Belts per knife?

I’m really liking the vsm 60 grit for higher alloy steels like 3v and z-wear. Not as impressed with the 36grit VSM. It works about the same as the 984s on high alloy steels. The VSM 60 didn’t seem that great on a 1095 knife I did recently. I prefer the blaze belts on simple steels.

Someone mentioned sic belts for high alloy steels, and I plan to order some to try them out.
 
Willie71 said:
I’m really liking the vsm 60 grit for higher alloy steels like 3v and z-wear. Not as impressed with the 36grit VSM. It works about the same as the 984s on high alloy steels. The VSM 60 didn’t seem that great on a 1095 knife I did recently. I prefer the blaze belts on simple steels.

Someone mentioned sic belts for high alloy steels, and I plan to order some to try them out.
Click to expand...
I've tried 60 grit silicon carbide on steel and wasn't impressed. But Frank Niro got me onto them for mammoth tooth, and the difference there is unbelievable
 
Natlek said:
Strange, I will take pictures of all blade I was already grind with one Klingspor CS 910 Y 40 grit / 50 x 1020 mm /. . .I have not tried any other brand yet .
BW , do you think that belt speed have impact on lifetime of ceramic belts ??
Click to expand...
Could be, I found them slow and hot compared to the belts I'm used to. Maybe that'd be different with a much faster grinder. I've also only used cs910y and cs912y in 60 grit. Other klingspor belts are great though.
 
Willie71 said:
I’m really liking the vsm 60 grit for higher alloy steels like 3v and z-wear. Not as impressed with the 36grit VSM. It works about the same as the 984s on high alloy steels. The VSM 60 didn’t seem that great on a 1095 knife I did recently. I prefer the blaze belts on simple steels.

Someone mentioned sic belts for high alloy steels, and I plan to order some to try them out.
Click to expand...

My biggest problem is going from 120 to 220 and greater on those steels. I can get great belt finishes with either gators or aluminum oxide regular belts 220+ on low alloy steel but with hardened high alloy steels it doesn't matter what I try, gators, norax, high speed, low speed, coolant, they're just ugly finish. They're smooth, I can verify by hand sanding that the scratches are 600 grit or whatever, but they're ugly.

Been thinking about some silicon carbide belts for that as well. Because I'm sick of hand sanding Z Wear and M4.
 
kuraki said:
My biggest problem is going from 120 to 220 and greater on those steels. I can get great belt finishes with either gators or aluminum oxide regular belts 220+ on low alloy steel but with hardened high alloy steels it doesn't matter what I try, gators, norax, high speed, low speed, coolant, they're just ugly finish. They're smooth, I can verify by hand sanding that the scratches are 600 grit or whatever, but they're ugly.

Been thinking about some silicon carbide belts for that as well. Because I'm sick of hand sanding Z Wear and M4.
Click to expand...

I go to a fine scotchbrite belt. It’s the best belt finish I’ve used on z-wear so far. I’ve experimented with cork, but I’ll have to get the technique down first. I’ve got peripheral neuropathy, so I don’t hand sand z-wear. One knife would take me a week. I’ve tried aluminum oxide, and zirconium, and I just ruin the belt.
 
I have tried a million different things but in order for me to grind say a 240mm chef knife I use about 30$ worth of belts in something like aebl and about $60 worth of belts in 20CV.
I use 1-2 yellow 3m 967s and then 4-8 of the 947A belts . Yes that is belts per knife. I find that in order to grind the edge and especially the tip thin enough in hardened steel I need an absolutely fresh ceramic belt.
Once they loose that initial bite they are only good for pre HT grinding. Now of course this gets the job done within a couple hours.

edit to add: I am finding the silica carbide 220 cork belt as being extremely useful and long lasting. well worth the money
 
tuskbuster said:
anyone try the Hermmes ceramics pops is sellin now
Click to expand...
Yes, I've been using them for years for carbon steel. I like them alot.
They've had them for a long time, they just weren't on the website, you had to call them and they would put them on your order.
I'm surprised more people don't use them.
They're not very expensive either, I want to say 4 or 5 dollars a belt.
It's hard to say if they're as good as the cubitron 2's since people grind different. For the way I grind, they do very well.
 
