had good luck working the plunge in at 100.

 

[John Frankl]

I'm not sure what grinder you have, but I would also look into purchasing Tim Hancock's blade grinding DVD from the Alabama Forge Council.

I first heard of this system from Nick Wheeler, then learned it in person from Michael Vagnino. Most recently, I bought the DVD, which really helped for review and to solidify many of the things I had seen only once and which were somewhat fuzzy.

I am a pretty average grinder, maybe below average, but Mr. Hancock's system allows me to lay down a pretty clean flat grind. It is also very efficient in terms of both time and abrasive use (read money).

 

[Mudbug007]

Grinding is a learned skill set. I've made between 50 and 60 knives so far and I still don't do it right every time. It wasn't until about my 30th knife that things started to click for me. I've tried a number of jigs and techniques before finally telling myself I was going to learn to grind freehand.

You need to keep at it. Practice, practice and then practice more. Make every practice knife you make count. What I mean by this is try holding the knife different and putting different pressure at different areas to see what happens. Don't just mindlessly grind out a knife just to be grinding! I'd recommend practicing on steel like 1080 or 1084 because it's nearly the same cost as mild steel.

Don't get discouraged, just pick a technique and stick with it until you've mastered it. Whether that is your 30th knife or your 100th knife, it doesn't matter. It's a skill that will stay with you.

 

[crocogator106]

Do you guys stay with the same grit belt throughout the whole bevel process. I have read where some start out with a 60 or 80 grit and as they near the final grind they begin to use finer belts....and finish up with like a 400 grit. This is all pre-heat treat.

 

[crocogator106]

I'm not sure what grinder you have, but I would also look into purchasing Tim Hancock's blade grinding DVD from the Alabama Forge Council.

I first heard of this system from Nick Wheeler, then learned it in person from Michael Vagnino. Most recently, I bought the DVD, which really helped for review and to solidify many of the things I had seen only once and which were somewhat fuzzy.

I am a pretty average grinder, maybe below average, but Mr. Hancock's system allows me to lay down a pretty clean flat grind. It is also very efficient in terms of both time and abrasive use (read money).

I am using a 2 x 42 Craftsman grinder and am using the grinding jig as shown by CJS knives. The jig works awesome at keeping my grind lines straight and even on both sides even for a rookie like me.

 

[Fred.Rowe]

Do you guys stay with the same grit belt throughout the whole bevel process. I have read where some start out with a 60 or 80 grit and as they near the final grind they begin to use finer belts....and finish up with like a 400 grit. This is all pre-heat treat.

Pre heat treat blade finish should consist of the blade with no deep scratches, the surface of the steel somewhere around a 120 or 220 finish. No need to take it to 400 grit; there will be clean up grinding after hardening and tempering.
In this shop we start grinding the bevels using a 36 grit ceramic; I am going to change to a 60 grit ceramic sometime during the grind. I try to estimate how much more grinding is left on the bevel and switch grits, changing to the 60 and then a 120; the idea being to get to pre heat treat finish, just as I finish up with the 120 grit belt.
Hope this is helpful, Fred