Grizzly Grinders

[Sureshot]

I'm considering buying a Griz. and figured I ask you all "What are your thoughts on the Grizzly Knife Grinder?"

[NJStricker]

There have been lots of discussions on grinders of various makes. Use the search button above, and you'll find many of these threads, especially if you use the keywords: Grizzly, Coote, KMG, Kalamazoo, Wilton

[Ed Caffrey]

I've answered this question a few times, and I don't mind doing so again. If you can wait, and save up some more money, you will be far happier purchasing one of the "top end" grinders like KMG, Bader, or Square Wheel. Heres what will happen with the Grizzly..... you'll get it, and at first you'll be ecstatic with it, and then you will discover that the belt tracking is not very good, it does not run as smoothly as you thought it would, and you'll have difficulty making/keeping your plunge cuts straight and true. Then, because you've invested the money you did in it, you'll begin to try to modify/improve its faults so they are at least tolerable. After a time you will become disgusted with it, and will start wishing that you would have went ahead and purchased a "better" grinder to begin with.

This is the story that I have heard time and again from individuals who have purchased a Grizzly grinder. The vast majority of those folks have since either given away, or junked their grizzly grinder and purchased one of the machines I mentioned previously. The whole point is that IF you can wait until you've saved up the money that a KMG, Bader, or Square Wheel costs, your going to have a machine that will do anything you ask of it, do it well, and with simple maintenance, will be there for the rest of your life. Its sorta like the old saying of "pay me now, or pay me later." If you continue making knives, your going to spend the money for a good machine sooner or later, my thought is to avoid the heartache and expense of buying a "cheap" grinder, and just wait (if you can) and get a good one in the first place.

[Larrin]

I think learning is easier when you know it's not the equipment that is ruining your knives; however, I can also sympathize with someone who cannot afford a top end grinder. Like Ed says though, if you can save up for a good grinder, then do it.

[Sureshot]

I don't think I could ask for better advise that what you all have given me. Thanks Ed for "shooting it straight". And Larrin, that makes perfectly good since! Thanks to all for taken the time to explain. Just got back from the web site and Whoa....925.00 w/o Motor. I can see it paying for it's self in the long run but thats still a hard hit. Who else with a KMG took out a loan to buy it?

[Ed Caffrey]

Yea, I know, that $925 is a tough pill to swallow. The only reason I mentioned the other grinders is because I don't want to seem biased....but in reality I am. At this point in time there is just no better grinder, for the money, than the KMG. Even if you have to put a single speed motor on it with step pulleys, your going to plunk another couple of hundred dollars beyond the grinder price, but that sure beats the heck outta nearly $2,000 (or more) for the Bader or Square Wheel. The up side is that with the basic KMG machine, you can easily add variable speed to it at a later time if you so choose.
I didn't even mention the two wheel style grinders (like the Burr-King and the Grizzly) because I personally think that design is fundamentally flawed for knifemaking. There are a lot of folks who use and love them, but I have had my share of time on them, and believe the design of the grinders I mentioned is better suited to what we do.

[DiamondG Knives]

I feel like I can step in here, because I own both. Ive had a grizzly for over 12 years, it was a quantum leap from the 1x30 I was using. I used it for several years because I could not afford better. Then one tax season the Wife was in a good mood, or had a lapse of reason and said "Why dont you use our tax return for your knife shop" Man the orders were made and checks cut before the end of the day!!! ( I was scared she might come to reality!) The KMG is by far the finest tool I have in my shop. I still use my Grizzly, but mainly for rough grinding, cleaning up billets and on the few knives where I grind perpendicular to the wheel. If the KMG is too far out of our price range, and you cannot forsee a time when you can afford one, get the grizzly. It is a servicable machine, and I was tickled with it until I knew better.

[Ray Rogers]

I have both the Grizzly and a $2000 JL grinder and I wouldn't want to part with either one of them. I agree with all that's been said above except maybe for the statement that most guys can't wait to get rid of their old Grizzlies. Maybe that is true also but from what I've seen most guys keep them even after they get their KMG. The Grizzly has a lot of short comings but I still feel like it's the best deal around for $400. Let's face it, the 2-wheel design just flat out sux for knife making no matter whose name is on it but a lot of knives get made on them anyway.

