Triple-T #50 - Grinding Knife Bevels and Plunges

In today's Triple-T (tools, tips and talk) #50, I will be continuing my beginner series and we'll discuss grinding knife bevels and plunges. (Links below!)
My Website: www.tyrellknifeworks.com
My Instagram: / tyrellknifeworks
Abrasives by Brodbeck Ironworks: brodbeckironworks.com/
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Grinding / Sanding / Finishing
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Forging
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[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Any tips I missed? Are there aspects of knife grinding you would like to see covered in upcoming videos?

[@SwitchbackXThunter]

Thank you. That was perfect

[@randyblackburn9765]

You pretty much covered them all , one thing I haven’t heard mentioned is belt condition. If I try to bevel with a mostly worn out belt then I get a horrible bevel.A friend told me “ use your belts as if they are free don’t try to squeeze every grit out of them “.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

@@randyblackburn9765 that is an excellent point. I kind of mentioned that in the basics video, do the bevel with a new belt. It certainly makes a huge difference. 👍

[@SwitchbackXThunter]

The only thing I would add in the next video, is maybe how to keep the point of the knife bevel even with the area near the ricasso, and not sharpen itself with a distal taper the last 3/4 inch. Thx!

[@robertpaxton1679]

You nailed a lot of awesome beginners tips that most tutorial videos don't explain. I really appreciate it! This past weekend I thought I was doing great on a knife and then made several mistakes that you covered in this.

[@evaderknives]

Little trick... why I always put a sharpening notch in my knives. It not only dictates where the plunge line goes, but helps the edge with the "Y" from swooping plunges. Not to mention, it helps when you need to sharpen your knives... Hope all is well, take it easy.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I do that on some knives but not all. On the high end bowies it looks off. For bushcraft knives and hunting knives I do.

[@evaderknives]

@@TyrellKnifeworks True, but bowie knives don't need them, they(for the most part) either have a forward choil or drop blade.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I also don’t put them on skinners because they can get caught up on stuff. (The knife I was showing is a skinner)

[@evaderknives]

@@TyrellKnifeworks I mean honestly I don't know much about skinners, but from the ones I've seen & done, they hang down too. I mean if a sharpening notch will stop it, so will the plunge. I don't really know though. Hope all is well.

[@RedBeardOps]

Solid grinding overview right here. 🙌

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks James! 👍

[@JCasper-sq2vl]

Been fighting Mr. Smiley and had little hopes of finding much specific info regarding that. But you my friend got the nail on the head. I hardly comment, but I will always give credit to those who identify much needed info and address it clearly. Thanks!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’ll be redoing my “Grinding Basics” video next week. Check that out! Thanks for watching.

[@dangerousfarmer]

Excellent video my brutha. Really detailed problems that have plagued me for years that I didn’t even know how to describe but they constantly frustrated me. Thanks for putting this out there 👍🏽

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Glad it was helpful for you! Thanks for watching.

[@davidpugh4527]

Great information I have never seen that explained in that much detail

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks David!

[@Blackheart7-5]

Thank you for making this. Your time and knowledge is greatly respected and appreciated! It's always worth watching your videos.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’m really happy you find them helpful, Joseph! 👍

[@cae2487]

Very important information!!! Love that you took the time to explain this and how to address different scenarios. Thanks for another awesome video it is always appreciated!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for following along, Cory!

[@fubudap]

Once again, outstanding! Very well explained, thanks for taking the time to do this it helped a ton!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’m glad it helped! Thanks for watching!

[@clnnlt7850]

Many thanks from France for all the works, the quality of your videos and all the tips ! Keep going on, it's just a pleasure to learn with you !

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for following along!

[@enriquepalomino8636]

I appreciate the time you put to explain in detail all the tips and tricks. I know it was a great video if I got a smile and went to work on some more knives; eager to try these tips, Thank you!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Next week will be another version of this. It’s been a while since I did a grinding video. Stay tuned!

[@8ank3r]

Great tips, thanks for the content you put out.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I'm happy they were helpful. Thanks for watching!

[@clintonm2357]

I subscribed. This video is amazing and I cannot wait to see what else you have put out.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

You’ve got 153 other Triple-T videos and a ton of build videos to watch! 😉. Don’t miss the Samurai Challenge next Friday!

