help me out - I need pic's of jigs - Calling all jig pics!

BossDog

KnifeDogs.com & USAknifemaker.com Owner
Staff member
I need pictures of grinding jigs. I need to get some design ideas and then I am going to have my crack machinist - Travis Godfrey at Precision Plus make a batch of them so I can sell them. I keep getting calls every week from noobs that need a hand getting started and using a jig is good way to get going.

Now I've seen every argument against using jigs. I used to argue against them myself. I've changed my position on them a long time ago. I know there are a few makers that have pretty strong feelings that you should learn free hand grinding before any other kind. I think free hand grinding isn't all it's cracked up to be. Lot's of times it isn't that fun.

I was on the phone today with a new maker. He wanted my opinion on jigs. I said he should get one. We talked about wood working. The more advanced you are into wood working, the more you depend on jigs. Why wouldn't knife making be the same? Why wouldn't we have that same attitude? Fred talked about spending some time every Friday working on a jig. I think that is flat genius.

Post pic's of your jigs...
 
this was a flat grind jig I made so long ago the rubber bands I used as a spring are crumbling. The top screw moves the vertical plate as you adjust the screw. This would adjust the angle of the blade to the platen. It was fun to make, no fun to use as this design isn't any good. :rolleyes:
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a pretty simple jig. it is just a 7 degree wedge for putting a 7 degree grind on a liner lock blade.
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Here's the one I use :) http://www.bubblejig.com/ Maybe you can work something out with Fred

I'm a noob maker and I used it the first time a few weeks ago. Got 2 perfect grinds first time out..... Thanks again Fred 2thumbs

Here is a pic of the knife I used it on. This knife was also my first attempt at forging so don't laugh too much. I just didn't cut the plunge lines in on it before the pic was taken but I made it a full flat grind.

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I made this tutorial a long time ago of a flat grinding jig. It is similar to yours, but has several differences. http://sites.google.com/site/mikesknives/belt-sander-angle-holder

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I used it to make 8 knives on my 1x30. Now I've been freehanding on my 2x72, but may choose to go back to this once I get a flat platen/table combo.


People have also reported using my jig for scandi grinds with much success. It's slower than freehanding, because freehanding removes a high point most of the time, and this just scrapes a flat surface (I guess you could adjust it though and walk it up to be flatter)
 
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OK, my question is this. If we as knifemakers can forge or grind a knife, why not use a jig of sorts to allow precision repeatability?

Do most folder makers not use jigs to get certin angles on folder parts? Is this done free hand and by eye each time?

I grind free hand, but have had many times when a jig would have saved me much time and material!

Im anxious to see what you come up with!!!!!

God Bless
Mike
 
Here's my high tech jig.

A couple of door hinges, a couple of flat boards, a kitchen magnet and a 1/4 x 20 bolt. I have a shorter magnet and a clamp for smaller blades.

It has its limitations, but it works for me.
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machete002.jpg


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Have pix of quite a few, will email them when i come back frome weekend trip on Monday Boss.
 
The originator, of the inclined plane, is probably lost to history; but its discovery changed the world and how its people worked and how much work they achieved.

When I am looking for a solution to any problem in the shop I like to think about those facts and in doing so I keep it simple.

The way I see it the argument for not using jigs to: save time, produce a better product, learn to accomplish a task with less time invested and with equal or better results, does not hold water.
Ever tool in the shop has come out of someones pondering and musing the day away, trying to come up with the better mouse trap or in trying to solve a problem for himself.

The knife blades all of us aspire to make are themselves, two intersecting inclined planes.

We are tool makers and we have been so since we have been on this earth.
As to our ancestors, it was those with the best tools who survived; their jig making is in many ways responsible for our being here.

Without the discovery of the inclined plane we would not possess the screw, how would you like to do without that jig?

Fred

Jigs+are+what+made+us_+010_001.jpg
 
Fred,
this is the perfect thread for you to post pic's and a selling pitch with contact information for your bubble jig.
t
 
Well, I have never seen anyone use a jig. I thought you were just supposed to do it free hand until you got good enough.
After looking at the jigs I started thankin' (maybe the first time this year).
1. Attach the kitchen knife magnet (or part of one) to a piece of angle iron.
2. Clamp the angle iron to the tool rest.. See Tracy's plans but make the rest adjustable. Or maybe just lay a welder's magnet on the rest.
3. Angle the angle iron or magnet to agree with the distal taper.
4. Adjust the tool rest to the desired grind bevel.
5. Leaving the bump knobs for the X, Y axis loose slide the blade across the belt and slide in an out as needed.
I haven't tried this yet. It is cooold out in my shop so it may be a couple of days before I get out there, try it, take pictures and report back.
 
