Do scotchbrite belts need to be cleaned?

Josh Mason

Josh Mason

Tombstone hand. Graveyard mind.
Joined
Jun 15, 2011
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My favorite finish to use is a very fine scotchbrite belt after 180 or 400 grit. I've learned to use a spray of WD-40 to help even out the finish that the scotchbrite belt makes. I've had this particular belt for about a year now, and the WD-40 seems to have helped all kinds of gunk stick inside the nooks and crannies. It looks matted down. The performance of the belt doesn't really seem to be diminished too bad (it's kind of up to how sharp and even the previous grit is), but the crud on the belt still bothers me.

I'm torn between two ideas....I'm thinking that the performance could be a bit better after some sort of cleaning/brushing/restoration? Or maybe the belt is just fine as is, and it's getting good and broken in?

Anybody have any experience with these?
 
I'd like to know also, I have a glazed up belt from finishing kydex.
 
The reason that WD40 is not recommended for firearms is that it gunks up into a shellac later.

I expect that if you clean it with a hot solvent like acetone you can clean up the goo
 
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Josh Mason said:
(it's kind of up to how sharp and even the previous grit is)
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That's always true. I spend by far the most time at 50-400 grit, whether the blade is going to be bead-blasted, left at 400 or hand-rubbed up to 2000. It just seems if you get everything straight even and clean at the lower grits, everything after is much, much easier.

WD-40 is notorious for gunking things up. I know many makers swear by it for lots of things, but I don't allow it in my shop or house. Perhaps if you soak the belt in a mild solvent it would come clean? I don't know. (edit: the dang Count beat me to it :D)

I'm curious why you started using WD-40 on your ScothBrite belt in the first place? What problem did it help solve? I ask only because I'm thinking of trying a ScotchBrite finish and like you, I'd like a rather pricy belt to last as long as possible.
 
I'd recommend Ballistol for lubing it up instead (whether you get this one clean or get a new one). I really can't help on the current gunk situation though. You could spray it with Goof-Off and let it soak for a while, but I'd put a garbage bag over my head before I fired the grinder back up.... that stuff works like magic but it's nasty. Okay, I'd probably just step to the side and let it run for a while before I got in front of it, but the garbage bag sounds cooler. ;) :)
 
I use the ScotchBrite belts on occasion, and they can be cleaned.

I throw them all in a 5 gallon bucket with some Dawn. Fill up the bucket with warm water and agitate.

Leave it for 2 days, then remove the belts and hose them off. Air dry.

You will be surprised at the amount of grit in the belts.
 
Mitchell Knives said:
I throw them all in a 5 gallon bucket with some Dawn.
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Dawn hits another homerun, man I swear that stuff can be used on everything, I'm heard that professional window cleaners as well as house cleaners use it in small amounts for almost everything.. custom auto painters use it with a scotchbrite to clean the car just before paint..

btw, I like wd-40 you can do as much with it as Dawn..:) all you need in life, wd-40 and dawn.. what else is there? .... :D
 
Wow, thanks for the tips guys. I learned the trick from a fellow maker, and haven't looked back. I just love this finish. I'm not sure why, but the WD kind of makes things more even, maybe has a cooling effect. A dry belt will kinda leave streaks and weird patches. I can't really explain it. A scotchbrite will burn a blade and your fingers RIGHT NOW too. The green/grey "very fine" doesn't wash things out like a medium or coarse one will. Makes a beautiful soft satin machine finish. You could grind a damn bevel with a med/coarse scotchbrite....lol. When I use the medium, sparks fly off it.

Nick, I'd put the garbage bag over my head, but it's full of knives that I've goofed up...lol.

Sounds like a plan Jonathan. I was thinking about taking a soapy nylon brush to it or something while the belt is running, but I'd probably end up in the ER.....:p
 
Battle Creek Knives said:
btw, I like wd-40 you can do as much with it as Dawn..:) all you need in life, wd-40 and dawn.. what else is there? .... :D
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Windex

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Battle Creek Knives said:
Dawn hits another homerun, man I swear that stuff can be used on everything, I'm heard that professional window cleaners as well as house cleaners use it in small amounts for almost everything.. custom auto painters use it with a scotchbrite to clean the car just before paint..

btw, I like wd-40 you can do as much with it as Dawn..:) all you need in life, wd-40 and dawn.. what else is there? .... :D
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When I want some greasy mess to squeak, I use Dawn. Best stuff ever. Windex may be a 3rd.
 
Battle Creek Knives said:
Dawn hits another homerun, man I swear that stuff can be used on everything, I'm heard that professional window cleaners as well as house cleaners use it in small amounts for almost everything.. custom auto painters use it with a scotchbrite to clean the car just before paint..

btw, I like wd-40 you can do as much with it as Dawn..:) all you need in life, wd-40 and dawn.. what else is there? .... :D
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Duct tape! I use a fine scotch brite and wd-40 also.Great even satin finish.(hides minor finish boo boos)
 
WD 40 acts as a lubricant and coolant. It does the same thing on buffing wheels.
BTW- it doesn't "gunk up" any more than any oil.
 
Josh Mason said:
I've had this particular belt for about a year now

ok i ll say it a belt lasts a year and you want it to last longer :) buy a new belt :)

ok so i use buffing compound on my woven fiber belts to help smooth them out not WD40 and works great (tho i also have buffing belts that each have there own compound )

how many blades do you think you get out of one belt (i bet it comes down to less then 25c per blade to belt cost )
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This belt doesn't really seem to have a very drastic decline in performance. It's stretched out a bit and just matted up from use, and the WD. I have made about 20 knives now, and every one has gotten a good scotchbriting. I also use it for various other projects too, gun parts etc. I think if the belt still does what I want it to, I'd rather see if I could clean it. Can't hurt. Just didn't know how, or if it could be done. I'll probably get another one and use it dry to compare results. (Also, I was told not to use the oily belt on any handle material.)
 
Bill DeShivs said:
BTW- it (WD-40) doesn't "gunk up" any more than any oil.
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Apparently 20+ years experience in the printing/converting industry has completely misled me. Perhaps I hallucinated all the hours I spent cleaning WD-40 "gunk" out of bearing surfaces, gears and so forth.

WD-40 is a marketing phenomenon. It is a terrible substitution for anything resembling a decent lubricant or coolant. It's a fairly good Water Displacer, but straight silicone spray is much better for that purpose.
 
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