You are the only one that shows how to taper the whole spine. There may be other videos out there but I haven't seen them. Thank you. Very helpful because I am currently about to make my very first knife on a 1x42 belt grinder.

Don, You're a better teacher than you give yourself credit for. I have ground probably 150 blades, so I am still a beginner. I definitely have picked up tips from your videos. Thank you! keep it up, you are helping me become better at grinding.

Absolutely brilliant, bravo!!!

I may not be a knife maker (avid knife buyer though) but videos like this really help me gain an appreciation for the work that goes into handmade knives. I just finished watching your first patreon video which was really cool too. If you’re watching this and learning a lot, his first patreon video is literally an hour and a half knife making class that goes super in depth. 10/10 recommend checking it out.

You reeeeaaally have me considering the pushstick approach. I have done a lot freehand, but I am not crazy about the efficiency drop-off on large kitchen knives. I think I’ll give it a try today

Nice one, Don. You have inspired me to try a tapered tang.

So helpful

My favorite knife maker sharing his secrets! Mad respect for all that you do and spreading that knowledge with the world.

Great video. It was a success first time with a push stick. It sped up my grind time on a chef knife. Thanks.

Great video Don. Thank you!

Great video! Pls more!

Great video you explained the concepts very clearly!

So much cool tips and tricks! Thanks for this great video it is really helpful 👍🔪

Hey Dan you and your buddy are great at explaining this push stick process. I have just completed my 2x72 and have this awesome grinder and dont have a clue so I ground one blade and struggled with the whole grind and I'm looking for repeatability and came across your video. Thanks so much and I'll pitch in to help you guys for your hard work.

great video Don, just by seeing you work is possible to learn a lot. I got a lot of tips from you. I really admire your work.

This was awesome, thanks for sharing! I am definitely gonna give that distal taper method a try!

So many questions answered in one video. Thank you! I already grind with a push stick b/c of you. Going to practice that distal taper method.

awesome video, don! you inspire me to try this knifemaking stuff on my own. even if I don't, it's great fun. thank you for sharing this with the world!

Great video!! Thanks 👍

Thats one very inspiring video Don! As all others that you post are, thank you very much sir!

Thanks for the generous tips. I definitely will support your videos on Patreon.

Very cool video...and quite frankly sound advice and technique for any level of experience that stands true not just for kitchen knives but any style of knife👌👍 👊

Master class! You get free Monolith t-shirts forever

Magnífico. 🤙🏽

Exactly how I was taught to grind as well!

Nice one as always. Can you and Sam do a knife build off challenge. Both have the same brief and you don’t see each other’s knife until the end and see how similar they turn out.

This video was very helpful to me thank you! I have had trouble wrapping my head around how to get the distal taper to work out, but if you cut the 45’s at the spine the way you did then the taper takes care of itself. Thanks again!

"I still fuck up a lot" - That's just what people need to hear to dare to make stuff themselves!

Great tips, will have to try it out, I think I've prematurely ruined some ceramic belts doing what you talk about

Thanks for the tips great video. What are you using for a push stick? Looks like a big ass piece of chalk

Really cool stuff ! I wonder how do you proceed when it's about grinding the bevel at the tip. I see that the tip is cut on your knife, so you need to grind the spine at the end and then make a drop. But How do you proceed if you want a straight spine ? Do you use a smaller push stick ? or finish free hand ?

Hey Don. I'm from South Africa and really like chefs knives. Recently started with knife making and struggling with full flat grinds. The perfectionist in me keeps fucking up ;) Thanks for the tips and videos. I'll be checking more content from you. A question : What do you use for a push stick? Looks almost like buffing compound? Cheers!

Epic video. Couple of questions, how have you shaped the point of the push stick, ie how much of the Teflon stick makes contact with the blade? And question on the square end of the blade - is that because the knife is going to have a squarish tip or so you reshape the tip later into a point?

awesome! Are you in Virginia? Just saw the shirt and im curious as thats where I live.

How do I double like?? This is a great resource

Hell yeah bruuuuuuh

Awesome video. Your push stick..... Does it have specific angles etc.??

Great video boss! What is your push stick made of? And where do I get one? Thanks!

Don, do you angle the blade or keep the blade straight up and use the push stick

I've tried heat treating blades 1st, but I kinda came to the conclusion, breaking the blade in 3rds(for me) is the most efficient. Heat treating 1st, you have less chance of warps, but you also burn up more belts, so it really comes down to what is more important to each person. With the push stick(once again, for me) it seems less useful, if you have to keep checking heat, you are stopping more & taking more risk, whereas, bare hands, it's heat/dip, heat/dip & no chance of ruining HT. It's good to see all the different makers & different techniques. If you're interested we should do a collab, check me out... Take it easy...(P.S. I had to take a break from KZfaq, it's all me editing, writing music & shooting video)

👍🏻

Great vid man! what material do you use for your push stick? Looks like a plastic.

Do you have a video on how you grind in your points?

Really great video. I would just say that the voiceover audio should be a bit louder to match the on screen audio. Cheers

Awesome video! Can I ask what material you flat platen is made of?

Hi Don Thank you so much really for this informative video on tapered grinding of the knives...can I ask you a question? Can we grind a knife on the bench grinder for first few steps and then blend it and make flatter on the belt grinder at the finish.. Can we do this steps on High speed steel blade as there is one video on KZfaq in which a person grinding a prehardened high speed steel sheet on the belt sander...by doing this is he taking out the hardness of the blade and making it a softer? If high speed steel blade becomes a soft then at what temperature it Should be heatened and in what it it should be queenched to increase the hardness? And how it should be tempered? Thank you so much in the advance...it will really help me to make knives as I really want to make a knives from prehardened high speed steel which is easily available in India.

17:12 This is my teaching philosophy exactly brother (Sorry Don, you got a little upstaged and that's okay because I think you taught me a looot about beveling)

what is that push stick made out of?

Are you grinding pre ht?

Wow, I'm shocked he uses 36 grit.

You guys do a great job, but I believe you want to be considered as professionals, so I would highly encourage you to stop cussing in the videos you produce. It may seem like a small thing, but anyone can cuss, but those who hold themselves to a higher standard always stand out and are deemed more professionals. Just some encouragement for you guys.