Leather Belt?/I'm in love with my grinder!

[Omega Leather Works]

I have the hide, I just need some ideas on how to secure the ends.

Staples? Glue? Sewing?

What about length? I know it depends on the leather, but how long would you make a belt for a 1x30? I'm thinking as tight as I can fit on the machine to allow for stretching. Gotta figure out how to measure that though...

Any ideas welcome!

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Instead of making another thread I'll just say here...

I am absolutely falling in love with my belt grinder.

Backing up two seconds... I was bored and decided to take my SCHF1 out and inspect the edge that I had put on it. It came with a hideously obtuse bevel which I spent a year knocking back with a 120 grit Edge Pro stone. Looking at it I wasn't happy at all. I mean, yes it would do the job, but it was far from pretty.

So since I've been toying with my 1x30 for the last week or so I decided to apply what I've learned and try completely reprofiling this blade. It's a pretty thick and long blade, a pretty tedious job by hand.

So out I went with a large container of water for cooling and good intentions.

The equipment was the previously mentioned 1x30 Delta belt grinder with a worn 220 grit belt and steady hands. Method was, edge down, about 1/2" above the platen, making certain that nothing ever got hot, and never running the tip more than half way across the belt.

I tried really hard to get some decent pics, but I couldn't find any light that made the edge look right.

I'll post what pics I DO have, but let me tell you, the edge is easily one of the better ones I've ever created.

It's sooo easy to develop a perfect full length burr. I've never been able to do it this well in any other instance. You can kind of see the burr in this pic.

Very small, but it runs the whole way down. I used a sharpie while doing this and it was an indispensable tool. An absolute must.

I'm sure you can tell, but if not, I'm very excited about this. The little machine went from knife destroying evil voodoo... thing... - to- Top of the list (interest wise) in my sharpening arsenal.

I'm really wanting to try some good high quality belts for serious sharpening. Playing with the above knife is one thing, but I need a decent belt, and practice before I throw my Sebenza at it.

Any recommendations for belts?

Anyone else crazy about a 1x30?

 

[BluntCut MetalWorks]

Nice job Strig! You're falling into that slippery slop toward knife making addiction - join me man

A few months back, I made a 1x30 horsebutt leather belt. Cut an old 1x30 belt along the join > match length & join angle. Cut 1" length of soft-belt, strip away abrasive. Taper the leather at joins (more like a notch) so the join will be at the same height as the rest. Epoxy (g/flex or something tough) them together. I tried to use diff join materials & glues but the above worked best. Yup, it's still working but I don't like leather buff anyway. Or save the trouble and buy a leather belt.

 

[pjwoolw]

I'm really enjoying the felt belt I got recently. Cheaper than leather IIRC and in most cases leaves a better edge and polish. I'm using my leather belt on garden and hand tools now.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Nice job Strig! You're falling into that slippery slop toward knife making addiction - join me man

A few months back, I made a 1x30 horsebutt leather belt. Cut an old 1x30 belt along the join > match length & join angle. Cut 1" length of soft-belt, strip away abrasive. Taper the leather at joins (more like a notch) so the join will be at the same height as the rest. Epoxy (g/flex or something tough) them together. I tried to use diff join materials & glues but the above worked best. Yup, it's still working but I don't like leather buff anyway. Or save the trouble and buy a leather belt.

Great instructions. I think I have some epoxy that'll work. It's very strong stuff I've used on leather a few times.

You're right about the knife making. If only I had a few items I'd be on it!

What do you use for grinding? Do you have access to 220v?

I'm really enjoying the felt belt I got recently. Cheaper than leather IIRC and in most cases leaves a better edge and polish. I'm using my leather belt on garden and hand tools now.

I'm trying to make do with materials that I have on hand.

 

[uncledog57]

Instead of making another thread I'll just say here...

I am absolutely falling in love with my belt grinder.

Backing up two seconds... I was bored and decided to take my SCHF1 out and inspect the edge that I had put on it. It came with a hideously obtuse bevel which I spent a year knocking back with a 120 grit Edge Pro stone. Looking at it I wasn't happy at all. I mean, yes it would do the job, but it was far from pretty.

So since I've been toying with my 1x30 for the last week or so I decided to apply what I've learned and try completely reprofiling this blade. It's a pretty thick and long blade, a pretty tedious job by hand.

So out I went with a large container of water for cooling and good intentions.

The equipment was the previously mentioned 1x30 Delta belt grinder with a worn 220 grit belt and steady hands. Method was, edge down, about 1/2" above the platen, making certain that nothing ever got hot, and never running the tip more than half way across the belt.

I tried really hard to get some decent pics, but I couldn't find any light that made the edge look right.

I'll post what pics I DO have, but let me tell you, the edge is easily one of the better ones I've ever created.

It's sooo easy to develop a perfect full length burr. I've never been able to do it this well in any other instance. You can kind of see the burr in this pic.

Very small, but it runs the whole way down. I used a sharpie while doing this and it was an indispensable tool. An absolute must.

I'm sure you can tell, but if not, I'm very excited about this. The little machine went from knife destroying evil voodoo... thing... - to- Top of the list (interest wise) in my sharpening arsenal.

I'm really wanting to try some good high quality belts for serious sharpening. Playing with the above knife is one thing, but I need a decent belt, and practice before I throw my Sebenza at it.

Any recommendations for belts?

Anyone else crazy about a 1x30?

Follow this old BF link. This man is a grinder guru. He tells you what to buy exactly. I did and am having a fabulous time with my grinder! I'm turning out mirror edges in minutes. It takes me longer to change belts then it does to sharpen and changing my belts is really easy!!

