Best Way To Bend Blade For A Bladed/vibrating Jig

[aaarneson]

What is the best/easiest/most consistant way of making the bend in the blade?

 

Let me know your techniques and tools used.....Really appreciate it.

 

Thanks

 

[Apdriver]

What I have found ,and tried several different ways , is to use a vise. This will give you the most consistent bends IMO. You need a set of flat jaws and I just use two pieces of smooth angle iron. The serrated jaw of your vise will marr the stainless when you bend the blade. After you position the blade, take a piece of 1by and lay it against your blade and give it a sharp rap with your hammer. That's just one technique. I bet there are others. I never could get consistent bends with a couple sets of pliers.

[cadman]

I found this as an easier choice. See pics below. Buy two of these, and you can bend anything from blades to wire to aluminum to sheetmetal. This will not be a one time tool use.

 

1: Put a line on the blade where you want to bend it.

2: Take one set of vise grips, and align the duck bills a little behind the line ( visually about a 1/32 below).

3: Take the other set and do the same thing on the opposite side of the line.

4: Now bend your blade either up or down.

 

Note: If the blade is cupped, bending the blade down (to the convex side), will bulge the edges and usually not rip the material.

          Bending the blade up  will usually make a small rip on the ends by the edges.

 

This all depends on what you are bending material wise and how hard it is along with how severe the cupped blade is. Hiope this helps some.

 

Edited November 22, 2014 by cadman

[aaarneson]

Great...Thanks Guys.

 

The material I have is actually flat so that should work.

 

Thanks

[Jeff Hahn]

I bend my blades using an old trailer hitch ball that I secure in my vice.  I use a small hammer to apply the force necessary.  I start about 1/4 inch down from the tip of the blade and as I hit the blade I pull it downward along the bend of the trailer ball.  This bends the blade in a tapered fashion and also adds a little cup to it.

Edited November 23, 2014 by Jeff Hahn

[Apdriver]

Now here's the real mystery. How do you bend the black platinum blades without cracking the finish?

[macstackleman]

Heat up the black blades with a paint stripper this will let you bend the black blades!!

[Apdriver]

Thanks MTM. I thought about that but wanted to draw from this tremendous resource first. Thanks again.

[ING]

I've found that the method described by Apdriver is the best. More precise, consistent and allowed to bent thick steel blades. By this way you could bent any metal for different applications.

Edited December 2, 2014 by ING