WIP Update, NEW PROGRESS!!

jonnymac44

jonnymac44

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Sep 27, 2007
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Sorry for starting another thread with an identical post, but my other thread was winding down and I don't think it will be getting much traffic. The title of the other thread also does not make any mention of my need for help!:D

Anyway,
I got up the nerve to start the bevel grinding on my mini santoku:o I ground at about 45 degrees and brought the edge down pretty close and have done several passes on each side at a slightly smaller angle to walk the grind up a little higher and now I'm nervous. I don't want to mess this one up, so how about a little input? Any last minute pieces of advice before I continue? By the way, most grinding I see is done edge up, spine down. Does anybody grind edge down?

Edit to add: One other question, any opinions on distal taper and when to do it? On my first couple practice blanks I did it by applying more pressure at the tip end of the knife and ease up as I moved toward the tang. Does anybody here grind in a distal taper before even beginning to grind the bevel?

THANKS!

MiniSantoku.jpg


MiniSantoku3.jpg


MiniSantoku2.jpg


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I think you should make yourself some sort of guide to keep your plunge lines even. I just used a couple of pieces of heavy strapping and a couple of bolts. Its not tough enough to stop you from grinding through them but it give you a visual aid to see where you are on both sides at the same time. Other then that some sort of markers dye and scribe lines to make it easier to see where you are and where you are going
 
Are you grinding with the spine on the tool rest? I would think that's a big no-no. Should the edge catch it will pop the blank out of your hand, off the rest and out of control. If your hand gets caught, it could be nasty too. I have only ever seen folks using rests while profiling or when they are angled as a bevel jig, where the blade is laying flat on them. Most makers grind with the rest removed... that way if the blade (or you) catches, it falls free to the ground. It will also keep the sparks from bouncing back up at your face. I wear a ball cap when grinding on the Grizz. It blocks the sparks raining down from above and keeps your nose off the belt.
 
Thanks guys. Unky two very good ideas. I'll make some sort of stop and paint the blade with a sharpie or something like that.

Mag, excellent suggestion. I'm not resting the spine on the tool rest, I'm grinding freehand higher up on the platen. It took a bit to get it adjusted nice and level so I didn't want to move it but you make a good point and it might be worth it in the long run to spend a few extra minutes readjusting it. I'll remove it for bevel grinding.

I had a couple beers at dinner so I'm not going to play with the grinder any more today, but keep the advice coming!:thumbup:
 
I grind edge down and without the tool rest. I also wear a hat. Doing it edge down is just way easier to me. I was told that grinding invloves more feeling what is going on rather than just relying on sight. Seems to have worked for me so far. I've ground a few without any sort of guide for the plunge and then just cleaned them up after but I have to admit it was MUCH easier to do it with a guide on. My advice would be to take it fairly slow walking the grind up making sure it is even and evenly flat everywhere, make a guide if possible, and just have fun. Being your first you will make mistakes but if you don't enjoy the process you'll make more mistakes than knives. You could make a distilled taper before grinding the bevels but you could also do it the way you described. Personally, I would like to have things marked so I have a better idea of how to do it evenly and then do it before grinding the bevels. Your heat treat will let you know if you're on the right track. If it warps readily and is looking like a boomarang you may want to change something next time :) Also I would invest in a disc sander at some point. It really comes in handy. Good luck and happy grinding.
 
Edge down, no rest. I'm curious, how thick it the blank? It looks really thick for a santoku. Also, do you plan to have a ricasso or will you bevel straight off the back of the blade.

FWIW: My Santoku blank has been untouched for about 4 months now so I know how you feel. But, I plan on working on it before Ashokan.
 
I grind edge up without a rest. Lately, a lot of my bevels run right into the tang in kind of a Japanese style so they lack plungelines and ricassos.
 
Ok, it was a really hectic week last week and I just couldn't get into the shop at all, but today after recovering from my twenty year class reunion last night:D, I was finally able to put together a guide like some I've seen and painted my blade like Unky suggested.