[@aaronrowlands3842]

Super helpful! Thank you for your time!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for following along, Aaron!

[@CorneliusForge]

Thank you for these tips! It answered some questions for me.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I'm glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.

[@patchtimbermetalcrafted1843]

Hi Tyrell, thank you so much for your tips. I started grinding an old kitchen knife and respected your advise to start with a simple shape. This video will help me a lot! You´re amazing, keep going! Not many of your kind around, who is sharing the knowledge. Greetings from Germany

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I'm glad the video was helpful! Thanks for watching! Viewers like you are what keep me going. ❤️

[@EffnShaShinko]

All excellent information! Thank you!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I'm happy it was helpful, Kyle! Thanks for watching!

[@ClenioBuilder]

Super tips. Thanks for sharing.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for watching!

[@robertstuart6684]

You have the most informational videos I have seen, you are an excellent instructor thanks so much for sharing

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thank you, Robert! I’m happy to hear you are getting good info from the channel!

[@geraldandre7009]

As always, very informative and super useful. 👍

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for watching, Gerald!

[@jamesBGgarner]

Thankyou for sharing your knowledge.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for watching, James!

[@negrohan]

Excellent my friend! Thanks! Greatings from Jujuy, Argentina

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I'm glad it was helpful, Carlos! My video tomorrow is all about heat treating, so check that one out! 👍🏻

[@derekmahon2697]

Very good explanation, thanks

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’m glad it helped, Derek!

[@SwitchbackXThunter]

Yes!! Been waiting!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I hope it was helpful! Thanks for watching

[@dereksprogramming3233]

Exactly what I needed, thanks!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’m glad it was helpful, Derek!

[@alexmlieczko929]

This is the trick I've been looking for!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’m glad it helped you, Alex! Thanks for watching

[@GARYMANDIEVAN]

This was a awesome lesson

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’m glad it was helpful, Gary! Thanks for watching.

[@glenpaul3606]

As a new knife maker this video was very helpful. Grinding bevels and plunge lines are the hardest things to do well. Thank you for your detailed explanations with your drawings. I now have a much better idea how to do this now.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

That's great, Glen! I'm glad the video helped you!

[@glenpaul3606]

@@TyrellKnifeworks It sure did. I just finished the best and most complex grinds Ive ever done. Thanks again.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

@@glenpaul3606 That's cool! Send me some pics for Viewer Knives. 👍🏻

[@glenpaul3606]

@@TyrellKnifeworks I don't know how to send you pics. Is that email or cellphone?. I've made 8 or 9 knives so far.

[@JOBTEMCRAFT]

Thank you! Very useful tips! 😁👍

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’m glad it was helpful! 👍

[@MBishopsBlades]

Very good information Denis! I have been struggling with the "dreaded smiley" and this is going to help me greatly! Thank you!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I'm so glad it was helpful, Mark! 👍🏻

[@MBishopsBlades]

@@TyrellKnifeworks Now I just have to put it to practical use! :)

[@scottandnadinebiessenberge2968]

Thanks you solved two mysteries for me.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’m glad the video helped! Thanks for watching.

[@billclancy4913]

Great explanations!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching, Bill!

[@codybates2419]

Some very good info for new/learning knife makers like me.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I'm happy it was helpful, Cody! Lots more beginner videos coming soon!

[@alyryoorhandcraft2400]

great information thank you very much

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks, Yousef! I’m glad it was informative.

[@BertoMul]

Thank you. Please more grinding tips.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I'll be doing more in the future, but now I'm going to move into some other topics for a bit.

[@BertoMul]

@@TyrellKnifeworks ok thanks.

[@Baldmanblades]

Great job

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for checking it out, Barry!

[@chrisscott7148]

Excellent, Thanks!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Glad it was helpful! Thanks for watching.

[@jeffrangel93]

Great video

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for watching, Jeff!

[@German.A777]

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 gracias por tus videos.!! Bendiciones

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

¡Gracias por vernos y seguirnos!

