Sharpening Grinder Knives

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CrankyBuzzard
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Post by CrankyBuzzard » Thu Mar 07, 2013 02:42

redzed wrote:Advantages:
Easier to put on and remove from a grinder. If you do your own sharpening by hand it's easier to handle the plate as you run it across a flat surface.

Disadvantages:
1. You can only use one side, then you need to sharpen. In a hubless, you can use both sides (with matching blades).
2. Higher price.
What? Sharpen our cutters? We can't do that! We have to buy new ones! :shock:

Oh, wait, I'm in a room full of people that are smart! :lol:

Yep, just like ol Red said, the hub relegates you to only one side of the plate for cutting contact. Even though both the cutter and plate are "true" from the factory, they both need to be dead flat for a "perfect" grind/cut. Now, most of us only concentrate on the cutting die, but truing up the perf plate does make a difference...

For those that may be wondering.... When you sharpen your cutter, you need to make certain that the plate is true as well... That helps to make sure of a good fit between the blade and plate....

Not sure if there is a sharpening/Truing thread on here... If not, I'll post one once CW says sic em...

Charlie
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Post by Bubba » Thu Mar 07, 2013 02:50

CrankyBuzzard wrote:Not sure if there is a sharpening/Truing thread on here... If not, I'll post one once CW says sic em...
I'd like to see a thread like that! :)
Ron
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Post by Chuckwagon » Thu Mar 07, 2013 09:45

Cha....lie!

SIC 'EM! :lol:

We had a "debated" discussion on this topic before. I will always contend that the flat surfaces are never touched with abrasives once they've been "mated" or broken in with each other. The knife blade (flat platen) surfaces turn against the grinder plate with meat pressed through specific-sized drilled holes. These two surfaces must never be ground with an abrasive unless it is to "true" the fit, much the same as in lapping valves. The surface to be sharpened is the edge of each blade of the rotating knife. The sharpening motion must be from the cutting edge to the back of the blade so there is no "burr" created.

Think of a pair of scissors. A cutler NEVER touches the flat surfaces of the blades. He sharpens the edge of each blade. On virtually any cutting tool or machine, there is a platen and an edge. Our buddy Ross doesn't sharpen his carpenter's plane by grinding the flat surface of the blade! He sharpens the edge of the blade. Same with the blades meeting the platen surface of the grinder plate in your grinder. Don't touch the flats - sharpen the edges very carefully from front to back... without changing the angle of the cutting edge. This takes some talent... or lots of practice! Also, the contact surface of the blade's cutting edge is so full of carbon (hypereutectoid steel), it registers over 60 on the Rockwell "C" scale. It's "hard as a landlord's heart"! So use a premium stone. Better yet, use a 320 grit carborundum belt on a "Burr-King" or "SquareWheel" grinding machine with a clamp for uniform angle sharpening.

Hope this helps. Don't wreck your grinder knives by grinding the flat (platen) surface.
Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
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Post by Blackriver » Thu Mar 07, 2013 16:12

When looking for plates and knifes I was told there are disposable ones and there are plates and knifes that can be sharpened. The ones that can be sharpened are more expensive.
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Post by Baconologist » Thu Mar 07, 2013 18:14

It's a good idea to maintain matched pairs of plates and knives.
Godspeed!

Bob
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Post by CrankyBuzzard » Fri Mar 08, 2013 00:29

I did 3 videos and will post them in anew thread.

Looks like CW and I may have differing opinions... Imagine that! :lol:

Charlie
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