Kreg Whitehead

I also use the slack part of the belt applying some pressure tword the blade edge. I am a lot more consistent that way then the way he does in the vid with the belt. Depends a little on the blade. Once I get it to where I know it will throw a burl with 24 grit grinding edge first with a jig. Then freehand a300 then a 100 For the slack part I go trizac a 45 then a30...then medium scotchbrite...then buffer.

His accent could have been Aussi.....at one point he says this is me favorite knife. Preaches a little at first about buffing and grinding safety, After that vid I turned my buffer around so the wheel is going away from me.

My blades are razor sharp.....and I do zero by hand. All on the belt then buffer. I have put a vid up a few times on here and pretty much got crickets...not a vid of me but a vid I was turned on to a few years ago. I can try and dig it up again if anyone wants. Its on youtube under how to make blades surgically sharp or something along those lines.

Thanks....I am going to make a pair of em….one for each of us. I wanted to but some 5160 but the barron was out completely. I ended up pulling the trigger on some .156 1084. The bevel height you posts is helpful also.....tnx as usual. Btw...as far as flexibility. Is that dictated by temper?? I know thinner= more flexible by nature but wondered what other factors there are/were.

The main reason I am posting is my BFF wants me to make him a manchette. With my current set up 12 or 13" is about all I can HT length wise.(blade only not including handle length.) I would like to get some steel in the way. I was thinking some 3/16 stock...then it dawned on my I have never seen a manchette that thick at the spine. Also....I have never seen a "real" one....only the generic crap like at an ACE hardware. Would love to see some pics of what you guys have done.....

I don't have a finished blade to show for it......but I got 3 or 4 " of just one end hot. Clamped the crud out of it in my vice. Once cooled I brought all of the cable but that spot up to temp. Pulled it out of the forge and put the opposite end in a vise.....and used the cool/flattened end to get some vice grips on.

I am gonna be curious to the responses here. I am mostly a material reduction guy and love 1/8 and 3/32 for kitchen blades. I barely grind in any bevel before HT. I cant imagine trying to forge something that thin.

I did a little research and my 2x 72 Grizzley was about 700 off memory. I have gave it the chevy stress test for sure. Keep in mind its not gonna do a hollow grind …..I guess anything is possible but its more set up for flat grinds.

If you don't have a fast oil like parks 50......I would stay away from 1095. I am not saying its impossible to harden in canola or similar......but I don't think you are going to get the most out of that steel with it. I have had a little success and failures with an interrupted brine then oil quench......and have also broken blades.

My 2x 42 that I bought was under150.00 off memory. I now have a 2x 72 also. Before that I was trying to get my final edge with wet or dry paper. I am positive I bought more than 150.00 worth of sand paper. At one point one of the ladies that work at ace by my house said "Are you sure you don't wanna buy more......you are in here all the time buying that stuff.lol My first blade took me a month of sundays…...last weekend I busted out a cleaver on Saturday and had the handle done sunday night.

I use some tie/bailing wire through one of the holes I drilled for a pin. Then I place my blade on a large piece of leaf spring to place it into the forge. Then when its ready to come out I just pull on the wire enough to get some vice grips on it.

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=A3pVXpWQEc7H-gSrzYDgAQ&q=how+to+sharpen+knives+so+they+are+surgically+sharp&oq=how+to+sharpen+knives+so+they+are+surgically+sharp&gs_l=psy-ab.3..33i160.2004.18758..19742...0.0..0.253.5820.14j36j1......0....1..gws-wiz.....6..0i362i308i154i357j0j0i131j0i22i30j33i22i29i30j33i299.XKPgAFKzZz8&ved=0ahUKEwjVnZKovO3nAhXOo54KHasmABwQ4dUDCAc&uact=5#kpvalbx=_GHpVXr3RCtPh-gSzs5jIBg18

I grind edge up with 24 grit until I am paper thin at the edge.....with 24 grit it almost looks serrated. Then 50 grit...then 300 trizac..then 100 then 45 the a30. Then take the blade off my jig and freehand the blade on the slack part of the belt with the a30 edge down You can watch the burl form …..after maybe 10 or so passes a side it goes to the buffer with green compound until the burl stops. A 2 x 72 scotch brite and 2x 72 leather belt is on my to want list....maybe with my tax return.

What mild steel are you using 1018-1020 or I think the junk stuff is a36....or something like that. I tried a san mai a year or so ago with the a36 or what ever it is.....it sorta stuck but not well enough to try and grind a blade. If I try again I am gonna use some 1018 or 20 and use kerosene initially/before going in the forge...and then borax after.