[@bobgore1962]

Excellent video, Denis! Very informative, and I learned a lot! At present, I have only purchased a 1" X 30" belt sander, with a disc. Also, I don't know what 'Knifeprint' is, but I'm going to check it out, as well! Thanks for sharing my brother! 😎👍🏻🔨🔥🗡️

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Definitely checkout Knifeprint.com. I use it for all my knife designs. 👍

[@sanyok7777]

Phenomenal!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for watching!

[@robertduguay689]

Yes I would like you discus the thickness of your finished edge off the grinder in relation to the purpose of the knife. Also sharpening angles for different knifes according it it’s use.. Thanks

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I did a previous Triple-T on edge geometry, which covers what you're asking about. I'll add it to the beginner series playlist. 👍🏻

[@dragonwaterforge]

Awsome vid

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for watching!

[@Fortunes.Fool.]

I don’t make knives but this was still neat to learn.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for following along!

[@Kratos_God_of_50_BMG]

Great video Teach! You make me question my career choice, by making me into a Knife-a-holic. Thanks a lot 😉

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

We all question our career choices at times. 😜 Thanks for watching!

[@richardriojamanknives9118]

Thanks a lot, every th-day.....from Germany Kind regards Udo

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for watching and following along, Richard!

[@Keith_the_knife_freak]

Thanks 👍

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’m glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching.

[@randyblackburn9765]

Good pointers , most of which I learned the hard way however the belt overhang on the platen for the curved plunge line was new to me

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’m happy it was useful, Randy. Thanks for watching

[@robertpaxton1679]

Exactly! Once he said the more overhang the wider the wider the curve I pretty much smacked my forehead. It makes total sense once I hear someone explaining it! Thanks for the good info. Not a lot of knifemakers explain the stuff they find "simple", and us rookies just watch videos thinking "yeah, BUT HOW!?" Thanks again!

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

@@robertpaxton1679 We all smacked our heads at some point. I had a head smacker last week watching Kyle Royer's channel. 😜

[@DavidWilliams-wr4wb]

It just took me practice to learn how far to lean my blades , I do much better free handing because I could never get the lines straight trusting my equipment because if the table is one degree off my lines would be off , me personally do better trusting me instead of trusting my grinding equipment, just me personally, but thanks for giving the newbs good guidance, I wish I would have had good guidance when I started years back 😆

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

If your rest is 90 degrees to platen (line it always should be for this) there’s nothing else to trust. It doesn’t matter if the table is “off” as long as it’s square to the platen. It’s not for everyone, but I find it the easiest way for folks to learn. Thanhs for watching.

[@Theroadslesstraveled]

Thanks for the tip about the smiley, I didn't even know what to call that but it shows up every time while grinding. One other grinding tip I'd love to hear some advice on is not burning the point of the blade, I'm still one a 1x30 so its moving really fast. Is there anything other than just ensuring that the blade stays cool while working it?

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Others have asked about that too. I’ll cover that in a future video. 👍

[@Theroadslesstraveled]

@@TyrellKnifeworks Fantastic! I look forward to it!

[@krissteel4074]

If you're really struggling with plunge cuts, you can always drag out the old chainsaw file and put them in that way as a reference. Personally I'm a fan of the file guide to do the initial plunge, but everyone's a bit different about what they like to use

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’ve never been a fan of the chainsaw file method. It takes a long time and doesn’t produce that great of a look in my opinion. The file guide is fine if you don’t use the rest. Since I do, it doesn’t work for me is all. Thanks for watching, Kris.

[@freemanking2517]

what was that blue belt that you use called again? If I remember right, you use a cheap red one to get the scale off which destroys belts quickly, and a more expensive blue one for beveling do you also sharpen blades on a belt sander or do you just use a file?

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I use the blue “Incinerator” belts from Brodbeck. It’s best to take off scale with an angle grinder first. For sharpening I use either a Wicked Edge sharpening system or very recently have started using my 2x72 with a guide rail.

[@18deadmonkeys]

this is the noob-level stuff I need

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’m glad it’s helpful! Thanks for watching!

[@frankheger5185]

👍👍

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for watching, Frank!

[@DBCraftWorld]

Great tutorial Brother! Besides the fact my belt grinder swinging a little (so I cant grind plunge nicely) I've been using your technique on Elven sword- works great and I totally recomend it:)! The glass platen you are using is exactly 2" wide? My platen is 55mm (around 2 1/4").. I was thinking to cutoff this extra 5 mm but sometimes it save my bevels from this annoying belt swinging. What do you think?

