Bewildered by belt offerings

[onebagnomad]

Finally decided to pick up a basic 2x42 grinder (I've been working with files up to this point). Everyone seems to think highly of Tru Grit but I'm somewhat bewildered by all of the belts they offer. Found a few other threads using the search function but everyone is recommending blaze belts, which aren't offered in 2x42, for profiling and such. Even with the belt descriptions, I'm suffering from information overload. Between all of the different abrasives, backings materials, and weights, I'm lost. Can anyone nudge me in the right direction on a set of belts? I'll be working with 1095 and O-1.

 

[thegeek574]

This took a while for me to figure out. what I came to understand was that CERAMICS and ZIRCONIA belts are good for metal, and that ALUMINUM OXIDE belts are for handles. they will not last as long on metal, but are cheaper than the ceramics and zircs, which clog on wood and such. most everyone has agreed that blaze belts are, while more expensive, worth the money becuase they last well. STRUCTURED ABRASIVE belts are different and supposedly leave a really nice finish.

TL;DR, ceramic and zirconia belts for metal, aluminum oxide for wood, g10 and the like.

 

[Frank Niro]

Go to Tru Grit and ask them. They will certainly give you help while carefully spending your monet Frank

 

[Jason Fry]

I have a 2x42 and routinely order from trugrit. I recommend supergrit as well. I do all of my profiling and beveling with the 36 grit ceramics from supergrit. Trugrit's ceramics don't seem to last as long. I then go to a 160 structured abrasive (and sometimes a 400) from trugrit. I use a scotchbrite belt from trugrit for a machine finish. I buy the cheap aluminum oxide belts by the 10 pack from supergrit in 100 grit for handle shaping. I've tried other belts and other grits, but always come back to these same few.

 

[onebagnomad]

Thanks for the help, just what I needed.

 

[duffy99]

http://www.usaknifemaker.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=94_42&products_id=1393 This is a good explanation on belt types , with that said you have a Craftsman 2x42 from sears correct? I would search here for mods and this http://www.youtube.com/user/500dollarknifeshop will show you some easy to do and greatly improving mods for it all very inexpensive. For 2x42 belts I use Trugrit, I find the gator belts work great on the craftsman 80 /220/400/600 but getting some 60/80 ceramics are good for profiling. Supergrit has the belts that trugrit are missing, I even got some of the micron belts but found they don't work at the fast speed. You can get scotchbrite belts at supergrit, med and fine is all you need and a leather 2x42 is nice too! The fine scotchbrite will give you a good satin finish and 600 gator leaves a good finish too. You have to cut out some of the frame for the scotchbrites and you have to leave them on and let them stretch but I've gotten course ,med and fine to work . I didn't know supergrit has 36 grit but those would definitely be great for profiling. Also you could get a few klingspor from trugrit for handles 50/200/400 is all you need in my limited experience . I've rough shaped g-10 and micarta with a 50 then went to a 400 then to hand sand and it worked. The Med scotchbrite WILL take off steel so be carefully but the fine is pretty save and a little wd-40 helps too. I started out recently and got most of my belts for trugrit and made up the gaps at supergrit . Hope that helps , the tutorial is a good start on belts.