Really awsome work! When you ground those blades, did you use the sander in the background, or a wheel? Forgive me if this is a dumb question, I'm new to knife making, hopefully soon I will have one to show, I'm ordering a billet of Damascus steel soon for a project. What is the black stuff on the blade you'er grinding? Protection where you don't want to grind, or does it show where you have ground (ie the entire blade is covered with it till you grind it off.)
When you shape a blade, from stock steel, do you use a wheel, or a belt sander ?