Flat grinding jig.

Here are a couple of pics of the jig I came up with to help with flat grinding.
You set the angle of the bubble by using wedges cut at differing degrees; like the 5 degree one sitting on the tool rest.
Simple but effective.

The clamp was compliments of CSX RxR and a little alteration on my part.


Fred

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I have the hollow grinding jig from jantz . So complex I need the book to work it and set it up. Its very well made and im sure worth the money I spent, just gotta get it working. There is a patent on it so a copy is out of the question.
 
Here's a patent drawing that might contain some useful design "elements". It can be used with a flat platen for a flat grind or wheel for a hollow grind and is adjustable for blade thickness , angle and grind height.

tn_05191737-003.jpg





Johnny
 
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Heres some stuff I made.
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GLWJ/CK
KD Founding Member, Waterjet Owner and Knifemaker Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Granger, IN.
Posts: 550
Images: 6

Heres some stuff I made.

Hey David,
So do you just set the stop block on the table to a certain spot to get a specific angle? I have done something simlar but I just clamp down a piece of steel, or that crappy G-11, something with a definite straight edge. Nice work, must be nice to have your own water jet machine!!!!!
Rex
 
Rex, I set the flat plat on the rest at the distance needed. I use the rotary platen to set the angles. Make sense? :D
 
Rex, I set the flat plat on the rest at the distance needed. I use the rotary platen to set the angles. Make sense? :D

That makes perfect sense! I never would have thought of keeping the blade straight and adjusting the platen, great idea.

So tell me, has the flat paten been put into production? I really like the design, plus being able to use contact wheels instead of drive wheels is so much more convenient and so much more usable.
Rex
 
This is exactly what I do from time to time. My grinding jig consists of a single piece of 5$ angle iron and a pair of vice grips. I vice grip the blade to the angle iron which holds the blade at 90 degrees. I then just adjust the platen on the grinder to what i want and move the ange iron left to right.

I really only use it to rough in grinds...then the fine work I do by hand. I think Jigs tend to complicate things more than simplify them when it comes to grinding bevels.
 
This is exactly what I do from time to time. My grinding jig consists of a single piece of 5$ angle iron and a pair of vice grips. I vice grip the blade to the angle iron which holds the blade at 90 degrees. I then just adjust the platen on the grinder to what i want and move the ange iron left to right.

I really only use it to rough in grinds...then the fine work I do by hand. I think Jigs tend to complicate things more than simplify them when it comes to grinding bevels.

I agree to that to a certain degree, I think it depends on how well you know your equipment, how well you understand the angles your trying to attain. I had a little "jig" that didn't do that well, it WAS more a pain than doing it 3 times by hand, (it took 3 times because I kept screwing it up). But that jig was poorly designed, poorly planned out and I didn't know enough about how I should start out. Now, with a different type of jig that works better and that I understand, I think I could probably do better, may take longer, but I don't time myself in making a knife, the main thing is the end result, that being a beautifully ground blade that is the same on both sides.
I'm thinking I may try David's method, I don't have a rotary platen but my regular platen will rotate to whatever angle I want, keep the blade at 90 degrees and let the belt grind the angle. A piece of angle iron would help in keeping the blade straight, that sounds so simple, I think I'm going to pick up so angle iron this afternoon. Thanks Guys, yall are the best DOGS in the pound!!! Rex
 
. I think Jigs tend to complicate things more than simplify them when it comes to grinding bevels.

I have to argue the point:

Speaking only of the jig I make, grinding with it is simplicity itself.

First, its used free hand with no need to rest the jig on the tool rest.

You can set angles of approach from 2 degrees to 15 degrees. Which will cover any grind angle that might be needed.

You can grind on a vertical or horizontal machine or any where in between.

The bevel clamp holds material from 3/32 to 5/16 inch.

The jigs weight is 8 oz. Its light weight allows for easy free hand grinding.

When you grind a blade using this jig your plunge cuts and flats are perfect. You can't ask much more than that.

Working on my 500+ blade, using this jig, that's how I know it works.

I have a video on line if you want to see the jig in use.

Some jigs, I agree, are more trouble than they are worth; but not all of them.

Regards, Fred:)
 
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