Are you asking about full tang or stick tang?

On a full tang, I mark the butt end center line. After that it is just like a stock removal flat grind... you cut off the corners till you're at your desired thickness, then walk the grind up toward the ricasso. I use a welding magnet to hold the blade while I'm doing the grinding. After you do all that on the platen, then you can flatten it even more on the disk.

Well I do my full tapered tangs different. I forge my tapers in on the tang. The thing is to keep it straight throughout the process, and then straighten again when you think you are done. Not only in line with the spine and the edge but also checking for twists. After that minimal grinding is usually required. Five minutes getting things straight on the anvil will save you a lot of time on the grinder.

Brion

When doing a stock removal knife and I want to taper the tang I will scribe two lines at the end of the tang the width of the tang I want to leave. Then hollow grind starting about 3/4" to 1" from the ricasso all the way out of the end of the tang checking progress against the scribed lines. When I get really close to the line I switch to the flat platen and flatten the tang keeping the taper off the ricasso. It takes a little practice to keep the grind of both side of the tang equal up to the ricasso. Hollow grinding sets you up to make the flat grind easier and potentially more accurate by only having to remove the edges of the hollow to get it flat.

Like Barry.

I was taught to hollow grind.

This makes flatening just the outer ring of the tang gets ground after its hollow.

Also.

Drill and ream your holes first.

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Drill and ream your holes first.

I absolutely agree here- trying to drill your pin holes afterwards requires a lot of messing around with jigs i had to make just to make up for my mistake.

What Brion said!

Thanks folks.

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Well I do my full tapered tangs different. I forge my tapers in on the tang. The thing is to keep it straight throughout the process, and then straighten again when you think you are done. Not only in line with the spine and the edge but also checking for twists. After that minimal grinding is usually required. Five minutes getting things straight on the anvil will save you a lot of time on the grinder.

Brion

Brion, how do you get your holes drilled perpendicular to the centerline of the blade? I have a small full tang hunter that I forged a taper in the tang, and have been thinking of a jig to hold the blade and scales in the drill press. Is that the way to go or is there a better way that I am missing?

That is what I use Jeff. I have an older shoulder filing jig I use. My ricasso near the plunge has a small flat area and I clamp that on and then put it in the drill press vise. I then have a support I can adjust for the tang so there is no flex.

Brion

Thanks Brion!

I do it the same way Brion does: Forge the taper in, Use a jig to drill holes perpendicular. I drill my holes after grinding because I prefer to determine their placement after all grinding is done.