Buying Top Quality Belts

J

John Frankl

Joined
Oct 16, 2001
Messages
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I fully agree with the many posts here about not skimping on belts. Now I have a chance to purchase some belts with which I am unfamiliar. They are the 3M Regalite brand in 40 and 100 grit. I am just wondering how these compare to some of the other top quality belts.

Thanks,

John
 
If they've been sitting around for a few years I'd give it a 2nd look. I've had older belts slap me silly when the joint broke loose at 4000 fps.
Aldo
 
Thanks to both of you.

Also, who can give some comparisons of the 967 vs. 977? Both are listed as "Cubitron" on Pop's site.

Thanks again,

John
 
The big thing with belts is how you run them at various grits and how you lean into them. I tend to have a heavy hand and that is not good for belt life. A proper touch will increase any belt life. some grits and types do better at different speed. For me at least I have not noticed a cost savings from one brand to another. Some last longer but cost more. Some last less long but cost less. I have decided the secret is in how to operate the belt; something I am still trying to properly learn. My natural but mistaken tendency is to shove into it to make it cut quicker. That will kill any belt.

rlinger
_____
 
John Frankl said:
Thanks to both of you.

Also, who can give some comparisons of the 967 vs. 977? Both are listed as "Cubitron" on Pop's site.

Thanks again,

John
Click to expand...

John, I can only offer my own experience. I use the 967 yellow belts almost exclusively now for rough grinding. I found them to last longer than the 977 when I did some side-by-side testing a few years back. This was on my BIII using O1, 5160 and D2. As rlinger notes, a lot probably has to do with technique. I tend to be lighter in the hand and take more time so I get pretty good life out of the larger grit belts.
 
The 967's cut much longer for me and can be run at lower speed and still cut. I use these in 60 and 80. Then switch to the flexable yellow Kingspores 120, 220 and 400. Call Pop and talk to him on the phone, he is very helpful.
 
Good belts, but, I think the life of the 40's is a lot shorter than 50 or 60 grit in the same belt. 40 is really coarse.
 
Yea RJ, I tried the coarser grits and didn't like em. I just start with a 60 grit 967, a very aggresive belt.
 
I will agree with every thing I am seeing here. I have also been playing around with the Norton Hogger, and Blaze. So far, I am very impressed. On a side note, the old Norton Norizon "blue Belts work great on many types of handle material, especially where guard, or cutlery bolts are used. Aluminum Oxide works fine, but breaks down very quickly when using stainless fittings. Some of the belts, Like the Hogger carry a cooling agent. They work well for steel, but because of the closed grit( being clogged with the colling agent, they tend to burn handle material. Mike
 
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