 

[BluntCut MetalWorks]

...What do you use for grinding? Do you have access to 220v?

Craftman 2x42 with modified platen (mostly cut-off the excess). I put in a 220V 20AMP dongle at the main switch and plug in my 220v evenheat oven on a cart - yep my portable ht solution. I don't own this place so can't pull a permanent wire. 3 x 220V outlets for the house is not ideal (can be dangerous) for the oven or other 220v knife power tools.

 

[Bigfattyt]

I took a group of scouts and showed them how to take a butter knife dull fixed blade to shaving sharp in about 2 minutes or so with my 1x30.

One belt grit, 5 or 6 quick passes per side, and a few licks per side on the loaded strop and it would shave.



The first time you re-profile a big chopper with one, you just can't believe it did not take you days and days!

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Craftman 2x42 with modified platen (mostly cut-off the excess). I put in a 220V 20AMP dongle at the main switch and plug in my 220v evenheat oven on a cart - yep my portable ht solution. I don't own this place so can't pull a permanent wire. 3 x 220V outlets for the house is not ideal (can be dangerous) for the oven or other 220v knife power tools.

Sounds like what I was thinking. My problem is my motor (if I remember correctly) is 3 phase. I guess the best thing to do would be to try to trade it for something more residential friendly.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

The first time you re-profile a big chopper with one, you just can't believe it did not take you days and days!

Hence this thread. My knife may not be a chopper, but the edge length and grind were close enough for the epiphany.

So I've done a couple more knives and I'm truly struggling to figure out why we don't talk about these more.
In snooping around I've come across several theories. More than once, and by upstanding individuals, I've read that misinformation was (is?) propagated by parties who have a vested interest in dismissing the idea that such an inexpensive and easy to use method exists. According to those who make this claim, it's been erroneously stated that using an inexpensive 1x30 is a fast trip to damaged and destroyed knives.

Others say that Internet culture makes misinformation by people that have little or no experience easy to convey.

I'm not sure about anything but I CAN pinpoint some of my previous concerns.

1. Fear of over heating.

2. Fear of over grinding.

3. Unsure about technique.

4. Unsure about how to set it up (which belts to buy).

Those 4 things were enough for me to dismiss the idea completely.

I'm still not sure about #4, and I'm learning #3.

All I can say is, if you have relatively steady hands and decent eyesight I absolutely recommend you give this a shot. Do a little reading, watch some videos, etc..., but, especially if you already have the grinder, try it.

I'm blown away.

 

[Noctis3880]

I don't think it's that different from any other sharpening system in the sense that there is no substitute for practice.

Speaking of which, I'm still waiting for my 1x42 Kalamazoo .

 

[Omega Leather Works]

I agree that practice will be necessary and you'll get better results the more you do so.

What sets it apart for me is (so far) two critical differences.

1. It's fast.

I mean crazy ridiculous fast. I think this is where the detractors will say that it's overly dangerous. It's true that the speed opens up the possibility for quickly made mistakes. However, so far I believe that danger can be mitigated to the point of relative safety for your knife. Yes, you'll need to be careful, yes, you'll need to practice, but the results are fairly amazing. For me.

2. It opens the door to true convex edges.

I enjoy the edges I get from the edge pro. I also enjoy the quasi-convex edges that I make by rounding v-grind shoulders, but I've never been able to get true factory style convexed edges the way I am now.

Keep in mind that when I say factory style I don't mean factory quality. I'm finding that refining is possible, on carbon steels, with a strop. The burr came right off the knife that I pictured with ChromOx, and the edge is nicer than nearly any factory edge I've received.

I'm learning that the degree to which you convex can be changed depending on where you grind on the slack. Close enough to the top wheel gets me, as far as I can tell, a v-grind.

Up until very recently I completely dismissed the little grinder as a viable means to get extremely good edges. That won't happen again. If you're nuts about sharpening, you see it as a hobby, I recommend taking a look.

 

[Sharpnessis]

I agree 100% Strigamort! Nice work!

 

[OHALLUM]

One thing to keep in mind when purchasing belts is that the coarser the belt, the cooler it will be on your knife blade, but the more aggressive it will grind. That is where practice comes in, and paying attention to what is going on. On my Work Sharp (which ain't nuttin but a miniature belt grinder) The starting belt is a 220 grit belt and will put a razor sharp edge on a knife in a hurry. The burnishing belt is a 6000 grit belt, and will heat your knife edge up in a heart beat if you are not paying attention. All this said is to bring to your attention than a boat load of belts in various grits is not really needed. Just some quality belts in the 220 - 400 grit range will get you to where you want to be, along with your stropping belt. A lot of custom knife builders use a belt grinder to make their knives, and some mass producing Mfgs also.

On my Paper wheels for example, the grit wheel is coated with 180 grit silicon carbide powder. Just a 180 grit solid belt in all reality. It does not have the "give" in it to produce a natural convex edge without some intentional work by the operator. It has some wax imbedded into the grit to absorb some of the heat generated by the grinding and nearly eliminates the sparks when using it. The slotted wheel is nothing more than a powered strop that holds some grinding compound to burnish and polish the edge. It is slotted to provide a "fan" effect by blowing air on the blade to keep it cool as you burnish and polish. Generally no additional stropping on a leather strop is needed unless you are using some diamond compound to get a mirror finish and or a "Novelty" edge on your knife for show. Any of these systems will work with some skill, paying attention to details, and of course PRACTICE, AND SOME MORE PRACTICE.

Blessings,

Omar