What's that niche tool you can't live without

Daniel, I bought the solid carbide taper from Texas Knifemaker's Supply catalog number DRTAP size 1/4 OD for $13.95 plus shipping. I bought another in case mine falls under my bench or gets misplaced. I cannot make knives without this tool. I used to pound a nail set tool into my pin holes like Steven R. Johnson in his sub-hilt fighter video but the nail set is tough to extract and this works better anyway. I run the chamfer tool into the hole about 3/32" and it forms a rivet when the pin is peened with a ball peen hammer. It makes the bolsters so tight that if I sand the bolster inner faces to 400 grit on a piece of granite or a disc sander the bolsters look like they merge with the blade. I do not solder them anymore because I use stainless steel for my blades and put a coat of G-flex epoxy under them which squishes out but fills any microscopic voids under the bolsters. I'm not saying this is the best way to do it but in my opinion it is. Larry

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Thanks Larry! I was looking for it but couldn't find it but now I have. I'll order one right away!

I love it when I pick up handy things like this!
 
Hengelo_77 said:
Me to mostly before HT but I also square up the shoulders of hidden tang blades after HT with a file guide.
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My Bump file guide is definitely a useful gadget for me as well. By squaring up the shoulders, the guard fits square every time. Also works good for frame handles.
 
JMJones said:
5 inch 40 durometer contact wheel.
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40? Holy cow that's soft? Dare I ask how you use it?


For myself, I can't live without my height gauge and surface plate. Use it for all sorts of stuff. Truly feel lost if I don't have it!
 
I have a granite surface plate that I use for critical measuring and edge scribing but, right next to my primary workstation I have a 12"x24" slab of granite countertop that I keep a fresh strip of 220 and 400 grit adhesive roll sandpaper attached to. It is super useful! Also my Tapmatic is a lifesaver when it comes to tapping small holes in folders.

Bob
 
Matthew Gregory said:
40? Holy cow that's soft? Dare I ask how you use it?


For myself, I can't live without my height gauge and surface plate. Use it for all sorts of stuff. Truly feel lost if I don't have it!
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I learned it from a demo Jim Batson did at my first Hammer In at New England School of Metalwork.

After finish grinding on the platen, use the same grit on the wheel and grind perpendicular to the scratches made on the platen. You need a light touch and often slower belt speeds near the edge, cant stop until the end of the pass, but on my plunge less damascus chef knives, I dont even have to hand sand before etching.

It does not work well near plunges, or swedges, ect because you can wash them out. Also easy to ruin the point so I leave a bit extra there and do final refinement after bevels are at final grit, but for the meat of a flat or convex grind it cant be beat.

I use gators often starting at A160, then A45 and finally A30, then maybe scotchbrite.
 
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John, where did you get that wheel? Not having to do all of that hand sanding on hard as woodpecker lips kitchen blades would sure be nice!!!!
JMJones said:
I learned it from a demo Jim Batson did at my first Hammer In at New England School of Metalwork.

After finish grinding on the platen, use the same grit on the wheel and grind perpendicular to the scratches made on the platten. You need a light touch and often slower belt speeds near the edge, cant stop until the end of the pass, but on my plunge less damascus chef knives, I dont even have to hand sand before etching.

It does not work well near plunges, or swedges, ect because you can wash them out but for the meat of a flat grind it cant be beat.
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Same place you got your 70 durometer wheel. About 60 bucks

It works well on chef knives due to the subtle changes in geometry across the bevel on each side. It blends things very well if you want your sand lines horizontal. If you want them horizontal, the rotary platen does a good job. Between the two I can get a satin finish that I am happy with, with either a vertical or horizontal scratch pattern.
 
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On my plungeless kitchen knives I have used my 8 inch wheel for the same thing. A softer wheel would be nice. I use gator belts and then finish with a Scotch brite belt. Only thing I've noticed is it's easy to wipe out the tip. I usually just leave it a little long and grind it back to a point when I'm done. I will have to get one that soft.
JMJones said:
I learned it from a demo Jim Batson did at my first Hammer In at New England School of Metalwork.

After finish grinding on the platen, use the same grit on the wheel and grind perpendicular to the scratches made on the platen. You need a light touch and often slower belt speeds near the edge, cant stop until the end of the pass, but on my plunge less damascus chef knives, I dont even have to hand sand before etching.

It does not work well near plunges, or swedges, ect because you can wash them out. Also easy to ruin the point so I leave a bit extra there and do final refinement after bevels are at final grit, but for the meat of a flat or convex grind it cant be beat.

I use gators often starting at A160, then A45 and finally A30, then maybe scotchbrite.
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My KMG? Everything else is a very nice to have, but could live without it. I could do without my belt grinder, but Lord what a PITA that would be.
 
Yes, agreed Will. But the OP asks what your favorite tool is BESIDES your 2x72. That was a given. :)
 
I'd have to say $.99 spring clamps from Home Depot, Corby step drills and i'd have to agree on the Digital Calipers.
 
Man,I tell you it's easy to wipe out the tip with pretty much anything!!!!:eek:
Matt R said:
On my plungeless kitchen knives I have used my 8 inch wheel for the same thing. A softer wheel would be nice. I use gator belts and then finish with a Scotch brite belt. Only thing I've noticed is it's easy to wipe out the tip. I usually just leave it a little long and grind it back to a point when I'm done. I will have to get one that soft.
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I'm going to avoid the typical necessities that most have and share some of my homebrew tools that I use alot.

bamboo chop sticks.. :-) Great for mixing epoxy and spreading it on tangs/handle.. Grind the tip into a beveled bladed tip.. I also use them to stir my quench tank when warming the oil.. You can also use them to clean up half set epoxy or jbweld around a guard face.. They dont mar the metal or guardstock... Bamboo shishkabob skewers work well for wooden handle pins too..

Strips of innertube for "clamping" hidden tang handles to the blade/guard when glueing up hidden tang handles. wrap around the blade a few times and then wrap around the butt of the handle and then back up around the blade a few times.. put a half hitch on it and let the epoxy cure.

I use a 3/8" x 1" brass bar for hand sanding.. I leave one side bare brass and the other side has a piece of innertube stretched over it for the final finish when hand sanding.. The rubber provides a soft back and translates to a nice final satin finish on the blades.. The rubber does not have a memory like leather or wood might so you get a consistent finish.

I also have a piece of pipe with one end flattened into an oval which I slip over my tangs when "press fitting" my guards.. I hit the other end with a hammer to press the guard on the tang. This pipe also has a strip of innertube stretched over it so that I can hand sand small radius'.. I used this alot before I had a small wheel for my grinder.

scrap leather to pad vice jaws.. works well for holding irregular items such as blades and handle's when finishing or filing.

Leather strop.. Leather glued to a long piece of red oak.. screwed another piece of red oak to the bottom so it looks like a T when looking at it from the end.. I clamp the leg of the T in the vice and can strop my blades for final polishing of the sharpened edge. apply green chrome polish mixed with a tad of linseed oil to the leather.. the addition of the oil keeps the chrome polish from flaking off. wipe leather clean when finished.

if anyone wants pics let me know and I'll grab them.

Cheers.
 
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