Tips on putting a grind on a knife?

[Knivesinedc]

No, I'm not talking about a regrind, the knife in question has no grind. cept for a minute, v-ish shape on the bottom of this slab of 420 stainless protruding from a faux leather wrapped handle. Its some display knife that I was asked to put an edge on. I have a Belt sander with 80 and 120 grit belts. figured that would be sufficient to start the edge with and move on to coarse SM stones and move from there. I get the jist of what I need to do and I've used a belt sander before but, any tips on how to make the edge/grind more even and how to avoid removing too much metal would be very much appreciated. -Jake-

[Studey]

Start at the heel, lighten your touch near the tip. Check often (after each pass). If I'm reading your post right, you're just putting the edge on, not grinding the primary bevel? If so, practice on a scrap piece of steel before doing it to the display knife. If it's just a display piece, the look will be important, so practice before the real thing so that you can maintain an even, steady bevel.

[Knivesinedc]

Start at the heel, lighten your touch near the tip. Check often (after each pass). If I'm reading your post right, you're just putting the edge on, not grinding the primary bevel? If so, practice on a scrap piece of steel before doing it to the display knife. If it's just a display piece, the look will be important, so practice before the real thing so that you can maintain an even, steady bevel.

Sorry, should've been a tad more clear. The knife itself is meant to be a display knife but its going to be a user. I asked the person I got the knife from and they said it doesn't have to be pretty, just try to get it sharp. if it had an actual edge, It would be closest to an FFG. I also need to put a tip on it. Its very blunted. Definitely bowie shaped just smaller than your average bowie. But thanks for the tips. Should I start with medium pressure at the heel?

[paladin]

No, I'm not talking about a regrind, the knife in question has no grind. cept for a minute, v-ish shape on the bottom of this slab of 420 stainless protruding from a faux leather wrapped handle. Its some display knife that I was asked to put an edge on. ....-Jake-

***WHEW*** for a minute there it was beginning to sound like you were making a shank in the Graybar Hotel :p

[Knivesinedc]

No, I'm not talking about a regrind, the knife in question has no grind. cept for a minute, v-ish shape on the bottom of this slab of 420 stainless protruding from a faux leather wrapped handle. Its some display knife that I was asked to put an edge on. ....-Jake-

***WHEW*** for a minute there it was beginning to sound like you were making a shank in the Graybar Hotel :p

:D :D :D

[Knivesinedc]

double click

[PayneTrain]

I'm very reluctant to use my grinder to form the edge. Even with good, fresh belts I think I may have overheated a chef knife I made in a couple spots. Also, I don't like how fast it works. Now I just use a coarse bench stone till it's sharp, then polish it up with medium and fine Spyderco ceramics. I feel it gives me much more control and offers less opportunity for costly mistakes to just do it by hand, and the last knife I did came out really, really well that way. I was very surprised and pleased with myself. I don't know how coarse the SM rods are (I assume the diamond or CBN?), but I bet it'll be enough to put an edge on the soft steel of a show knife without too much effort.

[Cliff Stamp]

A 420 class stainless steel will grind trivially on a coarse Norton or similar. If you are not running a water cooler belt sander you are almost guaranteed to over heat the apex and cause expansion induced fracture.