Would this grinder be sufficient for a beginner?

[TikTock]

I also got the last model, display. I complained alot and got 20% off on top of the sale price. that a lot of machine for less than 80$.....Its a huge improvement over my 1X30 and I am able to grind absolutely flat bevels (may be more practice than machine).

If only i could find a digital heat treating oven for 80$ id be all set....haha.....

[Jim Charles]

Originally Posted by TikTock

If only i could find a digital heat treating oven for 80$ id be all set....haha.....

When you find that bargain I'll take two.

[Jim Charles]

I just want to throw in a little tip that has worked for me on this model. The platen that comes with it has rounded edges and it?s impossible to get a nice crisp plunge cut using it. I went to Home Depot and bought a 2? wide piece of ceramic tile trim and epoxy it to the original platen. It works like a charm and cost all of a couple dollars. I?ve been using it several months, but when it goes bad I?ll just hit it with a chisel and replace it.

[Ansoknives]

when I started to make knives I would use anything with a motor on it to speed up the making of a blade....in retrospective I think i would have been much better of had i spent a fraction of the money i did for some good files, a vise and a hacksaw....made knives with those tools untill I mastered them and then spent the money on a proper grinder....It took me 6-7 years of making before I chose that route and made my first real grinder a couple years later.....

I had a small woodworking grinder that was used to grind 30 blades untill it exploded in flames one day from overload...it was slow and expensive way to grind.....

Save your money for the real grinder......the skills you learns from using handfiles will be put to gret use later in your carreer as a knifemaker!

[nozh_scrap]

Thanks Jens. You are one of my favorite knifemakers.

[hammerdownnow]

I here ya Jens. They say it is best to make your first few by hand to master some skills at a slower pace. Some people never leave, or return to it , just for the shear joy of hand making.
After reviewing and trying all kinds of grinders, this little Craftsman grinder seems to be the best of the cheapies. I think the best feature is the 2/3hp motor. It has just enough power to grind fast enough without bogging down and frustrating the operator. For a stepping stone grinder,and to get ones feet wet without a big investment, I haven't come across a better choice to start with. I think it would be great for folder and kit makers also.
Of course, we immediatly start thinking of how we can slow this thing down or convert it to variable speed. Sometimes I think there may be advantages to learning to grind at full tilt.

[nozh_scrap]

I love small knives. Little fixed blades like skinners, bird and trout knives, folders etc. are where my heart is when it comes to knives. I love the big bowie knife just as much as the next guy here, but am not interested in making one right now. Maybe when I get the skills, experience and the big expensive grinder 5 years from now I'll consider it.

The grizzly and Coote grinders are nice. Everyone says they're entry level, and it's frustrating to know I just simply can't afford them. Seems way over my head. I appreciate hand filing, but to be honest... it's just not how I really want to go about it.

Even though I've heard some bad things about the Craftsman grinder, I have to get my feet wet sometime and somehow. I figure it HAS to handle what I wanna do with it, and it's the only 2 inch belt sander with that horsepower for the money. Craftsman is famous for the lifetime guarantee thing as well, so I feel I don't have alot to lose.

Ok...time to stop talking and start buying.....then start grinding (terribly)

thanks guys.

[justice]

nozh_scrap
i dont think sears still gives a lifetime guarantee on power tools anymore. i think its only for hand tools now.
while thay might still honer it for the older power tools that where sold with the lifetime. i dont think its there policy any more
but dont take my word for it

....justin

[TikTock]

I dont think there is any reason whatsoever why you cannot make top notch knives with the craftsman. Skill doesnt come from the machine at all. Plunge lines can be made with files and if you develop the skills, theres no reason whatsoever why you can't grind perfectly flat bevels with that grinder. Sure a 1000$ grinder is better, but I doubt youll be making knives that at 10X as good simply because of the grinder and its characteristics. If we relied on purely tools to make perfect knives, there would be hundreds of threads on creating jigs and automating the process.....