Teflon Platen Liner?

Brian Avila

Brian Avila

Joined
Jan 2, 2011
Messages
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I was curious if anyone has used a teflon piece for a platen liner compared to using ceramic glass?

Wear resistance? Heat Resistance?
 
Brian- I've never done it, but since I have some experience with Teflon... I would say no.

Heat resistance is great, but wear resistance isn't much to write home about.

I liked the "slick" factor of the glass when I had some on one of my platens, but it wore down like everything else... my biggest bitch about it, is that it was always shocking the crap out of me!!! It's hard to hold a tight grind when you're getting shocked constantly.

Mine are all just steel that I surface grind about once a year or so. My Burr King platen is made from D2 that I had professionally hardened to 61/62 C... but the only time I really notice a difference with it, is when I have to surface grind the bastard. LOL

Do you have that KMG all set-up now, or is this for your other grinder?



I think one of Nathan Carothers' platen chillers would be slick as dog snot. :)
 
I purchased the motor, belts, and pullies today so I will be setting it up.

I have been using my 2x42 with a ceramic glass platten and get excellent results but I hear the stock platten sucks on the kmg
 
The stock platen on the KMG is good,and it two sided.If you can get one from Nathan Carothers, do so.They are harder for sure.
 
I would think ceramic glass would wear much harder. Teflon, while quite "slick" is only a plastic.
 
It was thought. I heard it was good but maybe not for this application. Figured I would ask before I would do anything with Teflon... other than my push stick ( thanks Nick for that tip ).
 
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I emailed Nathan the Machinist and hopefully I can get a hold of a hardened platen. I figure it would be cheaper to buy one from him that fabricate my own.

The only thing that leave it up in the air is surface grinding it when it need to be flattened. I don't have a surface grinder.
 
I can get 1/4" thick Teflon and use it as a platen liner. I don't think the tape would do any better though.
 
Teflon has too much give to work as a platen liner. It would create all sorts of odd grinding . On the other hand all that is required to keep the shocking off is to spray your moving belt for three or four seconds with the common ordinary fabric spray . Certainly the glass will wear but not as much as the D2 and is far easier to replace rather than the re grinding of same.,Frank
 
So, let say I choose to use a ceramic glass. How would you attach it to the kmg platen and then remove it for replacement when need be?

It was easy to add bolts for a ledge and then use JB weld for my craftsman, but I am not sure that is the best way to go about using the ceramic platen with the kmg.

Thoughts?
 
Many makers including me use to use Graphite cloth on the steel platens before Ceramic glass came into use.

It helps cool things down and lube the back of the belt. I have some somewherez? Many of the supply houses still sell it.

Give it a try.
 
I use my granite surface plate to true mine back up.Just stick or glue some paper on it and go to town.It don't take very long ,unless you let the groves get out of hand.
 
TheWeatherman said:
I purchased the motor, belts, and pullies today so I will be setting it up.

but I hear the stock platten sucks on the kmg
Click to expand...

I have had the same stock platen on my KMG for five years without cleanup. I don't use a rest to profile blades on the platen. Other than that I do a lot of grinding of bevels and cleaning up profiles length wise on large kitchen type knives , usually at full speed with a ceramic belt. My grinder sits right next to a surface grinder that I could regrind the platten in a few minutes, I just have never seen the need. Is this uncommon?
 
My friend has a kmg for about 6 months and showed me how bad the divots are in the platen.

After seeing that I just assumed that I was going to have problems.
 
JMJones said:
I have had the same stock platen on my KMG for five years without cleanup. I don't use a rest to profile blades on the platen. Other than that I do a lot of grinding of bevels and cleaning up profiles length wise on large kitchen type knives , usually at full speed with a ceramic belt. My grinder sits right next to a surface grinder that I could regrind the platten in a few minutes, I just have never seen the need. Is this uncommon?
Click to expand...

Mine was dished out after about 4 months.
 
I attach my ceramic glass platen using a quality, exterior grade double sided carpet tape. Just make sure you have a ledge for the bottom edge of the glass to sit on, and that your backer surface is flat and clean. I draw filed my steel platen flat, then cleaned both the glass and the steel platen backer with acetone. Once the acetone was completely evaporated, I put a piece of double stick tape on the back of the glass, and then one on the platen. I figured two pieces will help take up any very minor variances between the mating surfaces.

I then line everything up and firmly press everything together. Been using this method for years and have never had a hint of slippage or failure.

To remove/replace, I just heat the glass with a torch until the tape behind it softens, and then I pry off with a putty knife or something flat. The tape residue comes back off with acetone.
 
Do you guys see a problem with milling a slot between the bolts, which is ~6" and putting the glass platen in that groove?
 
I've been using Drew's method since I posted the glass platen addition in the Knife Network a long time ago. It has worked very well for me without any additional problems of glass breaking, movement or whatever. Frank
 
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