Short Sword Scrap Fun - Advice

FredyCro said:
Well, the belt is almost twice as long so the its life is twice as long. But with ceramics its more about constant pressure and breaking the ceramic down to fresh grit. Applying that kind of pressure will almost surely stall a small motor (for example my 500w Metabo). A 2.2 kw motor will wink it off. If you are using ceramic belts try dressing it with hard pressure and a piece of small thickness hardened steel (push in the belt as hard as your grinder will allow) or a steel brush or a piece of a used lower grit belt with a hard backing. AO belts were almost useless on hardened steel for me on the 2x42, you can clean them out with a brush or a dedicated rubber cleaner (try using a hard rubber shoe sole as well) but they will wear out quickly (for me one 60 grit AO belt per one kitchen blade for clean up). It will still grind, but produces more heat and takes material of slowly. Try 40 grit zyrconium if you can get it, also 120.
Click to expand...

I have read this before but honestly don't have the desire, im just rotating used out and throwing new ones on at the start of a new knife. The Dayton as a 1/3hp motor, its pretty much the same manufacturing plant in China as your Metabo. I came to the decision I'm ordering a 1.5hp 110v Ameribrade 2x72 tomorrow. I get such satisfaction out of improvements on each knife, even if this stays a hobby, im not gunna stop.
 
Dave Hamilton said:
I have read this before but honestly don't have the desire, im just rotating used out and throwing new ones on at the start of a new knife. The Dayton as a 1/3hp motor, its pretty much the same manufacturing plant in China as your Metabo. I came to the decision I'm ordering a 1.5hp 110v Ameribrade 2x72 tomorrow. I get such satisfaction out of improvements on each knife, even if this stays a hobby, im not gunna stop.
Click to expand...

Giving it a short brush will take a sec and you can do it mid grind to get some of the grit agressivnes back. Try it! You will not regret the 2x72, I think 2x72 grinders are also easy to resell if there is a need down the line. Update us with the pics of the sword when you get the time :)
 
Got the bevels roughed in today from 80 to 120. Combo drawing across the workrest and freehand. Not bad I'd say, but need a lot more practice. No matter what I did, working the bevel up to the line was a little wavy.

20210111_125508 by Dave Hamilton, on Flickr
20210111_125504 by Dave Hamilton, on Flickr
20210111_125519 by Dave Hamilton, on Flickr

Went in and used a bastard mill draw file to get them pretty flat with a little meat for hand sanding.

20210111_144620 by Dave Hamilton, on Flickr
20210111_144610 by Dave Hamilton, on Flickr
 
FredyCro said:
Looks great
Click to expand...
Thanks, you can see where I may have had a spasm and dug in on the edge a tiny bit, but itll disappear when I do put an edge on it. I think I had a little too much pressure at first contact at the plunge. Didn't loose my tip early on for once though! Just order my Ameribrade 2x72. Can't wait.
 
I still have a lot of meat on this edge and will continue draw filing to bring it down and keep it flat, I'm thinking on a blade this long and spine at .25", an edge of .15" is best? I'm basing it off 7-9" combat knives, if I'm off wouldn't mind an opinion.
 
A dime is about 0.05" and can be reasonable before HT, although Peters' says you can take it further.
I'm still trying to understand your 0.15 value while looking at your pictures. If the spine is 0.25, you seem to have taken it further than 0.15. that is like 3 dimes and you would barely have a bevel...so I asked if it is a typo...
 
Richard338 said:
A dime is about 0.05" and can be reasonable before HT, although Peters' says you can take it further.
I'm still trying to understand your 0.15 value while looking at your pictures. If the spine is 0.25, you seem to have taken it further than 0.15. that is like 3 dimes and you would barely have a bevel...so I asked if it is a typo...
Click to expand...
Ahhhhhh your right.... I did make a typo, should had put .015". I thought you were pointing out an obvious. I'm sticking to a dime and at 120grit right now.
 
Ok, great. It depends on how you want to use it. I might flat grind to about 0.03, then send for HT, then convex it to zero after.
 
I'll be putting a secondary bevel on this one so after more researching i think ill leave it at .05", explore how that works! Chasing double cut bastard lines from draw filing with 120 on 01 ain't no fun. Takes 10mins on 1084.
 
Change to a single cut file and use progressively lighter pressure. Then move on to sannd paper
 
A.McPherson said:
Change to a single cut file and use progressively lighter pressure. Then move on to sannd paper
Click to expand...
I've never used a double cut bastard on the draw but had in my evaluation too much wave (wasn't that bad really). Your recommendation A.Mc is what I've done before on my smaller blades and works very well. From going back and forth though I've ruined two files, I need to order new files.
 
oh man, just looked at the pic nice and big here after i posted, still have some deep scratches from the draw filing...
 
Why not go back to grinder to 120 at least after draw filing? You just need to ride the established bevel to remove the marks, a little worn in belt would do. Sanding out file marks with 220 sound like a bi***.
 
FredyCro said:
Why not go back to grinder to 120 at least after draw filing? You just need to ride the established bevel to remove the marks, a little worn in belt would do. Sanding out file marks with 220 sound like a bi***.
Click to expand...
EDIT:scratch try original reply, see below.

I had to draw file to straighten out a bit, the length of this, when originally on the grinder got hard to keep it stable and parallel to the platen. my outward hand would ever so slightly move the tang in and out causing the edge of the platen to dig in a little bit more. My skillset is just not there right now for such a long piece I think. my 7"-9" blades werent as wavy being close to the platen. I am planning on stonewashing this one for a lived in look, so its my undertstanding I don't have to be so concerned with every little scratch?

EdIT: im being lazy. I read somewhere once when you think your done, put an extra hour in. Back to the smooth file and going through the grits.
 
Last edited:
Yeah, that's a long one for freehand grinding a straight bevel :) a long work rest and push stick method or a jig would be my way, but I also try to free hand grind as much as I can and have to live with the mistakes or work them out later. Its a hard grind to keep such a tall grind even. Acid etching is going to get the small scratches out, and the bigger ones are going to be less visible, even more so with stone washing I guess.
 
It helps (like Nick Wheeler suggests in his YouTube on hand sanding) to switch directions and look again for scratches from the lower grit.
I also like to take a break and then study at different angles under a different light.
As you discovered a close-up photo is a ruthless assessment.
One thing that speeds things up if you come off the grinder at a low grit, is to use EDM stones before switching to paper.
The 120 grit stones almost work like erasers for 60 grit scratches...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top