I got some Hermes 220 grit from Pop's. They last a little longer than AO but not like I was hoping/expecting. 3m 707s seem to be the only ceramic 220 that are worth it.
 
I should have been more specific,
the Hermès 466 are the ones I use in 50 grit and then 120 grit. I don’t do well with j-flex belts.
I bought some ceramic norton norax belts to try and tru-grit sent me both the aluminum oxide ones and the ceramic belts on accident. I ordered the ceramic in 220 and up so I’ll try them both and see how it goes. Downsides are they’re expensive, about 12-13 per belt for the ceramics, and they don’t like water.
 
I've used the ceramic norax belts. I don't like them for other reasons, but I've never found water to be an issue.
 
Any belt I use for bevels MUST like water - I dip between each pass and there is always some water that gets on belt.

Anyone used the VSM 2x72 XK870 Ceramic from Pop's? They're cheap at $4, $5, $6 for 60, 50, and 36 grit - I've only used a couple and jury is still out, but they do "seem" to be doing pretty good. BUT - I've not used a really good high dollar belt to compare them to. I was thinking of tossing a couple of the Hermès ceramics on next order, but I've not had much luck with other Hermès finer grit belts in the past.

Ken H>
 
tuskbuster said:
anyone try the Hermmes ceramics pops is sellin now
Click to expand...
We tried them an for a $4+ belt they were great. Not a 3m mind you but great for the price. Lisa ordered two 60 grit and got 5-7 knife blanks ground(bevels) before it was taken to profile duty
 
Geoff Flato said:
I've used the ceramic norax belts. I don't like them for other reasons, but I've never found water to be an issue.
Click to expand...
I completely agree with this statement. I did not like the ceramic norax at all. In my experience they provided a pretty rough finish for their corresponding grit size and i found it difficult to fracture the ceramic peaks even with a diamond dressing tool. Usable yes, but not worth near the $12 price tag, I'd take gators or cork any day instead. But, I don't grind high alloy supersteels so my experience may be much different than others.

On another note, if I could find a good quality 220+ ceramic jflex at the $5 mark I'd buy a boatload.

Blessings,
Joshua
 
Last edited:
thanx guys thatwhat i needed to know .gonna place a big order next week .usin the 3m s iget 6 or 7 blades per
 
If you are ordering from pops I am really liking those VSM belts especially the 120s. They have been working great for me and the price is good.
 
JoshRG said:
For those getting nearly a dozen blades out of your belts. Is that pre or post heat treat? I grind hard at pretty much full thickness and go through A LOT of low grit ceramics. I'm lucky to get three small blades out of a belt. :confused:

Blessings,
Joshua
Click to expand...
pre heat treat. are you using the 3m 984 ? before grinding i do a 45 degree bevel a little less than 1/32" from my center scribe lines.( from the bob loveless video) the angle stops the 90 degree edge from stripping the grit off the belt.
 
Have any of you used the DEER BORA-7 Purple Ceramic Belts from supergrit? I have one but havent used it yet. I am just wondering if they are worth the money compared to the normal supergrit ceramics. They say they are comparable to norton blaze and 3m cubitron II.
 
john april said:
pre heat treat. are you using the 3m 984 ? before grinding i do a 45 degree bevel a little less than 1/32" from my center scribe lines.( from the bob loveless video) the angle stops the 90 degree edge from stripping the grit off the belt.
Click to expand...

Yep, I basically clean the flats and then break 90's before heat treat and that's about as far as my grinding goes until they come back hard.

I use the 3m 947 belts in 40 & 120. I've tried both types of the VSM belts as well as Merit and combat abrasive. I still prefer the 947's to all the rest even though I still only get about two knives out of them. But, I'm pretty quick to throw belts that show the slightest bit of wear. Most of the time when I chuck the 40 grit ones they look darn near brand new. :( Definitely wanting to try the 3m 984 now since everyone seems to love them so much.

Blessings,
Joshua
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top