help choosing belts?

C

crank78

Joined
Dec 21, 2013
Messages
336
here is what im looking to order anything im leaving out that I might need? or recommend something different. I chose supergrit mainly because there website is much easier to navigate, than trugrit. I was planning on using the 1x30 for polishing and sharpening. 2x42 for everything else.



1 X 30 BLACK S.C. BELT
1 X 30 BLACK S.C. BELT 400 Grit
400 + / - Remove $1.35 $2.70

1 X 30 BLACK S.C. BELT
1 X 30 BLACK S.C. BELT 800 Grit
800 + / - Remove $1.35 $4.05

2 X 42 COMPACT GRAIN BELT
400 Grit CORK BELT
400 + / - Remove $6.50 $6.50

MED WHITE ROUGE BRICK 6 oz
1500 MEDIUM
1500 + / - Remove $3.75 $3.75

2" X 42" Blue Ceramic Belt
220
220 + / - Remove $3.25 $6.50

2" X 42" Ceramic Belt
120
120 + / - Remove $3.25 $9.75

2" X 42" Ceramic Belt
60
60 + / - Remove $3.75 $11.25

2" X 42" Ceramic Belt
36
36 + / - Remove $4.25 $4.25

MED BLUE BUFF BRICK 6 oz

2000 + / - Remove $3.75 $3.75

1" X 30" MICRON POLY BELT
9 MIC
9 + / - Remove $1.50 $3.00

1" X 30" FELT POLISHING BELT
FELT POLISHING BELT
FELT + / - Remove $7.00 $14.00

BORA 7 - 2" X 42" CERAMIC BELT
BORA 7 - 2" X 42" CERAMIC BELT 36 GRIT
36 + / - Remove $5.00 $5.00

BORA 7 - 2" X 42" CERAMIC BELT
BORA 7 - 2" X 42" CERAMIC BELT 60 GRIT
60 + / - Remove $4.75 $4.75

BORA 7 - 2" X 42" CERAMIC BELT
BORA 7 - 2" X 42" CERAMIC BELT 120 GRIT
120 + / - Remove $4.25 $4.25
 
What kind of operations are you planning to do with really high grit numbers? Polishing? sharpening. With really light touches its not too much of an issue. But I've found with fast machines they can heat up the work very quickly, and at time almost unexpectedly.

what I run.

60 hoggin' and bevels
120 refinement
220 prep for finish

Med Scotch Brite, Fine Scotch Brite and then 400 hand finish.\

Anything 400 to 1k+ is hand finished then a buff out (ricasso, spine, handle).
 
My plan was
36 grit hogging
60 bevels
Then go to 120 and 220.
Then thought i would use the higher grits to lessen the hand sanding some.
The 1x30s are for sharpening and was planning on using them for a mirror polish. Is that not a good idea.
 
I've read a lot of good things (and some bad) about the 1x30 leather belts. Surgi-Sharp is the brand, I believe, and I think they go for around $30. Might want to read up to decide if it's something you'd like.

Most common advice with those is to not leave it on the grinder when not in use as it'll stretch out. I made a leather belt, but it is too thick for my machine and binds.

I've been testing the 1x30 for sharpening and I've had good success with (somewhat) obtuse convex edges. For acute stuff (most of what I do), I haven't figured out a good set of belts. I think I need a high grit stiff backing progression, but I'm still trying to work that out.
 
I suck with a whetstone. have tried and been trying for years. no matter how much I try I cant get it right constantly. with my 1x30 I can at least get it sharp enough to cut paper easily. I been thinking of trying a guided stone system but not sure yet.
 
crank78 said:
I suck with a whetstone. have tried and been trying for years. no matter how much I try I cant get it right constantly. with my 1x30 I can at least get it sharp enough to cut paper easily. I been thinking of trying a guided stone system but not sure yet.
Click to expand...
A guided sharpening system like the DMT aligner is a really good $60 spent that goes a long way. Its fool proof and the result are fantastic. I go all the way up to th extra extra fine/3 micron stone. Easily, hair whittling sharp results.
 
ty im going to get the dmt. I hadn't seen it yet. all the ones I looked at only went to like 800grit. does the 3 micron put a mirror finish on the edge.
 
Just a piece of advice based on experience:
Coarse and medium belts are what you want. Mainly 36-220, with some 400 for cleaning things up .Finer sanding and polishing are best done by hand in the beginning.
Cork belts sound great, but are fairly difficult to master. They require a long and precise break in period before you can use them on a blade.
Polishing on a fast running belt grinder is full of problems. Same for sharpening on one. Fast moving leather strops are both dangerous and foolish, plus they can ruin an edge in less than one second.

You would spend those dollars much wiser getting a big stack of 3M Wet-or-Dry ( or any other good brand, like Ryno-wet) in 400, 800, 1200, and 2500 grit. A pack or two of the 3M polishing papers ( color coded sheets of fiber abrasives from 400-8000) will allow you to mirror polish by hand.
 
Stacy Done exactly as you said. Glad i did. I got 36,60,120,220, and 400. Hand sanding only took ten minutes to get a pretty good satin finish. By far my best so far. I have probably 30 boxes of 3 m wet dry from 80 grit up to 2000 left over from my pool cue building days. I will never use them up making knives lol. So that saved me a bunch, and abled me to buy more belts i need.

O yea picked up a smith sharpening system at lowes. Its got coarse and fine diamond. Stones. I took and wrapped the Fine stone with 1000 and then 2000 grit sandpaper. After that hit it with some compound on a leather strop . Bam a mirror finish on the edge.
 
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