2x72 Belt Advice

R

Randydb

Joined
Sep 27, 2014
Messages
1,108
Okay,
I started building my 2x72 grinder almost 2 years ago....just finished recently. Expecting to be done a bit quicker than I was I bought a number of belts at some point without really completely knowing what I needed. Now I want to start grinding some knives.

Here is what I have.
2-Norton R980P says sg on it too - orange 36 grit
1-Norton R980P says sg on it too - orange 120 grit
1-Bluefire R823 -dark blue - 120 grit
1-"made in germany -green coloured- 120 grit
2-Norton R945 says sg on it too - dark red/brown 220 grit
2-Norton Norax - x30 - white coloured belt
2-Norton Norax - x45 - white coloured belt
2-Norton Norax - x65 - white coloured belt

I am putting in an order to Canadian Knifemaker on Monday for some steel and figured I should get whatever belts I am missing/need at the same time.

I would like to do the easiest finish possible with my blades to start with. I think that would be a scotchbrite finish or I also see ones that are done to 400 grit on a belt I think. I know there are many different possibilities but I just want to keep it simple to start with.

Thanks
 
Both scotchbrite and cork(with grit) are nice machine finishes. They require good grinds first as a foundation. They're kind of like magic erasers for tiny inconsistencies, but won't (in any reasonable amount of time) correct bigger problems like wavy lines or multiple facets.

Blue and grey scotchbrite I prefer for finishing. For cork, even 220 grit with a little green compound leave an astonishingly good finish. 220 and 400 are my most often used.
 
You'll probably want at least 5 of those 36 grit belts, probably 10. Coarse belt do 90% of the removal, and they go pretty quick. Conversely, those Norax belts will last a long time as long as you don't get them wet.
 
I only use a handful of belts to do my steel work and have gotten use to the belts I use. First off I personally think the 36grit belts are to corse for what we do. I really like the 50 grit blaze belts (R980P). Thy last a long time and grind very smooth. From there I go stright to the gator belts. I use to use the 120grit blaze belts but the gator belts last SO long that I don’t even bother with them. I have a handfull of the norax belts and the only thing I use them for is sharpening. And the only reasion I do that is because I have a bunch of them. I was not real happy with them from the start. But man thoes gator belts are where it’s at. I use the gator belts in the A300, A100, A65, A45 But I have A30 and finer. The way these numbers work is not like a normal grit. It’s grain size in microns I think. The A300 is just an AMAZING belt. I have two of them that have seen heavy use for years and years and still going strong. The A300 is equivalent to an 80 grit. My normal process is rough grind with the 50grit blaze and then jump right to the A300 gator belt, it’s actualy called a trizact belt and it’s made by 3M. I then move to the A100 which is a 180grit. Next is the A65 at 240 grit and the A45 is 400. I normaly stop right here at the A65 or A45. I then drop down to a 200 grit paper and start hand sanding and work my way up from there. But if your going after a machine finish it’s really hard to beat the A45. Makes a very nice machine finish. After that is the A30 and I find that grit is rather picky and harder to get a nice smooth consistent finish with. I don’t know why but I dont hardly use it. I actualy have belts all the way up to around 5 microns which is around 2000 grit I think. Honestly these higher belts are about useless for my needs. Especially when doing finish grinding after heat treat. The A30 and finer can heat a blade from ice cold to melt your fingers off in the blink of a cats wisker biscuit. So I stear clear and hand sand most everything.

All this being said you did not say how many knives you plan on making or trying to make. If I was getting a first order I would get 5 50grit blaze. 2 of each A300,A100,A65 and A45. The reasion why is you want one belt for edge bevels and flats only and another for other things like the spine exc. I would consider picking up a handfull J weight belts for handle shaping. The 120grit Hermes jflex is a really nice belt. It’s super flexible and easy to use for handles. I do 90% if my handle shaping with the 50 grit blaze and then either go to the jflex or stright to hand finishing. I hand finish with different grits and use a hard rubber backer behind the paper. The jflex belts are aluminum oxide so thy will get used up fast so get a bunch. But thy are cheap so grab a dozen or so. You can try a few different grits of jflex belts and see what you like. Hope this helps. Would I still use these few of belts if I had an unlimited stock of belts? I dont know honestly but if your looking to get the most knives out of a dollor the blaze and gator belts are where it’s at. Hope this helped
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top