Thanks guys. Every time I do a kitchen knife I say it's going to be the last. Working the steel down thin runs risks of over heating, and with a good distal taper the tips are very prone to turning cherry red in less than a fraction of a second if left in contact with the belt too long.
Plus, I do the bulk of the grinding post heat treat, and grinding steel at 61 HRC is a slow process even with heavy grit ceramic belts. While the blade is still thicker I give a dunk in cold water about every few passes on the grinder, but as it thins I give a dunk every pass. It's slow and arduous, and I have to use new(er) belts as an older belt, while still usable will burn the steel real quick. I can make several Bowies or a half dozen hunters with the same amount of effort as one good chef knife.
