2 x 72 belts?

Brian Avila

Brian Avila

Joined
Jan 2, 2011
Messages
1,286
So I think the forum ate my last post trying to ask about this.

I have been saving up to get a KMG. Not there yet but, I have started noticing people talk about different belts. I have heard about the Norton Blaze and heard mixed reviews about it. ( I tried some on my 2 x 42 and wasn't really impressed ). However, I hear about other brand and models of belts that people use and have no idea what they are talking about.

So, I was hoping you guys could give me some recommendations of the brand and model that you guys use for your belts on your 2 x 72? When I get a KMG I will have to get all new belts so I might as well plan it out now.

I have been using Ceramic (36, 60, 80, 120 )and gaitor (220, 400, 600) belts for my grinding and then AO belts for my handles.
 
I'm so not one of the Big Kids, but since no one else has chimed in.....

Pretty much what you use, the yellow 3m 967 belts in 60 grit are a real workhorse, much better than Klingons and Blazes...though I have a couple blue 36 grit Klingons that just last and last for profiling, even though they kind of sucked for hogging bevels...lost their sharpness way too quickly, I felt.
Another must-have is the J-flex, in 120 and 220. The Norton Norax belts in 16 and 5 micron are absolute iron on my little grinder but don't seem to hold up well on my 2x72, not sure why. They are great for any kind of polish.
Gators are fantastic and last forever- I do keep seperate ones for miscellaneous grinding and flats, since they get grooves in them if you use em for any kind of profiling etc.
 
I work for a production knife company, with that said, 3M and others come by the shop to show us new stuff.

Cubitron II belts are pretty awesome in my opinion.
We were using the blaze belts on some stuff and are moving over to these.

Trizact belts are pretty nice too.
 
Here's my lineup .

Hollow grind- 80 grit 967 3m gold cermic, clean up plunge with 120 jflex, then straight to 1000 grit cork belt or x30 norax ceramic.

Flat grind- 60 grit blaze or cheapo ceramic, 120 jflex for the plunge, x45 gator belt, x30 norax ceramic, then the 1k cork belt.
 
See this is good. Really good.

I have no idea what a J-Flex belt is, is it a ceramic? I am guessing it flexes and has some bend to it?

I didn't know they had cork belts either.
 
I'm just a hobby maker right now but from my limited experience I can offer a few opinions. For anything above 220, the trizact gators are excellent belts and I like them a lot better than the norax. For profiling I am using a batch of 36 grit green Klingspor belts I got as a demo from a dealer And find they cut well and last fairly decent, but throw grit like crazy at the start. For my style of grinding I still use zirc 60 and 120 grit belts as I find they work best for me. I run around 4000 sfpm and find that with the lighter pressure I use for bevels the ceramics will tend to glaze more, and the zircs fracture a bit easier so seem to stay sharp longer. Handles and similar materials have been getting done with the AO/zirc combo belts pops sells as they are as cheap as normal AO or a bit cheaper, but since they have the zirc mix, I can still use them for a decent bevel in a pinch. I have not used a cork belt but do finish some knives with scotchbrite belts which I find handy.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top