Prepare a new cork belt

C

Cliff Davis

Joined
Aug 8, 2007
Messages
298
Is there a proper way to break in a new cork belt prior to use?
I appreciate the help and suggestions.

Cliff
 
LOL
Cliff, wear a hat, full face shield, long sleeves and whatever else you can think of to protect yourself from flying cork!!!! :D

I used to take a piece of scrap steel and run it against the belt (make sure you cover the whole 2" of course) when almost all of the crap quits flying on you the belt is ready.

I'm laughing because it's funny the first time if you're not prepared..... or forget the second and third and fourth. :(
 
Only people I know that have them is Jantz.. Imagine a cork board that is 2x72.... that's it. SR Johnson uses them for a polishing step. You can go from a 60x to a 400x right after HT and you use a cork belt loaded with rouge before buffing or hand rubbing. I used to use cork, now I have rouge loaded on my 400x Gator, I wrote Johnson and he said he was doing something similar.
 
Will Leavitt said:
LOL
Cliff, wear a hat, full face shield, long sleeves and whatever else you can think of to protect yourself from flying cork!!!! :D
Click to expand...
I'm laughing too Will. That is exactly what I thought when I saw it for the first time.

Sam, as Will stated Mr. Johnson uses one in his Making a Sub-hilt fighter video. Certainly looks like something worth trying. I bought mine from Tracy at USA Knife Maker Supply. A great guy to deal with. :thumbup:
http://www.usaknifemaker.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=42&products_id=644
 
When you're buffing with the cork belt you need to wait until the cork polishes the rouge off of the blade. If you stop when you think it's ready with rouge still on the blade you won't be as happy with the polishing, at least that's my experience doing it that way.
 
Just press a piece od scrap steel into the belt,for ten minutes on the clock.seems long but it takes that much time to wear it in.
 
Pop's carries them in varying grits also.

Sam,
They look like a 36 grit pretty much, just with cork chunks instead of AO or whatever. They look scary but once you polish up with them, you'll wonder what you were thinking using others :)
 
Listen to the advice - 10 minutes of break in, no ands, ifs or buts. Even when the big stuff stops coming off, there is still grit that will leave the odd scratch on your blade, use a scrap for 10 minutes and switch sides to get fresh corners.
 
I have been using cork for a while and the thing I like is I take a spray bottle and wet the belt to avoid those evil magic blue spots where the sdge is thin.
 
Cliff Davis said:
I'm laughing too Will. That is exactly what I thought when I saw it for the first time.

Sam, as Will stated Mr. Johnson uses one in his Making a Sub-hilt fighter video. Certainly looks like something worth trying. I bought mine from Tracy at USA Knife Maker Supply. A great guy to deal with. :thumbup:
http://www.usaknifemaker.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=42&products_id=644
Click to expand...


Super grit site has them on sale for $7.50 for 2 x 72s now.

Steve Johnson hosted several long and detailed threads on cork belt polishing several (5or6?) years ago on TKN forum.

The gist of it is to get 800 grit belts and wear off all of the grit with scrap steel and them load the belt with green Chrome rouge and polish away. It works well; and you tend to get this really stylish green tint to your face and other exposed skin.
 
I got these this weekend and you are right about them feeling like 24 grit. Do they get softer as well as less "gritty"? They are really stiff. 800 grit BTW.
 
Yes, they loosen up with time. Just prep as outlined above and they become very pliable.
 
I have to say that the advice provided above was spot on. Thanks to everyone that answered my question.
Here is another benefit I found out this weekend. With the 400 grit belt after prepping it, I was able to smooth out my grinding on the blade prior to HT.
 
I ran the belt for ten minutes with a piece of steel. I'm not sure If I got it right though. Should there be any "shiny" stuff left of the belt surface. Can someone add a picture of what they look like when properly conditioned? What is the test of the conditioning? Should it pretty much mirror finish on its own or do you need compound on it too? I actually ran it backwards for a minute or so too just to get off the extra grit. That seemed to help a bit as well.
 
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