The Saber Grind Struggle

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Several of the knife supply companies carried those hollow grinding fixtures. They could do flat grinds, too. Problem was, they were expensive and didn't work that well. Many of us have one in a box somewhere in the shop and never use it. Most of the supplies don't carry them anymore.

 

[Sam Dean]

Sam do you have any pics of your setup? I’ve been flat grinding my bevels with the jig I post in the picture. I do have a contact wheel but I haven’t been using it very often. Would there be any advantages of using a contact wheel instead of a flat platen for a saber grind?

I really don't have a setup, or much in the way of a jig, just a grinder & a bunch of junk to support the hobby. Sometimes, I'll screw a blank to a piece of wood & slide it on the work rest so I can hold a consistent angle, but that's about it.

I think (but am absolutely no authority on this) flat v/s hollow grind really depends on the purpose of the blade, or the look you're going for. On this one, I just like the look of a hollow grind (main bevel done with 10'' wheel, swedge done with 2'' wheel, the point is flat ground). For a saber grind, since the purpose is strength more than free cutting ability, a flat grind is pretty much the only option (unless you use a huge wheel).