Kingrinder K6: Service and replacing bearings

The Kingrinder K6 is a popular manual coffee grinder known for its consistent grind quality and durability. However, after only 6 months of use with the Ross Droplet Technique (RDT), my K6’s bearings failed prematurely due to rust damage. The small amount of water I was adding to coffee beans (0.5-1g) to reduce static created moisture that found its way to the internal bearings, causing rapid corrosion. This post documents the complete bearing replacement process necessitated by this unexpected failure.

Old bearings
The old bearings showing rust damage after only 6 months of use with the Ross Droplet Technique (RDT).

What You’ll Need

Before starting, gather all the necessary tools and replacement parts:

Parts:

Tools:

  • Circlip pliers
  • Small screwdrivers
  • Calipers for measuring
  • WD40 to clean rusty parts

Disassembly

All grinder parts
All grinder parts laid out for service - this shows the complete disassembly of the Kingrinder K6.

View from the Top

Bottom view
Bottom view of the grinder housing during reassembly.

Bearing Replacement

New bearing installed
New bearing installed, viewed from the top of the grinder mechanism.

The new bearing fits perfectly and should provide smooth, quiet operation for years to come.

Axle Assembly Process

Axle fully assembled
The axle fully assembled with the new bearing in place.
Axle insertion from top
Inserting the axle from the top of the grinder housing.
Axle being inserted
Careful insertion of the axle assembly into the grinder mechanism.

The axle assembly process requires patience and precision. Make sure the bearing is properly seated and the axle moves freely without binding.

Circlip

Old circlip
The old circlip showing fatigue and potential failure points.
New circlip first view
New circlip ready for installation - first view.
New circlip second view
New circlip
Circlip ring detail
Close-up of the circlip ring showing the precise engineering.
Circlip diameter measurement
Measuring the outer diameter of the circlip.
Circlip diameter alternate view
Alternate view of circlip diameter measurement for verification.
Circlip inner diameter
Measuring the inner diameter of the circlip groove.
Circlip inner diameter close-up
Close-up measurement of the circlip inner diameter.
Circlip width measurement
Measuring the circlip width to ensure proper groove fit.
Axle with new circlip
The axle assembly with the new circlip properly installed.

Measurements and Tolerances

Axle width measurement
Measuring the axle width to ensure proper fit with the new bearings.

Burr Components

Burr component
The burr component
Burr bottom view
Bottom view of the burr showing the mounting interface.

While servicing the bearings, it’s a good opportunity to clean the burrs thoroughly and inspect them for wear.

Top Nut Assembly

Adjustment nut
The adjustment nut that controls grind fineness.
Nut assembled
The adjustment nut properly assembled in its housing.

Done!

This was rather annoying as the consensus is that RDT does not damange grinders that much. However, mine was almost ready for the trash.

Hope this helps you if you find yourself in the same situation!

Do you have questions? Send an email to max@maxammann.org