From the shop
I write down the setups, abrasive choices, tracking adjustments and maintenance checks I use at the grinder.
Articles 121–127 of 127
Archive page 11
Filed by what you are doing at the machine — grinding, sharpening, heat treat, maintenance, or running the business side of a shop.
Precision on a 2×72 is a set of habits: the right steel, a steady angle, even pressure, grind lines that match side to side, and a finishing routine you repeat. Here are the techniques I use for better blades.
Knife making went from flint to forge to file to belt, and the 2×72 is where it settled. Here is how the tools evolved, what the belt grinder changed about stock removal, and why the 2×72 became the standard.
Before you spend $1,000 or more on a 2×72, know which features matter and which are marketing. Here is the complete guide from someone who builds them: motor and VFD, frame material, tracking, tilt, tooling arms, attachments and safety.
I offer 1 HP, 1.5 HP and 2 HP motor packages, so the question is how much you need. Here is what each size handles, when 1 HP is plenty, when you want 2 HP, and what your outlet allows.
Watch Forged in Fire and the same machine keeps appearing: a 2x72 belt grinder. Here is why it is the workhorse in so many knife shops, what it does that a 1x30 cannot, and how to set one up.
Plenty of knifemakers start for the pleasure of it and end up with a business. Either way the 2×72 grinder sets the ceiling. Here is why the Torus 2×72 Classic fits a hobbyist and a pro at the same price.
The 2×72 belt grinder became the knifemaker’s standard for one reason: a long belt and a flat platen remove steel fast and leave a clean surface. Here is the short history, and why you want one.
Built to order
I answer my own email. Tell me the work you do and which grinder you are considering.
