Thread: Hand Grinder / Manual Bench Grinder — General comments

These grinders are often recommended for sharpening because they have one inherent advantage over power (electric) grinders.
That is - it is virtually impossible to "burn" the steel in a blade and damage its temper when using a hand powered grinder.
Other than that, I find that they have almost nothing to recommend them - and I am a hand tool user and lover.
Unless you have someone else to do the turning of the handle for you, you will only have one hand available for controlling how the bevel is shaped.
Worse - this is often your left hand ( I am right handed)
I find that I need both hands to properly control the formation of a bevel on a chisel or plane blade - that leaves no hands free to wind the crank.
On top of that, for the price that is being asked, you can usually find an electric grinder of some sort.
My advice would be to give them a miss.
If you really have your heart set on one - I have one that I will gladly sell - as it does nothing for me.
Cheers
SG

I have to politely disagree with you SG ,they are great.

I like them very much, I'm not so sure about the $110 though . I first started using one at my bush block camp site doing woodwork around a hut. no power , just a campsite and a fire and a dog for a while there, and a bit of outdoor furniture to make.
I found I got by quite well with chisels and plane blades.

Then years later I was lining my shed with plywood and mouldings, no power . did plenty of grinding again on the same tools before a sharpen on a stone.

I now keep two next to my lathe and do left handed grinding while a leg is spinning waiting for me . It's the perfect tool for the way I turn.The lathe is under a lean to out back and I think an electric grinder would get knocked off.

I had a friend come over and we made some special chisels with strange angles that required some fine grinding to get finished ,all the electric grinders were just to fast for such delicate shaping. once again the perfect tool.

I have been thinking of a way to spin some leather for a way of doing carving chisels. Hmmmm! hadn't though of a hand powered one till just now.

Cheers Rob

These grinders are often recommended for sharpening because they have one inherent advantage over power (electric) grinders.
That is - it is virtually impossible to "burn" the steel in a blade and damage its temper when using a hand powered grinder.

SG, I have burned blades with a hand grinder. They can spin at a fearful rate! You do need to curb any tendency to be over-zealous!

I have two, and neither is worth using. The problem is that is is difficult to find a used one where the wheels are not wobbling all over the show. The new ones may be expensive, but they are - presumably - going to work as intended. All still need a decent blade rest. There is a lot of potential there, and I'd love to find one that works.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Some interesting opinions, fellas. Thanks. Hopefully this thread will grow over time.

I'm holding off purchase for now.

I'm with SG (unless you're in auscab's situation)

Even if you can find someone to turn the handle for you they soon get bored of it and want a go of holding the chisel.......or maybe that's just if you get a 5 year old to help, hard to say.

Also mine wasnt not much quieter than a powered grinder once I put the blade to it (hand cranked grinder not the 5 year old).

Either way there's only one way to find out and afterwards resale easy enough.

Sam

I have three currently, all "wobbleless", however have owned others that needed to be passed on, or in one case one that was too valuable to keep after I saw what one went for on eBay. I only use one, and not often since I acquired a power grinder. Not hard to find in the wild, but hard to find a good one, especially one taking 8" dia wheels. I am left-handed, and wind with my right hand, hard not to be a bit ambidextrous if left-handed. They do work well once you get the hang of it. A Veritas blade rest and guide makes it easy for anyone to use one (I do not have this, but have used one so equipped, and seen beginners going well).

Cheers
Peter

My biggest problem with the ones for sale on Amazon and eBay right now are the obvious low quality (ex-China). The green one above is available in China for under $10 (yet it costs $100 shipped here, surprise surprise!)

The only ones worth buying are the European manufactured ones, now no longer available apparently.

There is a forum search function. If you search hand cranked grinder you will see some posts

Here is the type I would go after, I have fitted new wheels before as well.

Hand Grinder Bench - Tool - See description - Old, Vintage | eBay

Rob

I use a hand-cranked grinder quite a lot. My thoughts are:

1. I prefer a 200mm wheel to a 150mm - somehow I seem to be less tempted to really try to rev it hard with the bigger wheel.
2. I use a Wearing tool rest - This is just an L-shaped wood device with the short part of the L resting on the base surface and the long part vertical in front of the wheel, by moving the rest closer to and further away from the wheel, you adjust the angle that the blade makes with the wheel. I use a Record honing guide as stop to hold the chisel up against the top of the L.
3. The biggest problem I have is finding a grinding wheel to fit the axle of the grinder. The axle is about 6 or 8mm and the smallest hole you can get seems to be about 10 or 12mm. To fix that I tend to fill the whole hole with epoxy and then drill a suitable hole in the middle. It seems to work OK and I don't seem to get much wobble.
4. My grinders are both antiques - costing about $25 each.

The hole need not correspond to the size of the shaft. Mine certainly doesn't. The washers on either side are what holds the wheel in place. You can centre the wheel by placing the grinder on its side and getting it spinning true before tightening the washers. Still need a diamond dresser to true it perfectly.

Still, very clever idea with the epoxy, you'd really need to get that hole dead centre though...

Oh and I have the 6" but would definitely have preferred an 8". Faster.

Originally Posted by auscab

Here is the type I would go after, I have fitted new wheels before as well.

Hand Grinder Bench - Tool - See description - Old, Vintage | eBay

Rob

Thanks, and just for reference I've included the image of that one.

grinder3.jpg

Finally some information I can provide.
I have the second one. Sure it is made in China.
The quality is poor, it wobbles like CRAZY, even without any load on it (grinding wheel).
The diameter of the hole on the body (not the grinding wheel) is 2mm bigger than the shaft.

I got some pictures here, it is not second hand, I bought it BRAND NEW.
So, what I suggest is DO NOT buy this one.


handle.jpginside.jpgmount.jpg

Kuan-Lin.