2 x 72 Belts..........

Aiko555

Aiko555

Joined
Apr 11, 2003
Messages
154
Ok I know this question or ones like these get asked an awful lot, but..... I am finally selling my old 2X48 grinder and getting a KMG-1. I am confused about the brand of belts to purchase (from Pop's). Up til now I have purchased the cheapest ones available everywhere and anywhere- I am thinking ( and reading) that quality costs more and lasts longer. Please give your input. I do hunting and camp knives, flat and hollow ground, mostly forged from 5160. I also do some stock removal D-2 and 440C small knives. Do I get:

Klingspor
3M
Hermes
Schroder
or sumpin else?

Thanks - PJG
 
Okay, this is one of those conversations that gets knifemakers going! ;)

Here's what I use. 3M 967 or 977 ceramic 36 and 60, whatever ceramic 220 I can find (currently Norton), then Norax X30 (400) through X22 (800). I also like the Trixact CF "Gator" belts. I don't know whether Pops has the Norax belts but I dig em.

They're all in the $5 - $7 range. What's more interesting to me is the proportion of each grit that I use... That goes something like this.

For every 60 grit belt I use I also go through:

60 1
220 2
400 5
600 3
800 3

This isn't quite exact, I'll do a count at the end of the year to get it closer, but that's what it seems like to me right now. I've been using the same three 36 grit belts for a couple of years, only ordering finer grits once a year or so. (I don't make too many knives.)

Congratulations on your KMG!
 
You'll absolutely love the KMG :D You should hang on to the 2x48, it may come in handy for other jobs. I use mind for alot of different things. Just a friendly suggestion. ;)
Scott
 
I just picked up a couple dozen of those blue zircon belts. Man, do those beauties cut nice! Big $$ though.
 
Call Pop and buy what ever he says you need, he knows more about belts than all of us up together :D
I have started to use the gold colored 3M belts in 60 and 80 on Pops recomendation and I really like em but in the finer grits I like the yellow klingspor, I don't know the # on these belts, I just tell Pop the color, brand and grit and he knows what I want.

Don Hanson lll
 
Whatever you do don't buy the cheap belts. A $6.00 dollar 3M 967 will outlast 10 of the "cheap" A.O. belts, and on top of that you will be much happier with your grinds. I like the 3M 967 and 977 for hogging. Trizac Gators from 120 to 400 grit and Norax for finish. :)

Jerry
 
What Sunfishman said..........Call and talk to Pop (James). Tell him what you are grinding and how fine a finish you want to go to.

He will make recommendations on belts that you can pretty much put in the bank.

Robert
 
I appreciate the feedback! I am gonna hang onto my 2x48 for a while - I wanna have one of those shops that I'll take pics of and post one day!

I'll call Pop's tomorrow with CC in hand.
Thanks,
PJG
 
not familar with norax, please tell more about them. Using trizact and micro for finishing at this time. The 977F and 967F,are both very impressive. What about the new Gator. Thanks M Lovett
 
mlovett:

The Norax (Made by Norton) are simular to Trizac but produce a better finish, last longer and run cooler. The Gators (Technicaly Trizacs, I think) but nothing like the old Trizacs, They have a tremendous amount of segmented abrasive bars on them, In my use, they last a very long time, don't load up a quickly (You can actualy "dress" these belts), they don't produce as much heat as the standard belt and I think, a better finish that other belts of the same grit size. I like em alot, I Get them from Tru-Grit. (don't know if pop's sells 'em.)

Jerry
 
Jerry's right about the CF belts. You can scrape them with a scrap piece of steel to fracture the grit and they cut like new. One thing I've found is that if you work a small part in one area of the belt it'll wear a groove in the surface of the belt - they have that much grit on them - so I'm kinda careful to use them across the full face of the platen or wheel.

You can also dress the Norax belts the same way. I've learned to extend their life about four times just by breaking down the grit when it begins to glaze a bit.
 
Thanks Jerry. Sorry It took so long to get back to you. I saw the belt that you describe at the Blade West Show in Sept. They didn't have the grit I needed on hand at the show that sunday. I did pick up a catalog from them. Going to give them a try on the subhilts that I'm starting on in a few weeks. The Gators sound like the real deal. Thanka again M.Lovett
 
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