Watch: Putting an Antique Grindstone Back to Work

These folks are restoring a entire blacksmith shop, and in this episode they try to breathe new life into an old derelict grinding wheel.

I couldn’t watch all of the pulley removal process. It was too painful. I just wanted him to start bumping it off with a dead blow hammer (or a lead hammer if he wants to only use old-fashioned tools). Or better yet, slap a puller on it and have it off in a jiffy.

As someone who enjoys putting old machinery back in service, I liked seeing the process, but I did skip ahead. Hey, we’re not getting any younger here! There’s only so much enjoyment you can get from watching a dude run a grinder and wire wheel.


Later on, they use small a hand-cranked grinding wheel to help make a wooden plug for the bottom of the stand/trough, so they can fill it with water when it’s time to put the old stone back to work.

Once they get it going and begin driving it with an antique engine, we really see just how out-of-round the old stone really is. Wow!

Then he uses a handheld grinder to (apparently) attempt to true up the stone. Not much hope of that working until he uses a tool rest to steady himself up. (He later said he wanted to “smooth” it.)

These guys do need to use safety glasses, though.

Pretty cool if you like old-timey stuff!

Russ Chastain

Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.