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I would leave the platen and not try to shrink it. As long as you can track the belt right and left, don’t worry about it. If your belt wobbling, I would try to align your belt wheels a bit more. Maybe add a washer on one or something. Thanks for watching, David!

[@DBCraftWorld]

@@TyrellKnifeworks Thanks! Think the motor shaft is a little out of center, and that makes this wobbling.. You mean to align the barell wheel?

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

@@DBCraftWorld If your belt is wobbling side to side, that's not the shaft out of center, that's the wheels not perfectly in line. Take a large square and make sure they are on the same plane. Sometimes tightening or just turning the bolts holding the wheels will tune them in a bit. If the wheels aren't in line, maybe take one off and put a washer on one, particularly the tracking wheel, to see if that helps.

[@DBCraftWorld]

@@TyrellKnifeworks Thanks a lot- I'll check it !

[@Doc-Holliday1851]

I’ve seen the grinding technique where you pull the knife away from the belt to match the curve of the knife. It clearly works, what I don’t understand is how. What happens if you just go straight the whole way?

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

If you go straight the whole way you will just have a straight bevel on the knife, no curve. It looks odd that way. Thanks for watching.

[@notabrit3025]

Nice dud :D

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@ReignForever]

Do you ever use jigs to hold your knives while you grind? Like for example, if you wanted a nice straight plunge line, but the back edge of the knife isn't flat? Just curious, I'm all questions right now, haven't applied any knowledge to the craft yet

[@ReignForever]

To clarify further, I just mean for beginners like myself, who don't have much experience with freehand grinding, and technique.

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I tried a jig when I first started. In my opinion they just slow the inevitable need to learn how to grind. They can be very limiting as well since you can’t do things like inside curves and many other grinds. Best to just practice free hand. Thanks for watching.

[@jakekerr1189]

Is knife print just a punch of stock knife shapes or is is a design program

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

KnifePrint is a design program. You can start with one of the global stock knifes and customize it or start from scratch. It also has a great "trace" feature so if you see a knife you like, you can trace it into the app. I use it to store all my knife designs. Note, to export to PDF, you need the paid license.

[@firework5493]

ha ha when I use a grinder the neighbors will complain but forge as long as I do it with a Japanese bellows they think it is good so do you also have a tip for filing work

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

I’ve done a video on my filing jig and how it was built. Check that one out. Thanks for watching, Jordy!

[@cris-ci8fs]

Bonjour merci beaucoup pour vos vidéos. C'est très compliqué d'obtenir de l'assurance même avec vos formidables vidéos. Je viens de recevoir mon magnifique Backstand des cher 3F fabrication. Un artisan de qualité. J'ai néanmoins pas mal d'appréhension à vouloir réaliser mes émoutures de qualité il me faudra repasser inlassablement vos vidéos en slow motion ..

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Regardez ma récente vidéo sur les bases du broyage qui fait partie de la liste de lecture mise à jour de la série pour débutants. Cela contient de nombreux conseils pour les débutants. Tenez-vous-y et chaque couteau sera meilleur que le précédent ! Merci d'avoir regardé.

[@ivelinslavov]

If i use jig and want sabre grind what degree to choose on jig?

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

That depends on the thickness of your steel and the height of your bevel. It’s just simple math. I don’t use jigs though, too limiting. Thanks for watching.

[@ivelinslavov]

@@TyrellKnifeworks i am beginer and thats why i use jig can you help with any tips for me?

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

@@ivelinslavov my advice, ditch the jig and practice with the rest. I have several videos on learning that way. Watch my Beginner Series playlist.

[@BarisBaydur]

Can you help me, my bevel looks like circular in middle and looks smile😊 do you know why?

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Typically that’s from starting and stopping AT the plunge line. Put your knife up to the belt in the middle of your plunge line instead of at the plunge line. 👍. Thanks for watching

[@BarisBaydur]

@@TyrellKnifeworks thank you for your help, i'll try like you said. See you. 👍

[@shanerollf967]

👍👍

[@TyrellKnifeworks]

Thanks for watching, Shane!