I have been using drill bits drug along the edge of my steel stock on a flat hard surface to mark the center of my blade stock and then free hand grinding close to what I want for preliminary edge thickness. I am wondering what everyone is using to mark their bevels prior to grinding.
I use a height Gage to mark my lines for the bevels. You need a good flat surface. You can make a double line to what ever thickness you want to leave your cutting edge. Here is a link to where I bought mine. http://www.wttool.com/index/page/product/product_id/17336/product_name/12%22+Dial+Height+Gage+%28WT%29
I bought this puppy: http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/product_info.php?products_id=1074 but got frustrated working with it as-is - - - I drilled a hole for the scribe itself in the top of my drill-press table near the edge then drilled & tapped a hole for the thumb screw to secure the scribe in place. That way I lay my ricasso on the drill-press table and slide the knife around the table on the ricasso, scribing my line along the length of the blade - - - it gives me a big flat area to work with. Of course on a long blade it REALLY highlights any issues with the blade being out of line with the ricasso or any slight warpage in the blade. Which I seem to get 1/2 the time with long thin blades. Sigh. But that's what I want! I use it on the back of the blade too, to be sure I don't have any corkscrew warpage going on.
I'm also using a height gage for this purpose. It makes it easy to get your centerline on the edge, two lines equal distance from center if you wish, and I'll also coat the spine with layout blue and scribe a centerline and lines say .040 away from center on each side to get a visual reference as to verify my distal taper is even as possible.
I wanted a height gage for awhile before actually getting one so I did a bunch of window shopping and watching e-bay for a deal. What I came up with was getting something used will cost nearly the same as one of these from Enco when they go on sale-
http://www.use-enco.com/CGI/INSRIT?PMAKA=621-8412&PMPXNO=952099&PARTPG=INLMK32
When the are in the sale flyer they'll be 49% off ! I think it was $86 brand new.
If you decide to go with a height gage check it out
-Josh
Does the side arm on the height guage have a scribe on it, or do you need to use a material like Dykem Blue to get a clean mark?
Clay-
I don't have one but a friend does and his has a little carbide piece in the end that puts a nice scratch in the steel. Might just depend on the model you get?
Jeremy
Jeremy Lindley, Apprentice Smith
Mine also has a carbide scribe that will leave a mark no problem.
I just like the blue because it makes the lines easy to see when your grinding.
-Josh
