What A Creep!!!!!!!!

L6steel

L6steel

Joined
Sep 23, 1999
Messages
5,855
Maybe I'm the only one that has this problem. It seems every knife I grind, I get the first side perfect at the top. Nice and straight and exactly where I want it. Then I'll do the other side and inevitably end up a tad higher than the first side is. So what do I do, grind on the first side again. What happens? It ends up a little higher than the other side. And so on and so on till I'm lucky to have any flats left above the grind. You folks have any tips on ending this problem, or is it just something that comes with experience?? Thanks and take care Forumites!!!! Michael

P.S. I sure hope every one is having the fantastic weather that we're having here in the Florida panhandle!!! Man, what a beautiful day!

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Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!
 
I have been telling my customers for years that full grinds are very popular or I wouldn't make so many of them.

Usually I take a file to the narrower side when this happens but it is happening less and less lately, practice I guess.
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Lmao!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was wondering why those full grinds were so prolific.
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Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!
 
Mike,
One solution is to use a very fine permanent marker (or Dykem and a light scribe line) and mark the depth you want on each side. After a while you know how deep to go on a certain thickness of steel.

Aim for that line. Hold the blade in the same position on each side. Usually the left side is the worst for a right handed maker.

You got one of those very valuable organic tools rests just like I have. Use it to full advantage.
 
L6,

I flat grind all the way to the spine. Sometimes I get a little carried away and ruin the knife, but at least I know where I should have stopped.
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Welcome to Knifemaking!! I doubt there is a maker alive that hasn't had your problem!
Here are 2 ideas for you: First, you can use a caliper to scribe your grind lines on both sides of the blank. Second, my advise is to stop working so long on the first side before you start the second. I used to work only one side, getting it exactly as I wanted, and then, poof-I'd overshoot on the second side, and end up reworking the first side to match. Get the general line you want on side one, then, start side two. It's easier to "chase" the symmetry this way.
Only recently have I gotten to the point where I can duplicateside one's grind line on side two-and I've been at it for about 20 years!
Oh yes-keep telling yourself this is the "fun" part of knifemaking!

RJ Martin
 
Thanks for the tips and encouragement guys!!! Kit, you aint kiddin about the ole left hand syndrom! I almost always get a slight curve on that side, but get the other dead straight.
RJ, you mean I've only got 16 years to go before I can get both sides even????
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Take care!! Michael http://www.nebsnow.com/L6steel
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Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!

[This message has been edited by L6STEEL (edited 03-05-2000).]
 
Oh yeah, by creep, I meant the grinds keep creepin higher and higher.

------------------ http://www.nebsnow.com/L6steel

Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!

[This message has been edited by L6STEEL (edited 03-05-2000).]
 
Ahhh, gosh that's NEVER happened to me... ahhh, and if I'm not telling the truth may lightening str- KAAABOOOOMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Totally new website!
www.wilkins-knives.com
 
I am glad I'm not the only one experiencing creep in grind lines. I'm going to try the marker route. I only make small knives and it doesn't take much to lose the symmetry. Until this post, I thought I might be the only person having this problem. Nice to see other people have solutions. Thanks to all.

Marcel

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When your lines get away from you on one side you can take care of it by doing the flat's on the platten till it comes back to where you want it just do the whole side like you are trying to clean up some pit's through out the whole thing /knife maybe a little thinner but it work's

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TbarK Custom Knives
http://vip.hpnc.com/~tbark Therefore I erge you brother's in view of God's Mercy to offer your body's as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship Romans 12-1
 
Thanks fellas,
This helps alot....it seems this is one of the harder parts of knife making. For getting perfectly flat bevels, Is it okay if i hold the cutting edge toward the belt coming down....almost like if the knife were sharp, you'd cut the belt? IS this okay, I can get really nice bevels this way. how do you all do it?By the way, thanks for asking about the creeping bevels. it helps me a lot to know that others are having to start over once in a while.
thanks
Luke
 
Most of the best sources I've seen reccomend grinding edge-up, so you can see what you're doing.

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Oz

Always remember what to do to them if they can't take a joke.

Check out my egostistical homepage!
http://www.freespeech.org/oz/
 
Lukers,

I start by grinding my bevels most of the way to the spine. I then grind the tang. I grind a tapered tang by beginning with the point down. Before I finish, I grind point up because the very end of the tang tends to grind too fast, leaving a slight gap between tang and handle material (at the end). BTW, I ensure there is no opportunity to snag the point on the belt. I do not know if there are better ways to correct this problem at the very end of the tang, but this is where my experience has taken me. I have tried different methods such as adjusting my magnets' position on the tang and the use of pressure, but to no avail.
 
Tbark, excellent idea!!! I think that tip will save alot of my blades. Thanks for the input Forumites!! Michael

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Always think of your fellow knife makers as partners in the search for the perfect blade, not as people trying to compete with you and your work!

[This message has been edited by L6STEEL (edited 03-10-2000).]
 
No doubt, this is a maddening problem. I was grinding out a planer blade today and had this same question come to mind as matching those lines up is HARD. I usually flat grind all the way to the top, but the urge to do things differently is strong at times and, aesthetically speaking, evenly matched grind lines are a true thing of beauty to behold (and achieve!).
Some really great solutions in this thread!
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That magic marker idea sounds like a good one, as is the "grind the bad side first" idea.
Glad I stumbled in here tonight! Thanks Guys!!

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Let me tell you about my SIFU!
 
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