Question about shaping handle with hybridwood

[Yayo_Blades]

Good day guys,

I started making my first knife this week. I got my blade profiled, grinded, heated and made a bolster for it. Since it's my first knife, I wanted to make it as a memorable piece. So I bought hybridwood block: http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/product_info.php?products_id=7371&osCsid=v7mgl4agfb2350vjjkbd8a6bu4

Now I have an issue. This things EATS my belts with little to 0 shaping. So I'm thinking, I'm doing something wrong. Can anyone here tell me how exactly do you shape this wood and with what tools?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Burl Source]

From looking at the knifekits site I would think this should work like stabilized wood.
I would suggest rough shape by cutting on bandsaw, followed by wood rasp or just go straight to coarse grit belt starting with 36 or 60 grit.
Starting with too fine of grit belts will just trash the belts.

 

[Rhinoknives1]

ALso use A/O Belts not Ceramic for all handle materials. Sharp fresh belts or you can burn the Resins & wood.

Here is my method, Bandsaw to tang profile. Taper & swell into a coke bottle or whatever grip contour I am doing on that one with a 40 Grit A/O Belts, I like the Hermes, inexpensive and work well.

Then clean up all of the deep scratches with a Hermes 120 Grit Superflex belt, Take the very front up to a 600 belt on the machine, then 1000 by hand where its going to meet the bolster. Then mount the scales, Liners with Epoxy and whatever pins or mechanical you are using. I like Loveless style bolts.

After it has cured for 24 hr I finish Sculpting the handle with the same grit belts and hand sanding mentioned.

Stay safe & Have Fun!

 

[Yayo_Blades]

Thanks guys! The lowest AO grit belt I have with me is 120 grit and that barely sanded the cut side of the wood (guessing it got burnt by cutting it in half?). So you can see I was surprised.

I will go to the shop today and get file some files and rasps or should I wait and order Hermes belts order? and In mean time work on another knife

 

[Yayo_Blades]

Finished my first knife. Most of it was done by hand. In the pictures, I didn't show the imperfections (it's my first knife, of course there's imperfections )
Thanks for all the help lads.