# Safe way to round the spine on Damascus gyuto



## Keith Sinclair (Jan 1, 2013)

The damascus comes up to the edge of spine that needs rounding


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## EdipisReks (Jan 1, 2013)

what do you mean by "safe?"


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## tk59 (Jan 1, 2013)

What kind of construction? Got pics? If it needs rounding, you have no choice but to round it. Stick it in a vise with something between the blade and the vise to avoid scratching. Then go to town with sandpaper all along the spine where you want to round it.


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## Keith Sinclair (Jan 1, 2013)

EdipisReks said:


> what do you mean by "safe?"



Not scratching the Damascus.

59 do you use wet dry paper,this is VG-10 steel,what grit do you start with?


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## Don Nguyen (Jan 2, 2013)

You won't be able to round it without taking out the pattern. You'll need to re-etch it if you want the pattern intact.

You can go from a file to 120 up to however high you want to take it. I only suggest the file and lower grit to speed up the process. If you try to start with 600 or so it'll be slow.


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## tk59 (Jan 2, 2013)

keithsaltydog said:


> Not scratching the Damascus.
> 
> 59 do you use wet dry paper,this is VG-10 steel,what grit do you start with?


First off, you're going to scratch the forge-welded cladding. The question is how much and how visible. Usually, you don't need all that much rounding but more of an easing of the edges. If that's the case, I'd go with 400 grit wet-dry or so. The coarser the grit the "messier" the area around the spine is going to look but the work will go faster. So if you care about looks, go finer and slower. If you think it's going too slow, get coarser. If you need to ease around the bolster, try either a dremel or wrap some sandpaper around a pencil or some other appropriately shaped object. Good luck!


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## Keith Sinclair (Jan 2, 2013)

Thanks I think I will start wt.wet dry 400 & ease the edge,no need a full on rounding.Some higher grit wet dry will also smooth out scratches on the flat of the spine.


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## Don Nguyen (Jan 2, 2013)

TK59 makes a good point about the easing -vs- rounding. You'd only need to go very coarse if you round the whole thing out.


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## EdipisReks (Jan 2, 2013)

i use sand pads for easing spines. they are soft enough that you can just lay the spine parallel to the pad, push down slightly, and run it back and forth over the sand pad. the knife will sink in enough to easy the spine, and it's pretty consistent. the sharp edge of the spine will disappear much more quickly than the flat spine, itself.


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## Jmadams13 (Jan 2, 2013)

+1 ^ Works every time. Only need to break out the dremal or sandpaper wrapped dowels for actual rounding.


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## Zwiefel (Jan 2, 2013)

Might try putting a bit of painters tape on the blade face just below the spine, down to the edge to protect against scratching any of the face unnecessarily.


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## EdipisReks (Jan 2, 2013)

EdipisReks said:


> i use sand pads for easing spines. they are soft enough that you can just lay the spine parallel to the pad, push down slightly, and run it back and forth over the sand pad. the knife will sink in enough to easy the spine, and it's pretty consistent. the sharp edge of the spine will disappear much more quickly than the flat spine, itself.



i meant to say perpendicular, not parallel (the knife should make a T with the pad). morning meetings on the day after New Years sucks out my brain power.


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## Jmadams13 (Jan 2, 2013)

I think we all assumed what you meant.


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## jmforge (Jan 2, 2013)

If it is is a wa handled kife without a seriously visible machi, how do you plan to deal with the ugly transition up where the blade meets the handle?


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## Keith Sinclair (Jan 2, 2013)

This is western handle bolsterless gyuto,I,m going to reshape the full tang a bit,& put on stabilized burl wood.I just picked up some of the sanding pads EdipisReks mentioned at woodcraft.

By the way Happy New Year to all you folks

Thanks Keith


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## tk59 (Jan 2, 2013)

******* said:


> If it is is a wa handled kife without a seriously visible machi, how do you plan to deal with the ugly transition up where the blade meets the handle?


If you can't take the handle off, it's gonna be a little ugly but a little tape goes a long way.


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## jmforge (Jan 2, 2013)

If you ae going to replace the handle, just run it lengthwise n a belt grinder platen and then touch up the etch.


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