Proud owner of a Basic 9!!

PeterPHWS said:
..... I am now trying to find some special finishing belts to polish edges so I can improve their longevity ...... just need the belts to micro polish the convex side .... ;)
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The micro belts work, but I don't think they offer great bang for the buck as they tend to wear out too fast and need to be replaced to fast.

I recommend leather belts with compound. :thumbup:

Peter, don't you have a 1"x30"?

If so, can you search your neck of the woods for something like this:

http://www.thewoodcraftshop.com/store/p/3277-SURGI-SHARP-LEATHER-BELT-1-X-30-.html

And some wax stick compounds...... I don't know what to recommend for compounds in the UK. But, I am sure you have seen enough posts on wax compounds to get a feel for what to look for. If not, let me know. I can try to help.

Compound grit to colors can vary per maker. So, without specifying a specific brand of compound, I get learry of discussing and referring to by color.

But, keep in mind that "POWER" stropping with a leather belt on a belt sander is WAY faster than stropping by hand. So, while I might use black compound when stropping by hand, I find black to be to aggressive on my leather belts. Even green is fast. I tend to stick with pretty fine compounds when using a belt sander and compounds on a leather belt. But, "FAST" sharpening along with the edge I get is GREAT by me. :thumbup:

Leather belts with compound can provide a "Mirrror" finish edge VERY fast.

- Always use the same compound per side of belt.
- Never leave a leather belt on the machine as the belts will stretch and get too loose.
- Never power strop edge first into leather belts.

Just turn the belt on and hold the wax compound stick onto the belt. The color of the wax will color coat the belt very fast. Apply more as needed.

In a pinch, the rougher inside of the belt can be used for one grit (coarser grit) and the smoother outside of the belt can be used for finer grits. - 2 belts up to 4 grits is more than needed.

I still use abrasive cloth belts for modifying and reprofiling. But, once I have a blade the way I want, the leather belts with compound ROCK for edge maintenance and hair popping edges. :thumbup:

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Thanks for this Doug, I do have a 1x30 Sander and have been looking for a supplier of leather belts over here for some time .... cork ones also work well and don't stretch as much .... but I can only easily get these from the States .... I note what you say on the micro belts and will see if I can find the alternatives you suggest ....
 
No I have'nt come across that either .... I am only about 20 miles from Sheffield .... but the amount of available equipment for sharpening knives on sanders here is scant .... either that or the information is well hidden as to where to find it ....
 
GrinderMcgee said:
Ever use the felt stuff on the 1x30?
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I have not yet purchased or try a felt "belt" for my belt sander. But, I have used one as a manual strop I purchased from Hand American - Actually, the owner of Hand American through a felt pad in with my order of some abrasive compounds and I thought the felt pad was perfectly fine when loaded with compound.

I would think a felt "belt" loaded with compound would be similarly pretty decent if made with decent felt.

I don't know how the felt belts are made, but if made with a decent backing, they might not have the problems of stretching like the leather (??????).

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I haven't used one myself, just remember seeing some talk about felt and diamond compounds. I always just use my slack belts and hand strops.
 
GrinderMcgee said:
I haven't used one myself, just remember seeing some talk about felt and diamond compounds. I always just use my slack belts and hand strops.
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I have used some of the diamond sprays from Hand American. I have NO doubt of the ability and quality of the diamond sprays. I noticed "Affects". But, I purchased the VERY "ULTRA" fine 0.25 Micron Diamond spray. On a Belt Sander strop with leather. I don't see much more difference that the effects of just plain leather at that point - The faster moving leather belt being part of the equation. Further, I had to "spray" the leather belt. The spray is engineered to hold the Diamond bits in suspension and has some sort of conditioner in the spray. Very high tech I am sure. But, it is designed for "Hand" strops. On belts, the conditioners in the spray seem to soften the leather. For a manual strop, that might be fine. For a leather belt, I am not sure it is so good. I had to let my belt dry over-night before I could use it. It was VERY floppy when wet. Over time, I wonder if the conditioners might soften the leather belts too much to where they stretch easier (???????)

For a belt sander in particular, if using any compound in a spray form or especially with conditioners, I think if the felt belt were designed right and of good quality, I could see where felt "Might" even be better with certain compounds - particularly liquid types.

But, IMO, the results for field use knifes just do NOT need that fine a diamond. Chromium Oxide or White or Pink compound (which I "think" typically use Chromium Oxide) is MUCH cheaper and gets a SCARRY WICKED Edge on knives.

Similarly, Hand American's Green Chromium Oxide is supposed to be VERY good and it is also VERY fine.

Hand American's Green Chromium Oxide powder is MUCH finer than most vendors Green wax bars. Hence I was saying above about colors not always being the same for various grits.


Chromium Oxide might not last and cut as long as diamond, but it cuts steel and polishes steel VERY well and efficiently enough. Considering how much less the Chromium Oxide powder costs, I would think it is a FAR better bang for the buck with very good end results.

But, compounds in a wax stick/block form are the easiest to apply to a sander type belt. White and Pink (Bark River or JRE compounds) really should be VERY sufficient for getting HIGHLY Polished, VERY sharp edges and VERY fast.

Leather vs. Felt: I like leather, but I think it is best with wax based compounds. I have only used felt manually, but from what I have seen, I would imagine a good quality felt belt would be VERY good and at least more versatile than leather with certain formulations of compounds - since I "Assume" the felt would be less prone to stretching - which results in floppy belts with leather.

For the record, certain belt sanders can handle the stretching better if they have more room for belt tension adjustment. But, most of the 1"x30" Harbor Freight styled belt sanders don't have enough adjustment to take up the slack of a stretched leather belt once stretched.

I have wondered if the belt could be washed and somehow "Re-Shrunk" ???????????

I guess most of the above would require a bit more experimenting.
 
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