Culling old belts.

[Ken H>]

Squeezing one more blade out of a worn belt is the fastest way I know to mess up a good grind line/pattern.

and it will burn the edge quicker than a sharp fresh belt. I'm with ya'll, I use most belts longer than they should be used.

 

[GRapp]

Once I realize it's worn, it's trashed right away. Like worn brake pads, they work, but not correctly and the longer they run, the worse it gets. They're consumables, treat them as such.

 

[Selfe Made Knives]

I profile blades and knock off the edges off blades before grinding with old belts, but grind with fresh belts all the time. You know when they aren't cutting as well, and changing to a fresh belt saves so much time and keeps your grind lines neat and tidy.

Still doesn't make throwing them away any easier.

 

[Forrest Taylor]

I profile blades and knock off the edges off blades before grinding with old belts, but grind with fresh belts all the time.

That's a really good idea.

 

[Scotchmon]

Getting ready to order more

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Just did the same thing over the weekend. Had to not think about the $$ spent!
Did the same thing with a fist full of Worksharp belts.

 

[Forrest Taylor]

Just did the same thing over the weekend. Had to not think about the $$ spent!
Did the same thing with a fist full of Worksharp belts.

Yep, dumped $385 on 2x72 belts from Pops over the weekend. Ordered a wide variety including some I hadn't tried yet.
I found generic worksharp size belts on Amazon for cheaper. Chinese would be my guess, but they seem to work just fine.

 

[Scotchmon]

Yep, dumped $385 on 2x72 belts from Pops over the weekend. Ordered a wide variety including some I hadn't tried yet.
I found generic workshop size belts on Amazon for cheaper. Chinese would be my guess, but they seem to work just fine.

View attachment 2725058

Thanks for posting this. I usually use rebate money from the local big box hardware store so buying more is less painful. Heck, then it seems like they’re free!

 

[godogs57]

Quit trying to get $20 worth out of a $5 belt. Not worth it….never.

 

[Jrmysell]

I always used belts longer than I should have too, but this year started using AEB-L and grinding post heat treat. I can't stand worn belts now. They just work so much slower and get the blade hotter. I even noticed the belts getting worn out before doing both sides on some 270mm sujihikis I'm working on.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Loosely related to culling old belts:

My aunt (long gone) used to correspond with Issac Asimov and other writers. She would proofread articles and sometimes books for them. Sometimes she would proofread a book they had published and make editors notes on it and send it to them ... without being asked to proofread it. She would proofread letters from her nieces, nephews, relatives, even her own son and send them back with the red pencil corrections along with her response letter. To say that she was a curmudgeon is insulting to curmudgeons.

I have a 1970's post card from Issac Asimov replying to her pointing out an error in one of his articles. He replied, "Yes Susan, I now realize that my term culled out was redundant" I won't make that mistake again."

Of course, today's English language evolution (or, more properly, devolution) has made cull out and culled out a standard term. Say it ain't so!

 

[Horsewright]

As an aside. I keep one worn belt in each grit. Ya never know when ya might have to grind something not knife related. This habit has saved many a good belt and allows me to use the new good ones on knives.

 

[navman]

Once an old 60-80 grit belt stops grinding bevels smoothly, I still hold onto it for rough profiling and such, they work well for that, then I feel like I am getting the most out of the belts before tossing them.