I've progressed on the initial grind a bit more now, and as you can see the removal line is a tad wavy in places. The plunge is looking really good so far and I'm getting over a lot of the apprehension that I was feeling about that so:thumbup: My question now is, do I worry about the slight wavy shape of my grind, or do I just continue and clean it up with a file after rough bevel grinding. Is there something I should be paying attention to in order to keep that line straighter?

Thanks!

MiniSantokuGrind1.jpg


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MiniSantokuGrind4.jpg
 
zaph1 said:
Edge down, no rest. I'm curious, how thick it the blank? It looks really thick for a santoku. Also, do you plan to have a ricasso or will you bevel straight off the back of the blade.

FWIW: My Santoku blank has been untouched for about 4 months now so I know how you feel. But, I plan on working on it before Ashokan.
Click to expand...

Whoops, just saw this post. The blank is 1/8 thick, but by the time I get a distal taper in and finish my flat sanding it shouldn't be too beefy. I use the term santoku pretty loosely on this knife anyway:D It's santoku inspired, but I just kind of let it flow onto the paper without any strict plan.

Yes, I do plan to have a ricasso. Eventually I want to play around with grinding all the way up to the spine too, but I'm just getting started so gimme time!:)
 
Good pointers guys, I'm working on my first boot knife(double edged) ever and having a couple of simular issues with getting everything lined up just right
 
you need to work slow and easy to clean up the bevel on your flat platen and make sure you hold the blade at the same angle the whole time for both sides to prevent the wavy lines. we need to talk on the phone when you get time too.
 
richard j said:
you need to work slow and easy to clean up the bevel on your flat platen and make sure you hold the blade at the same angle the whole time for both sides to prevent the wavy lines. we need to talk on the phone when you get time too.
Click to expand...

Thanks Richard,
I know, I've got to call you this week. It's been hectic lately and I haven't had anywhere near as much time in the shop as I would like. If only I could get rid of the wife, kids, dog, mortgage, etc............just kidding:D

Got my daughters birthday tomorrow, but I'll try to give you a call Tuesday evening if that's good for you.

Jon
 
you got it. if you want me to call you on my landline which is free anywhere in north america, send me your landline number and a time to call.
 
Here are a few new pics. I'm going really slow trying to keep things lined up, and it's been tough to get in the shop this past week but I've made some progress. I've had to repaint the blade a couple times due to some slight misses that went to far past the top of my bevel but it was very light and nothing that can't be fixed as things proceed. As you can see in the last pic the plunge is beginning to take real shape.

MiniSantokugrind22.jpg


MiniSantokugrind21.jpg


MiniSantokugrind23.jpg


MiniSantokugrind2.jpg
 
richard j said:
looking good. are you going to have a slight convexed blade?
Click to expand...

Starting to look that way a bit:D

I wish I could work on it some more right now, but I'm loading up the truck to head to the mountains with the girls for our oldest daughter's birthday. I wonder if there is enough room in the back for the grinder??;)
 
i have 3 kitchen knife blanks to grind if this hot ohio weather ever goes away and they will be convexed. i'm sure you can find enough room to take the grinder but what about the generator to run the grinder?
 
When I want a full distal taper, I do that right after profiling. With the blade vertical, point up, on the flat platen. Setting bevels and then setting taper will just erase a good portion of the bevel you worked so hard to grind. Be sure to scribe your edge thickness, both on the actual edge and the spine. That'll give you a reference point to help keep things even throughout the process. Lately I've begun to set my plunges with a chainsaw file and file-guide, then proceed about as you are. Again, it provides a reference point.

I find it helpful to do each step to each side of the knife in turn, when walking the bevel up the width of the blade. The "wavies" will only go away with a light touch and a steady hand. Let the speed of the machine do the work, let your hands do the finesse.

I grind bevels edge up, no guard. Feel is very important but personally, I need to see what I'm doing. Mind you, I also lean across/behind the belt so I see the bevel as it comes across the belt, not the side I'm not working on. I'm sure I look totally retarded doing this but it helps me keep things straight and even.
 
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