Reusing belts as higher grit?

[Don Hanson III]

After grinding a good number of bevels a 3M 984f 60 grit will profile many many blades and knife parts. It's damned amazing! But a dull belt doesn't act like a finer grit in my shop.

Use em like they're Free!

 

[Willie71]

If you don’t use belts like they are free, they will start costing you much more than the cost of the belt in lost time, burned edges, warps, and general loss of enjoyment in the process. If you look at it from a business perspective, saving money on abrasives is very expensive.

The only way to extend the life of a belt that I’ve found is to use a belt that stops cutting cleanly on a flat platter for profiling on a wheel. Curving around the radius of the wheel exposes a different angle on the abrasive.

 

[DevinT]

Belts are designed to be used at high speeds and high pressure feeds so that they fracture better.

Knife makers use slow speeds and low pressure compared to industry.

Consider using a new belt for handles first, next blade bevels, then profiling blades.

The best use for worn belts is the surface grinder with a solid wheel. I use them this way and can get full life out of a belt. Doesn’t hurt as bad to throw them away after the abrasive is worn down nearly to the backing.

Hoss

 

[LARRYZ10]

I think new belts always cut better and with more control and less mistakes. Why use expensive equipment and then get cheap with the part that actually touches the steel? It's just not worth the tiny savings. Larry

 

[Natlek]

I'm currently using a HF 1x30 belt grinder and their zirconia 40 and 80 belts for hogging and beveling. I've seen some videos where people put on a used belt acting as a higher grit ie: used 40 grit turns into say 80. Anybody see an real world truth to this as a way to stretch life and add some versatility? Or do they end up becoming polishing cloths and generate too much friction? Ok

I have some zirconia belts , but I don t like them at all .They break in different way ......And probably because ceramic belts work much better .Let me tell you something about ceramic belts ..........IF YOU see shine spots on your belts that belt is not used properly .That belt WAS glazed an that mind no good for grinding .And that can happen on FIRST grinding ! Diamond dresser would help but you losing on longevity of belts .My expirience with what you ask is that 40 grit ceramic belts , properly used after many grinded bevel start to give much finer finish .Problem is you MUST slow down belt speed drastically .BUT in no way they a good for grinding bevel from start . I use them for light pass in the end of grinding proces to get /to skip tons of hand work , and because I have not new belts with finer grit / very fine surface and for shaping knife after cutting blank .BUT they work excellent , no heat accumulating .Just treat them as finer grit size belts .On first picture is WORN ceramic belts but used per book .I have forget how many bevel on hardened steel I grind on that belt....more then 15 I guess ! You can t see even one glazed ceramic grain .On next picture is currently one I use which have already have done bevel on about 4-5 HSS blade .............like new !!! Speed and pressure , guys .I have speed on my grinders and I have pressure with help of my jig . I try free hand and no way I can apply proper pressure while grinding .......
My warriors...........

 

[Natlek]

Very old Nicholson file / Made in Holland / 6mm thick , tempered on 200 celsius 2x1 hour .
Grinded on 40 grit ceramic in good condition then several light pass on 40 grit worn ceramic and after 15 minutes hand rubbing both side with fine scotch brite pad.............. I like speed and jigs