Sharpened Perspectives

Sharpened Perspectives Podcast Episode 24 ________________________________________ Description: Jim, Alex and Ken discuss coolant maintenance, chip/swarf control, current cycle times and Jim's upcoming expansion. ________________________________________ Resources mentioned in the episode: Sump Screen Filter - https://www.swarf-unlimited.com/product-category/sump-screen-filter/ ________________...

Sharpened Perspectives Podcast Episode 23 ________________________________________ Description: Jim, Alex and Ken discuss final Datum M Rev A refinements, Jim's current dilemma regarding balancing his own products and customer orders as well as updates on Alex's new workholding. ________________________________________ Resources mentioned in the episode: Precision Ball Bearings - https://w...

Sharpened Perspectives Podcast Episode 22 ________________________________________ Description: Jim, Alex and Ken discuss workholding issues and work through ideas on how to find the root cause, and develop a corrective action. ________________________________________ Resources mentioned in the episode: ________________________________________ Podcast Links: Support: Patreon - http://www.patreon.c...

Sharpened Perspectives Podcast Episode 21 ________________________________________ Description: Alex, Jim and Ken catch up after the holidays and set some plans in motion for the new year. ________________________________________ Resources mentioned in the episode: ________________________________________ Podcast Links: Support: Patreon - http://www.patreon.com/sharpenedperspectives Engage: Facebo...

Sharpened Perspectives Podcast Episode 19 ________________________________________ Description: Alex, Jim and Ken discuss what is on their benches, current status of knives, pallet systems, workholding hardware, and bevel grinders. ________________________________________ Resources mentioned in the episode: Knife Grinding Equipment - https://www.temeca.com/en/ _____________________________________...

Sharpened Perspectives Podcast Episode 18 ________________________________________ Description: Alex, Jim and Ken discuss deburring and finishing methods, equipment, media and tooling. They discuss the nuances of different CAM systems and the future of the Sharpened Perspectives Patreon account. ________________________________________ Resources mentioned in the episode: https://www.preferredabras...

Sharpened Perspectives Podcast Episode 17 ________________________________________ Description: Jim, Alex and Ken catch up after CCKS, talk finishing processes, go over the advantages of utilizing CNC machines for knife making and how the stigma of certain equipment is finally dying. Jim buys a 3d printer. ________________________________________ Resources mentioned in the episode: https://en.aval...

Sharpened Perspectives Podcast Episode 16 ________________________________________ Description: Jim and Alex are both out for this episode. Ken goes over Datum M - Rev A changes in Fusion 360. ________________________________________ Resources mentioned in the episode: Autodesk Fusion 360 - https://www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview ________________________________________ Podcast Links...

Sharpened Perspectives Podcast Episode 15 ________________________________________ Description: Jim is in the final week of California Custom Knife Show ( CCKS ) preparation. Alex is wrapping up a new workholding solution and Ken is running Datum blades, prepping for heat treat. ________________________________________ Resources mentioned in the episode: California Custom Knife Show - https://r1pr...

Ken and Jim talk about how they met, where they currently are with their shops, and how they are preparing for an upcoming knife show in September.

Sharpened Perspectives Podcast Episode 14 ________________________________________ Description: Jim discusses his final weeks prep before CCKS.. Ken plans for an upcoming auction. Alex goes over shop prep for additional machines. Additional discussion regarding knife steels, workholding and process efficiencies. ________________________________________ Resources mentioned in the episode: Small qua...

Sharpened Perspectives Podcast Episode 13 ________________________________________ Description: This week we talk about CNC Mill Tool Breakage Detection (Brother Speedio and Haas), Tool Length Offsets, Sub Programs and Post Processor modifications. We also go over updated sharpening processes, workholding ideas, spindle grippers and folding knife hardware. ________________________________________...

Jim, Ken and Alex go over upcoming workholding changes for higher density, and longer unattended run times.

Jim is in Montana for the week while Ken and Alex dive into grinding blades with CBN Cup Wheels in the mill.

Alex Steingraber from SPK Unlimited LLC joins Jim and Ken for Episode 10. We briefly talk about how Alex started SPK and dive into the current status of all of our knives and shops. SPK Unlimited LLC HMC Knives Zodiac Engineering

Ken and Jim talk about the least glamourous parts of knife making. Blasting, fitting, finishing and sharpening and how they plan to improve their processes moving forward. They also go over some inspection techniques, probing and calibrating new styli. Q-Mark - Same Day Styli https://cmms.com/collections/machine-tool-styli

Ken and Jim recap this past weekends knife show, The Makers Syndicate.

Ken and Jim recap this past weeks progress and navigate through this final week before The Makers Syndicate knife show in Indianapolis, Indiana on September 17, 2023. Knife Dogs - Pivot Lap https://usaknifemaker.com/pivot-lap-basic-knifedogs-5-bushing-model.html

Ken and Jim talk a bit about how they balance their shops and families, go over recent struggles including machine crashes and the next ten days before The Makers Syndicate knife show in Indianapolis Indiana on September 17th 2023.

Ken and Jim dive into lock geometry, grinding vs milling lock faces, and some lock bar details on Ken's Datum M folder.

Ken and Jim catch up after being out of their shops for a few days. They go over how they plan to present and sell items at the show as well as what the next few weeks are looking like in the shops.

Ken and Jim jump into screen sharing in Fusion and go over some fixture and knife frame design.

Ken and Jim get into some listener questions and go over how their previous week was, what is to come this week and how they decide which parts to machine next.

Sharpened Perspectives, a weekly podcast by two machinists, making knives. Hosted by Ken Spaulding  @zodiaceng  and Jim Vandeveld  @hmc.knives Primarily focusing on making knives from a slightly different perspective. We have spent most of our careers as machinists, mold makers, manufacturing/applications engineers and over the last decade or so, knife makers as well. Taking everything we’ve learn...