Thread: working on some biggins

Originally Posted by silverloaf

ah i see, thank you edhewitt! looks like the step variety. i had contemplated doing one in the past but hollow grind on an 8" wheel and then turn to grind the lower half/third in this fashion. i never drew it out and never attempted it at the grinder. ill have to pull something together soon......

I didn't grind hollow first. It would be tricky to grind in such a way that the step still comes out right. For a simple faux frameback you could so something like this. One issue I can see is that it could perhaps be more difficult to keep a consistent flat grinding surface if you have to grind in an existing hollow grind.

I used a guide that I screwed on to the steel blank to help keep tight grinding lines, and moved the guid against the side of the wheel. It's not something I do often, because it is a pain in the neck to do a good grind like that. It is very time consuming.

Originally Posted by Bruno

I didn't grind hollow first. It would be tricky to grind in such a way that the step still comes out right. For a simple faux frameback you could so something like this. One issue I can see is that it could perhaps be more difficult to keep a consistent flat grinding surface if you have to grind in an existing hollow grind.

I used a guide that I screwed on to the steel blank to help keep tight grinding lines, and moved the guid against the side of the wheel.

great tip! i can see how a guide would make the process go so much smoother, keeping the line more crisp. looking over vintage half rattler grinds my suspicion was that the cutlers hollowed on a large wheel maybe 18-24" first which produces a very near wedge grind, then grinding the step like we discussed. thats the only way i have envisioned myself attempting it but i dont have a very large wheel yet and i think using an 8-10" wheel may result in just enough hollowing to make the next process of grinding that step too "tricky" as you stated. i have one wheel large enough on an old sand stone grind wheel but its far from being true and i need to rebuild the support frame and hook the motor and gearing back up. it actually came with a part that looks like a tractor gearbox of some sort that steps down the speed from the motor to the wheel axle so a 1/2 hp or so motor can get that large wheel spinning no problem! i have used it in the past for truing up near wedges but its been out of service for awhile now. a project perhaps worth working on