Why do you grind edge up?

M

Mike22

Joined
Jul 27, 2015
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Yes I know newbie question we got to start somewhere. I have a 1x30 belt sander that I have not used yet. My few knives I have made up to this point have been stock removal with a file. Watching videos an what not I see most people grinding edge up. Why is this? Feel, you can see center line better I don’t really know. Maybe I will understand as soon as I put a blade to the sander but at this point I don’t know. Yes I know a 1x30 is far from optimum but money dictates my choices right now.

Thanks

Mike
 
And don't disparage your 1x30, a lot of knives have been made with them. Good luck and have fun on your journey.
 
If that's the HF type of 1x30, you'll want to take a flat plate and grind a 1.25"-1.5" wide notch in middle of one edge. Then clamp it on your tool rest so the belt is in the notch and it covers up the slot in the tool rest, for changing belts. Otherwise you will end up having your blade drop into the slot and grind a big gouge in the blade, jam the machine, etc.
 
I started on a 1X30. If you take your time you can make as nice a knife on it as any other grinder. As far as edge up, so you can see what you're grinding. You'll know the second you put steel to it why. If you can afford, get good belts. Don't rely on the ones from HF. You'll get more for your money buying better ones.
 
When You grind edge down makes lot of stuff difficult including jig use. And You can easily overheat blade edge unless You have water cooling.
 
Belts IMHO make a diff! But they don’t have to be the most expensive.. And Yes! I grind Tip Up and apply pressure on about the top Quarter to half as you grind and walk it back to the spine for a clean Full Flat Grind! Take on convexing after you have made a few knives and have up graded to a 2X72” Big boy Grinder!
 
I grind edge up for the same reasion as everyone else. But I do know another maker here in Washington that grinds edge down. I can not imagine doing that but I guess once you get use to something it’s ok.
 
I know this isn't the point of this post and the OP question... but something to consider,
grinding on a rotating water stone is like grinding with the tip down or at least away from you...

I use my Hardcore grinder in this fashion, in reverse with the belt rotating away from me.

The reason why I can do this is because I use laminated steel which has a core. So I never scribe my edge CL.
The hardened core tells me where I need to be. The reason I do this is because I grind wet and the water gets thrown away from me.
 
DanF said:
And don't disparage your 1x30, a lot of knives have been made with them. Good luck and have fun on your journey.
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Yep!

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I grind with the edge down. I’ve tried edge up some but didn’t like it. I feel the bevel and if I don’t like where the bevel is I adjust pressure slightly to walk it up or down as I grind.
 
Ghostman3 said:
I grind with the edge down. I’ve tried edge up some but didn’t like it. I feel the bevel and if I don’t like where the bevel is I adjust pressure slightly to walk it up or down as I grind.
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There's always one...
 
When I started making knives I had only one small belt grinder, 1HP of power and a 46" belt. With it I made many knives with edge down, you can make simple grind difficult to realize a thin counter-thread! After about two years like this, I started to grind edge up, and the advantage is unquestionable: today only edge up, but if I had to do it I would have no problem grinding edge down.
 
Why edge up?

Because the edge is the guide line for the grind, you literally stare at the edge scribe line and follow that line.

In many cases that line is not straight, it follows the blade profile and as you approach toward the tip the line goes down toward the floor. You alter the grind and move the butt of the blade slightly away from the platen to follow that radius.

This is how you get the top of the grind line to follow the curve of the edge, on a saber style grind.

Many will do full flat grinds because they never can get that technique down to match up both sides of the blade. The key is to follow the edge.

Grinding edge down you are playing a guessing game and makes it much harder because you have to lift the blade and check where you are at the edge.
 
As with most processes in Knife making! What truly matters is your finally result!
While The Majority of us Grind Edge up, if you have found another method that you find works great for you? Like Harber's process with running the belt wet in Reverse.
By all means go for it!:thumbsup: And please share it! There are no rules in Knife Making!
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. I hope to be putting my sander to use soon. My time is pretty limited on my knife making hobby. Family, work, other hobbies always something going on.

Thanks again

Mike
 
I know a friend when he started making knives was doing hollow grinds and he would hold knife in his right hand. He ground the one side edge up and the other edge ground so he could control with his right hand. It blew our mind until we showed him to grind othe edge up. He is a major knife maker now and has a four year back log.
 
only time im grinding edge down is thinning hollow grinds on razors (blending wheel marks and feathering to the edge)
 
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