Bad Work Habits

Mark Behnke

Well-Known Member
I was wondering if anybody else has a habit you can't seem to break.

When I grind I flip the blade up off the grinder to see how the grind is and the edges get nicked. 36 grit really does a number, but it happens right up to the final grind. You'd think I'd learn, but Nooooo not me.

Here's a pic of what I have to correct or junk, the nick on the spine right above the plunge.

How about you, got any frustrating habits?
 

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My worst habit is running the plunge up into the spine. It's really frustrating because then I have to regrind the tang to even it out. Which usually results in dings in the flat/bevel which have to be ground out, which sometimes results in rolling over the spine again :mad: I suppose I could just start making saber grinds to avoid that, but I really like full-flat and full-convex knives.

I may be the only knifemaker around who makes 3/32" thick blades from 1/4" stock :D (it's not quite that bad but...)

My other bad habit is a seeming inability to get the scratch pattern nice and straight when hand-sanding. I reckon the solution to both my problems is just to pay attention, take my time and keep practicing.
 
Mark,

Ain't knifemakin fun ! LOL I think we've all done the same or worse. Not that I was uncomfortable from the start but the more blades I've ground the closer I am to to the belt when grinding. I'm to the point now that I'm maybe 1/2" from the belt while grinding so there's simply no room to come off the belt and inspect without taking a step back.

This could be the result of being steadier at the grinder, my natural comfort zone, or the fact that my gut sticks out further than most so just ends up being close to the belt :eek: LOL :D

I've got a good one I'm confronting right now. Gluing up sheaths :( I ALWAYS seem to get glue in the slightest amount on my fingers which tranfers to the leather and acts as a resist when dying. I think I'm done with glue and will be sticking with cement from now on.

I do believe that sometimes completely RUINING something from a mistake is what it takes to learn the lesson. School of hard knocks kinda thing. Just this morning I took a razor to a sheath that was ready to be stitched to get my homemade boot clip back for round 2.

All part of the learning curve I guess :eek:

-Josh
 
I tend to lean into the belt when grinding at the plunge, then ease off toward the tip. It gets me screwy grind lines, and the edge is not uniform in thickness. And, I've turned the edge blue at the plunge while finishing. Not fun.
 
...Here's a pic of what I have to correct or junk, the nick on the spine right above the plunge.

Yeah,that's a paperweight now Mark.
if you like,I'll get rid of it for you...:D

I wouldn't say that I have a lot of bad habits,
it's more like I just don't have many good ones :unsure::D
Thing is,I ain't really a knife maker:I'm a knife 'builder',
making knives from finished blades.
My equipment is pretty minimal,and I squeeze out everything I can
from it,often in very unconventional ways).
I know I'm doing things that would no doubt raise a few eyebrows (provided there are some out there that haven't been singed off :eek:;))
but so far,other than my belt sander eating my fingernails,and sometimes a knuckle,no real injuries to myself or the knives...
 
Trying to get TOO MUCH life out of a piece of sandpaper!

I am the first to tell people to use paper like it's free, regardless of what they are using it for. I know many folks that use sandpaper for their hobbies (fiberglass, ceramics, knives, woodworking, etc.) and ALL of us can save a lot of effort and time if we would simply flip the paper or get a new piece! :eek:

Why do I do it? Not due to cost, due to BELIEVING that this paper is the ONE that will get rid of that final scratch! :D

Charlie
 
Trying to get TOO MUCH life out of a piece of sandpaper!

I am the first to tell people to use paper like it's free, regardless of what they are using it for. I know many folks that use sandpaper for their hobbies (fiberglass, ceramics, knives, woodworking, etc.) and ALL of us can save a lot of effort and time if we would simply flip the paper or get a new piece! :eek:

Why do I do it? Not due to cost, due to BELIEVING that this paper is the ONE that will get rid of that final scratch! :D

Charlie

"and your faith will set you free"...:D
(o.k.,I admit it:I too have sandpaper older than my socks...
I figure that 1200grit sheet should be 1500grit by the time I polish sumthin' long 'nuff with it :eek: )
 
I tend to keep it uniform right up to the point, then lean in to the belt. That's right, the blade looks good through all the grits right up to the end and then I notice a spot an inch or so back where the blade ic too thin!!!!
 
re-useable sandpaper

Trying to get TOO MUCH life out of a piece of sandpaper!

I am the first to tell people to use paper like it's free, regardless of what they are using it for. I know many folks that use sandpaper for their hobbies (fiberglass, ceramics, knives, woodworking, etc.) and ALL of us can save a lot of effort and time if we would simply flip the paper or get a new piece! :eek:

Why do I do it? Not due to cost, due to BELIEVING that this paper is the ONE that will get rid of that final scratch! :D

Charlie

One way not to waste paper is by using "Rod Neilson" removable disc grinder plates. He designed a disc grinder where you can remove the plates from the grinder in seconds and put on different disc with different grit paper. If you have to go back to courser grit then just take off the disc and put the finer grit disc back on.
 
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