Culver Knives

The clip grinding platten is 4” X 16” X ¼” steel.  The brackets are made from 3” X 3” X ¼” angle iron.  The arm to attach it to the KMG is 1 ½” X ½” X 10”.

To cut radiused plunge cuts in the clip, I made a secondary platten with the edges rounded to go over the flat platten on the KMG.  (If you like for your clips to have a square shoulder where they end at the spine, you don’t need to use a second platten).  I made the secondary platten out of micarta and used a 3/8” radius round over router to cut the radius on the edges.  It is held in place on the KMG flat platten by two 1/8” pins.  The secondary platten would be better if made from steel.  I used micarta because I was in a hurry to get the attachment ready to use; and it worked.  But, the micarta wears quickly from the belt going over it.  I usually cut the clip in using only the flat platten on the KMG and then install the secondary platten to cut in the radiused plunges.  I recommend making the secondary platten out of steel, radius the edges as you wish and then heat-treat it.  I make my platens out of precision ground O-1 and harden them so that they last longer.

I milled a 3/8” slot in the arm that attaches this devise to the KMG.  You only need to make two shorter slots centered over the attaching bolt holes.  This thing doesn’t need a long range of motion, so don’t waste time making a long slot.

I cut the angle iron brackets that hold this thing together, clamped them together and drilled two holes of the size required for tapping 3/8 X 16 thread holes.  I then drilled the two holes in the bracket for the platten out to 3/8”, and tapped the holes in the bracket for the attachment arm.  I clamped the attachment arm bracket in the vice on my milling machine and bolted the platten bracket to it through the pivot bolt hole.  I left the bolt between the two parts loose enough so the platten bracket could move.  Then, I lowered a 3/8” end mill into the other hole in the platten bracket, turned the mill on and used a Crescent wrench to crank the bracket into the end mill and cut the slot for the adjustment bolt.

Bolt the attachment arm to the KMG.  Assemble the brackets and the platten and hold them in place with C-clamps.  After squaring everything up, tack weld the parts together.  Take it off of the KMG and weld it together solidly.  DO NOT overdo the welds!!!  This device does not take a lot of pressure, so it doesn’t need huge welds.  The long piece of steel that the platten is made from will probably warp when you weld it.  The more you weld, the more it warps and will have to be straightened.

Once the attachment is welded together, put it on the KMG and put on a coarse grit belt.  Leave the bolts that hold it on the KMG loose.  Start the grinder and push the attachment into the belt to make the cut-out in the back of the plate.  I put painter’s tape on the platten to keep from putting scratches in my blades

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