Thread: Disaster - I killed my W&B meat chopper!

I just had a bit of a disaster in the garage. I was trying out a new setup consisting of a 6" bench grinder and some abrasive sanding wheels, and sisal/cotton polishing wheels.

Anyway I wasn't concentrating (for that read "girlfriend came in to ask if 8pm or 9pm was better for coffee with friends" ), and I managed to catch the razor on the polishing wheel. It "bit" and was launched downwards at a fair speed onto a concrete floor, resulting in a small chip out of the blade near the heel, and a 'ding' in the blade up near the point.

I'm pretty hacked off, it was a great blade with lots of potential for refurbishment and I was planning to make it my first major restoration.

But I'm wondering, since it's a big blade (over 8/8" wide and over 1/4" thick across the spine) - would someone like Joe be able to re-grind this down to say a 7/8 or 6/8 and thus salvage something from this disaster?

What do you think Joe, feasible or not?

Cheers,

Iwan

I'm afraid that regrinding is your only option. Looks like a quarter hollow. Salvage it I say!

X

Originally Posted by xman

I'm afraid that regrinding is your only option. Looks like a quarter hollow. Salvage it I say!

X

So you think it's salvageable then? I hope so.

Iwan, I feel your pain. Take a look at what I did last week -->here. Good luck - John

I've honed out nicks that size before, unless there's something I can't see in the picture. It won't be easy, mind you, but a ream or two of 600 grit sandpaper might fix it up nicely.

Sending it to Joe sounds like a good option. His regrinds are fantastic.

Josh

That's salvageable. On power tools you'll need a water bucket handy to keep the blade cool. There are grits that are based in resins to jog onto the cloth wheels for just this sort of operation.

But, honing will correct those nicks if you're patient.

The buffer is the most dangerous tool you own and likely requires more deliberate attention than actually shaving. Good thing that blade didn't stop in flesh.

Send it to Joe - he's doing a few blades for me.

His prices are very reasonable and he'll set the bevel properly.

If you try to hone, it will take hours and you'll have what is obviously a bigger blade that's been honed down. If you get it reground, you'll have a smaller blade with little hone wear and everything will be in proportion - spine, bevel, etc.

Also, Joe will likely be able to maintain some, if not most, of the wedge profile.

Hmm yeah a regrind sounds like the best option, I'll get in touch with Joe.

I was being pretty careful with the bench grinder, I was wearing eye protection and thick leather gloves, and holding the blade in such a way that it'd be flung away from me in the event of a problem. I guess you could get some nasty injuries from a flying blade.

Just a small bit of advice. Unless you are very lucky this will not be the first object you launch with your buffer. Get yourself some old thick carpet. Then put it down on the floor in the general launch area. Carpet is softer than the garage floor. It does not always work, but it can save the occasional flying buffer missle from dammage. Keep the piece of carpet small enough that it is easy to pick up and shake out every once in awhile.