In my youth I learned to play guitar on a $150 Yamaha (after failing on a $40 no name). Acquired a moderate level of skill on the Yamaha, then started buying Ovation (about six of them) followed by a magnificent D-35 Martin. My playing improved with each increase in the quality of the instrument. But, I never would have or could have spent the money for the Ovation, much less the Martin, if I hadn't first built my confidence and basic skills with the Yamaha. I equate the 1x42 grinders with the no name guitar, the Grizzly with the Yamaha, Coote with the Ovation, and KMG with the Martin. So, if you absolutely cannot come up with, or justify, the money for a KMG don't feel too bad buying a Grizzly. They are as rough as everyone says they are but they are very powerful, especially good at flat grinding, and will last for many, many years. Use it the way it is and don't get into the cycle of trying to turn it into something it's not. Then, make knives, sell them, save up the money to get the KMG which, BTW, you will soon find out will probably cost $1500 or more by the time you get all the bells and whistles that you'll decide you can't live without once you have your hands on one ...

[Robert Dark]

My first grinder was a Grizz. It runs twice the speed of light. I made a bunch of knives on that thing, but I was never satisfied.

Two years ago, I plopped down around $2400.00 and got a KMG with all the bells and whistles. It is without a doubt the best investment I have ever made. Someone will be grinding on that thing long after I leave this old world.

Save your money. You might get to the grocery store in a Yugo, but the ride is so much better in a Rolls.

Robert

[BrianT]

My first grinder was a Grizzly. I only purchased the grinder part with no motor and then set it up with step pulleys. I thought that a grinder with only 1 speed (fast) was a bad idea. I also added to the tensioner so it would track better. I feel that my modifications made the grizz a better grinder and used this grinder for a number of years before I bought a KMG.

The KMG is such a fabulous machine. Words cannot describe the difference. I started with step pulleys on the KMG and soon went to VFD. Again words cannot describe the difference.

I thought the same thing about price but the KMG is many times the grinder of the Grizzly and far outweighs the price difference. If knifemaking is something that you truely feel that you will be doing for some time, get the better grinder. I also highly recommend VFD. I built mine for under $300 and it was worth every penny. With VFD, you can slow the grinder down to a crawl and do some fine tuning on your grind whereas if the grinder is running fast, any little mistakes you make become big ones because the belt is moving so fast, it takes off more material than you intended.


Brian

[Sureshot]

I really do aprectiate everyones thoughts and opinions on the subject, you all have really opened my eye's to see that the grizzly would be a poor choice in comparison with the KMG for what we do. (When I grow up I want to be like you all) Nah, in reality I really hope to become a fulltime knifemaker, and If thats what I'm going to pursue, then I want the machinery to last the rest of my career. More importantly, I want my knives done right! So, the KMG it is.....maybe with only the bells, I'll leave off the whisles for now.
Thanks men, now can you talk my wife into letting me buy it when I collect the money?

[Ed Caffrey]

If your wife is anything like mine, she'll support it. My wonderful lady watched me grind with a homemade grinders for a couple of years, and all that time I was saving pennies for a "good" grinder. Now at that time we were still rolling up pennies to buy our daughter milk...but one day my wife came to me (after a particularly frustrating afternoon with the homemade grinder) and said "Why don't you just go ahead a order that grinder you've been saving for." The same thing happened when I was considering retiring from the Air Force. She was the one who suggested that I build a "good" shop, if knifemaking was something that I was going to make a living at. Just remember to acknowledge her support and thank her for it every chance you get. Sometimes now I feel like a clod, simply because I don't "punch" a clock anymore, just walk out the back door to the shop each morning, while she drives off to her job. I consider myself one Blessed man to have a wonderful woman who supports what I do, and puts up with the grimy Bladesmith she comes home to every day.

[Larrin]

BTW, my father tried out a KMG the other day, and while he said it is a nice grinder, he still prefers his JL, so not every knifemaker feels the KMG is the ultimate grinder. I'm not trying to knock the KMG, but it gets enough praise where some on the forums might start to feel that there is any point in looking at anything else. The JL is also a nice value.

[AUBE]

I own a Grizzly and I am happy with it. I got it during asale they had a couple years ago for under $300 and its paid itself off many times. If you can afford a KMG by all means get one but the Grizzly can do the job too. The two biggest faults I see are the tracking isn't the best making plunge cuts hard to control and the motor will get in the way when you try to hollowgrind (I flat or convex grind everything so this isn't an issue for me) Some people dislike the high speed but I prefer it for most uses.

The only problem I have had with the machine is the on/off switch is made of plastic and it melted on me while working a long shift on a hot day. I rewired it and its worked fine since. Upgrading to a KMG is on my shortlist of items to buy (along with a hydraulic press)

[Doug Lester]

I wasn't going to, but let me plug for a Coote. It runs a bit more than a Grizzly does and it comes without a motor. However it is more flexable. You can put step pulleys on it to make a poor man's variable speed grinder and it has attachments available for it that the Griz doesn't. The decisions up to you and I can see the logic of getting the best but sometimes we can let the best be the enemy of the good.

Doug Lester