Why does nobody talk about using a cheap angle grinder for initial bevels?

My uncle, a retired farrier, said he's used the same Harbor Freight grinder for roughing out knives for 15 years. It made me rethink spending big on a dedicated belt grinder right away. Anyone else have a go-to 'good enough' tool for the early stages?

2 comments

2 Comments

veramiller19d ago

Honestly, my first bevels looked like they were done by a drunk badger, and that was with a fancy tool. Your uncle is smart. If a cheap grinder gets the rough shape off, why not? Spending all that cash on a belt grinder just to mess up the heat treat later feels bad. A lot of this hobby is about learning what you actually need before you drop serious money. That Harbor Freight special has probably saved more projects than it's ruined.

jesse_nguyen19d ago

Exactly, you learn more from the cheap mistakes.