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Being fairly new to knifemaking but not to fabrication and shop work I have an observation and a couple of questions for you more experienced grinders.
In Sweany's lead off post the picture of his grinding jig is described as having a "weld(ed) on pulley" on a 7/8" shaft. The shaft appears to be adjustable fore and aft and locked in place by the coller and set screws. To me this makes good sense as it would capture the back of the blade and present a constant angle to the belt as you move the blade across. Further, it allows for a fixed, tangential pivot point as you approach the point of the knife giving a shorter lever moment as the knife is rotated past the blade curvature.
In subsequent posts we see pictures of inovative workrests that have a smaller "table" than comes with, for example, my KMG but they have a short horizontal surface and no way to maintain a constant angle except through experience, manual support and skill. With a table it is necessary to raise the tip of the blade as you approach the point in order to maintain some constancy and control with the grind line.
What do you all see as the pros and cons of each type? I know, as usual, it is a YMMV kind of thing but Sweany's solution intrigues me as it seems to have some advantages for maintaining consistency. What limitations would you anticipate with this style.
Sweany, if you are still following this post I, for one, would be grateful if you could give us some feedback on how it is working out for you.
Allen
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