When building a knife grinder what is the best steel to use

[NDtreehugger]

What is the best steel to use, hot roll or cold rolled. I have a pile of steel with lots of 3/8 and 1/2 flat bar with a good mix of both hot and cold.

 

[Natlek]

If I have that choice I will use cold rolled 1/2 steel .Cold rolled steel provide a superior surface finish, and are superior in tolerance and straightness when compared to hot rolled +cold drawing increases the yield and tensile strengths . . . About your future grinder , think twice what you want from grinder before you start with work

 

[NDtreehugger]

Been thinking about it for a couple of years, no hurry, I bought a white grinder with a 2 year warranty.
Same as the green but its white. it was on sale and about 1/4 less then the green. not a bad grinder
but I think grinders with 3 wheels give better belt control and less side to side movement.

Also been working on a grinder with one of them big wood wheels, the wheel I cut is
22" in diameter and 2" wide. still not sure of the bearings I will use, not sure If I want it
on a axle powered by the axle or on a bearing powered by the belt.

This is the knife Im almost done with. the wood is some nice ebony, its pretty dense
but I think Im going to stabilize it anyway.

If I was to buy another grinder, I think I would pass on the one I bought and work harder toward
building one.

Anyway to get back to topic, cold roll it is, I hate to waste the hot roll, it should be good for platforms
and tables.

Thanks for the advise

 

[Ken H>]

wood is some nice ebony, its pretty dense
but I think Im going to stabilize it anyway.

Good luck stabilizing good ebony - that stuff doesn't normally need stabilizing.

 

[AVigil]

Put another wheel on your two wheel grinder

 

[NDtreehugger]

Where is a good place to get wheels