# Choosing a blade grinder



## norman vandyke (Aug 17, 2015)

I know this might be the wrong place to post but you guys know about this stuff. Is this a good one to start with for blade shaping/beveling? 
Grizzly H6070 Belt and 5-Inch Disc Sander
The price is right and it looks like it gets good reviews on Amazon...


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## ripjack13 (Aug 17, 2015)

Nope...This is the correct spot Norman. You're good to go...

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## norman vandyke (Aug 17, 2015)

ripjack13 said:


> Nope...This is the correct spot Norman. You're good to go...


Thanks! I just really need something that's good and still cheap in case I find out i really suck at knife making. That way I won't have so much invested.


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## norman vandyke (Aug 20, 2015)

Since I'm trying to go cheap for the time being, I went with the less expensive, central machinery version of grizzly's 1x30 belt sander and ordered 7 different grits of belts stepping up from 50 grit to 800 grit. Got it all for less than $100 shipped. Just need to get a couple small clamps and a bolt to make a wooden bevel jig I saw a guy use on YouTube and I'll be all set to bevel a blade. Next will be a drill press and some pin material. I think I'm going to go with the classic brass to start. Sticking with a regular ball peen hammer to set the pins. Need to find my wood rasps. I guess I'll need to get some suede from the local leather shop for spacers. Am I forgetting anything? Epoxy I already have. Does just any clear epoxy work? I might have to get a few more blade blanks to work on before I know if I'm any good or not. I suppose I could just get an angle grinder and shape my own out of circular saw blades I have lying around. This is turning into quite the undertaking.


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## norman vandyke (Aug 20, 2015)

Yay, starting from scratch!


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## ripjack13 (Aug 20, 2015)

An old leather belt for a strop....


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## Foot Patrol (Aug 20, 2015)

Norman the 1x30 Grizley will work. I would suggest visiting Texasknifemakers.com to by your spacers, pins etc. There are a few others as well. I would also order a few pieces of 1084 from the New Jersey Steel Baron. This is a good starter steel and is easy to harden. I use Corby pins a lot. Just screw them together and grind off the heads. Easy peasy.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## robert flynt (Aug 20, 2015)

norman vandyke said:


> I know this might be the wrong place to post but you guys know about this stuff. Is this a good one to start with for blade shaping/beveling?
> Grizzly H6070 Belt and 5-Inch Disc Sander
> The price is right and it looks like it gets good reviews on Amazon...


As far as blade grinders, you will be able get by but you will not be happy with the performance. You will be much happier with a KMG grinder grinder as a starter. It is a drive wheel, an idler wheel and of course the grinding wheel. You can put multible groove belt sheaths on it, to vary the speed, a slower speed is very import for new knife makers. If you must have a two wheel grinder look at the ones Coot makes,they are very well built grinders. I strongly suggest you get one that uses a 2 x 72" belt. Good luck


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## norman vandyke (Aug 20, 2015)

robert flynt said:


> As far as blade grinders, you will be able get by but you will not be happy with the performance. You will be much happier with a KMG grinder grinder as a starter. It is a drive wheel, an idler wheel and of course the grinding wheel. You can put multible groove belt sheaths on it, to vary the speed, a slower speed is very import for new knife makers. If you must have a two wheel grinder look at the ones Coot makes,they are very well built grinders. I strongly suggest you get one that uses a 2 x 72" belt. Good luck


I'm sure I'll upgrade eventually but for now I definitely need to pinch my pennies. Also, I've already bought the one I was looking at, so I may as well see what it can do. I was thinking a 2" belt would be better suited and longer would make for longer lasting belts, I would think.


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## robert flynt (Aug 20, 2015)

I suggest you look at the 3 wheel like the KMG or the 2 wheel grinder made by Coot. Strongly suggest ones with 2 x 72 inch belts because with the small belt you will dull them extremely fast grinding metal.


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## norman vandyke (Aug 20, 2015)

robert flynt said:


> I suggest you look at the 3 wheel like the KMG or the 2 wheel grinder made by Coot. Strongly suggest ones with 2 x 72 inch belts because with the small belt you will dull them extremely fast grinding metal.


I'm betting that is going to happen. Lol


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## Foot Patrol (Aug 20, 2015)

I have a 3 phase KMG and I love it. I generally run it at 30-40%. The belts will also work and is how I first started. Good luck.


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## Jschrum (Aug 28, 2015)

I am an outlier here, I use a Grizzly 2x72. I bought it because it was the cheapest option and there is a Grizzly store near me. If I had to pay shipping I would have went with a Coote. But I have a Grizzly. There is a learning curve with the speed, it runs fast and it runs hard and it doesn't stop. There are things that the grizzly can't do, you just have to work around it. It's not really good with plunge lines because the tracking is not the best, even after 6 months of me tinkering with it its just not the right design for perfect tracking. and the speed is absolutely outrageous, but once you get used to it you just deal with it. Plus it has a buffer that runs at the same speed, be careful with that little booger if you get one of these machines. I know I would absolutely love a KMG and I would be able to do so much more with it. But I have a Grizzly and I'm doing the best I can with it. 
I started with a 1x30 and gave up trying to grind with it. I preferred to use Files rather than use the 1x30. It seemed to take the same amount of time and was a lot more controllable. That being said, I use my 1x30 on every single knife I make. It is really good for some things, so I keep it around so it can earn its keep. 

Keep after it and it gets a lot easier, we've all been there.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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