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Main Boards => Hunting Knives and Crafters => Topic started by: DoubleLung on October 11, 2009, 10:17:00 PM
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So I've looked at the different belt grinders that many of you use and hope to get one one day but right now I just cant swing it. I do have a bench mounted round wheel grinder. It's just your basic 8" grinding wheel. Can this be used to put a hollow grind on a blade?
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why a hollow grind. Why not a flat or convex. You can pick up and decent belt grinder for cheap.<><
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I've always been partial to a hollow grind. I seem to always use and cary small knives (caper) with me when hunting and the ones that have a hollow grind seem to get the sharpest for me.
I've looked at some inexpensive belt grinders and may go that route but I'd like to wait until I can afford to get the one I'd like.
It's all really new to me though and I'm very open to suggestions.
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Doublelung, YES, you sure can! I too, am in the minority here, and like hollow ground blades.
Use your 8" grinder, go slow, keep the blade dipped in water when it gets too hot to hold, and you'll be fine. Switch to the finest wheel you can after you get it rough ground with a course wheel, you'll clean up the grind better than you can with a course wheel. Then if you want it smoother than that, use wet sandpaper and do it by hand.
Most important thing I learned, is when to stop. That round wheel will ruin a blade fast if you get it too thin at the edge, so stop grinding when you have a little less than 1/16" at the edge, and from there, just sharpen it with about a 20 degree edge or so.
Dan
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eastwood car restorers catalog has a rubber wheel for a bench grinder. It looks to be about 5" dia. It has sanding belts that fit it. eastwood.com check it out, it might help you out. right now $59.95 Mark
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Thanks for the help guys, I'm going to give it a shot.