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Price is$300$250 ea (shipped within CONUS). If you live outside the US, I will contact you after your order for extra shipping charges.
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belt sander
- Thread starter rctk1
- Start date
Harbor Freight belt sanders are popular and can be had on sale for cheaper than it's being listed for now. Find it here
Also, here is one that has been slightly modified. Find it here.
Also, here is one that has been slightly modified. Find it here.
- Joined
- Jan 4, 1999
- Messages
- 3,000
rctk1 said:
Sounds a lot like wanting a bulldozer to till the garden. I think your blades would appreciate it if you didn't use such heavy handed methods. I have a belt grinder and I wouldn't dream of using it as a sharpening device on my own knives.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
- Messages
- 12,955
I bought a Harbor Freight 4x36 belt sander about 15 years ago for like $89 and I still use it everytime I'm in my shop. Been a great old unit even if it is a Taiwan made one. I guess the new ones are China but they look similar. My on and off button broke years ago so I hard wired it so it starts running as soon as I plug it in. Other than that I've had to replace the drive belt once and it is still going strong with no signs of giving out on me.
I'd say the little Delta, and Craftsman 4x36 ones are probably just as good from what I've read. Which ever of these pops up first for you will probably suffice. Personally for sharpening when I'm doing the final edge on a knife I made I prefer and most often use the little Delta 1" x 30" belt sander/grinder I have. It runs at a slower speed and seems to give me more control. It cost me $99 from Delta. The secret to sharpening this way is to not let the blade stay in one place too long so it doesn't get burn marked. I get a pretty good edge on them using this and finish up by hand and then followed by stropping on some cardboard from the back of a legal pad followed by a few strops on leather after that. Hair popping sharp is what I most often get this way.
If you go to a professional type knife grinding unit you will be looking at big bucks. You can buy an enonomy grinder called the Kalamazoo at Knife and Gun finishing supplies but even then it is $340. I have one of these also. Nice unit for general knife making and it can do flat and convex grinds for you but the belt speed is way high. It does have a great Baldor motor and it takes the 2x48 belts but for the money it is hard to beat the little $79 to $99 units you can probably get local. Really when I look at overall use the expensive one is not used as much as the cheaper two I have except for when I'm grinding bar stock to make a blade.
I'd say the little Delta, and Craftsman 4x36 ones are probably just as good from what I've read. Which ever of these pops up first for you will probably suffice. Personally for sharpening when I'm doing the final edge on a knife I made I prefer and most often use the little Delta 1" x 30" belt sander/grinder I have. It runs at a slower speed and seems to give me more control. It cost me $99 from Delta. The secret to sharpening this way is to not let the blade stay in one place too long so it doesn't get burn marked. I get a pretty good edge on them using this and finish up by hand and then followed by stropping on some cardboard from the back of a legal pad followed by a few strops on leather after that. Hair popping sharp is what I most often get this way.
If you go to a professional type knife grinding unit you will be looking at big bucks. You can buy an enonomy grinder called the Kalamazoo at Knife and Gun finishing supplies but even then it is $340. I have one of these also. Nice unit for general knife making and it can do flat and convex grinds for you but the belt speed is way high. It does have a great Baldor motor and it takes the 2x48 belts but for the money it is hard to beat the little $79 to $99 units you can probably get local. Really when I look at overall use the expensive one is not used as much as the cheaper two I have except for when I'm grinding bar stock to make a blade.