From the shop
I write down the setups, abrasive choices, tracking adjustments and maintenance checks I use at the grinder.
Articles 37–48 of 127
Archive page 4
Filed by what you are doing at the machine — grinding, sharpening, heat treat, maintenance, or running the business side of a shop.
Handles that feel right have no facets, and a slack belt is how you get there. Here is how I use the slack section of the 2×72 for organic handle transitions: belt choice, tension, where to work, and pressure.
Tough steels like CPM 3V, M4 and 52100 eat cheap belts and heat up fast. Here is how ceramic and Cubitron belts compare on cut rate, heat, life and cost, and which one I run on the 2×72.
What you grind before heat treat decides how much you fight after it. Here is how far I take a blade on the 2×72 before the quench: the grit I stop at, the edge I leave, and keeping it flat.
A scale that is not flat leaves a glue line you can see across the room. Here is my step-by-step for flattening handle scales on the 2×72: which belt, how much pressure, how to check for flat, wood versus Micarta.
A rounded spine feels better in the hand and looks finished, and the slack belt is the fastest way to get one. Here is how I radius a knife spine on the 2×72: grit, the rolling motion, and polish.
A 400-grit hand-sanded finish is the working knifemaker’s standard: clean, even and easy to maintain. Here is how I set it up on the 2×72, the hand-sanding technique, and how to chase out the stray scratch.
A contact wheel wears a groove, glazes over or loses its crown, and the grind goes with it. Here is how I assess a worn wheel, clean and re-face it, reinstall it true, and decide when to replace it.
Grinding steel throws sparks, grit and fine dust at your face and floor. A water trap bucket under the belt catches most of it for a few dollars. Here is how I build one and where it mounts.
Forge scale eats belts. A fresh 24-grit ceramic at full speed strips it in a few passes and leaves clean steel. Here is how I run coarse ceramics on the 2×72, keep the blade cool, and when to step up.
Small bevels on thin stock are the easiest place to ruin a blade. A zero-clearance tool rest closes the gap so the edge cannot dip. Here is how I set one up and grind micro bevels that repeat.
A work rest you have to unbolt is a work rest you leave on. Here is why a quick-detach rest on a 1.5-inch arm changes how you use a 2×72, and how to make sure it goes back on square.
A grinder that buzzes through the bench is telling you something is loose, out of balance or out of tension. Here is how I chase vibration on a 2×72: wheels, tension, mounting, hardware, belt speed, and the frame.
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