Anyone Still Using a 1x30?

colu41

colu41

Joined
Dec 24, 2014
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Im just curious as to any of you out there still using a 1x30 exclusively for your knives? That's what I have currently, as I only started a few months ago, didn't want to go big quite yet as I didn't think I'd get hooked like I did but.
If anybody does use one still I'd just like to know how you manage belts, and how many you use....

If I feel like grinding one knife for over an hour I can get away with using 2 80grit Zircs on a grind. But efficiently I am needing about 4 belts to complete one. Its really annoying going threw this many belts but, I guess thats the draw back with a 1x30. I guess maybe I should start grinds with a lower grit?
I plan to build a 2x72 this summer but, well see what happens. Any tips would be great!

Ive talked about this briefly before here but, If I'm using a minimum of 2 Zirc belts per grind, what am I looking at using if I used ceramic? Super grit has ceramics for only 50cents more per belt than the zircs....I should probably switch to strictly ceramics for my grinds..
 
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80 grit is way too fine for shaping. The cheap Harbor Freight 40 grits work great and last for many blades. Also belt life is going to depend in material removed. If you're grinding bar stock down instead of cutting it to rough shape then belts aren't going to last long.

I got my 1x30 all set up, nice variety of belts, and then I snagged an older 1 HP 2x42 for $35!!! It's a different world, so fast and powerful. I'm working on slowing it down.
 
I'm using a variant of the Aaron Gough file guide for most of my beveling, but still using my HF 1x30 for profiling blanks and handles. I definitely borrow a disc sander or bench grinder to rough things out if possible, but the 1x30 still makes a good backup. Of course, I'd upgrade to a proper 2x72 in a heartbeat, but while I'm constrained by shop and money, I'm very grateful for my 1x30.
 
Yep, its still all I got. Working on gathering materials for an eerf grinder. Hopefully ill get it done by summertime.

I find the cheap ceramic belts from trugrit are your best bet with the 1x30. I can get a ready for heat treat ffg on a 5" long blade out of 3/16" with one 50 grit.

The ceramic tile platen helped a lot for getting flat(er) grinds. Im still stuck getting a perfectly flat surface by sanding though.
 
jobasha11 said:
Yep, its still all I got. Working on gathering materials for an eerf grinder. Hopefully ill get it done by summertime.

I find the cheap ceramic belts from trugrit are your best bet with the 1x30. I can get a ready for heat treat ffg on a 5" long blade out of 3/16" with one 50 grit.

The ceramic tile platen helped a lot for getting flat(er) grinds. Im still stuck getting a perfectly flat surface by sanding though.
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Hmmmm. Thanks jobasha. I'll have to pick some up here soon. And I also need to figure something out with the platen. I can definitely tell the uneven grinding when I hand sand the satin finish on.
 
I've been using the Blaze Orange belts in 60 grit and 120 grit on my 1x30. They seem to last longer than others I've tried. I also use the Norax belts but I've just recently learned to use a very light touch with the Norax belts cause they won't remove metal, they only apply a finish.
 
woodwrkr221 said:
I've been using the Blaze Orange belts in 60 grit and 120 grit on my 1x30. They seem to last longer than others I've tried. I also use the Norax belts but I've just recently learned to use a very light touch with the Norax belts cause they won't remove metal, they only apply a finish.
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Norax are nice. I use them to clean up my grinds before hand sanding. Also to get the spine and tang nice and smooth.
 
One more questions regarding the topic. Of you using 1x30 still, for full tang knives, how are you able to get a clean finish on the tang, especially in rounded areas? Most knife designs I have, have a nice big finger groove in the tang, that I establish with the top wheel. But if I try finish with the top wheel, it doesn't match the rest of the tang. It seems to scratch it much differently, and I seem to get slight cut lines in my tang every now and again. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say....
 
colu41 said:
One more questions regarding the topic. Of you using 1x30 still, for full tang knives, how are you able to get a clean finish on the tang, especially in rounded areas? Most knife designs I have, have a nice big finger groove in the tang, that I establish with the top wheel. But if I try finish with the top wheel, it doesn't match the rest of the tang. It seems to scratch it much differently, and I seem to get slight cut lines in my tang every now and again. I hope you understand what I'm trying to say....
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Me personally, it's all hand sanding. The 1x30 gets used to rough stuff out, and I don't really go past 120 grit. I don't make enough knives to really need to make super efficient use of my knifemaking time though.
 
I do all tang edge finishing with a dremel and hand sanding. I use the dremel with a 120 sleeve first to blend any rough or unmatching scratches together. Then I use 220 and small pipe/bar to hand sand it.

Hope this helps:)
 
jobasha11 said:
I do all tang edge finishing with a dremel and hand sanding. I use the dremel with a 120 sleeve first to blend any rough or unmatching scratches together. Then I use 220 and small pipe/bar to hand sand it.

Hope this helps:)
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Wow. Can't believe I havent thought of using my dremel for that....Great idea....Thanks!
 
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