OK, some advice. First, and formost. Don't beat up on yourself for not getting it perfect the first time. Look at your first few steps (and all others after) as valuable learning experiences, not failed attempts at perfection.
I start with a 36 grit belt. Makes quicker work in hogging off steel. You could also go with a 60. I usually reserve 120 for after I've got all the bevels ground in and am just cleaning up the scratch patterns from the previous belts. I then go to 220, 400, then hand sand 220,400, and maybe 600 or higher.
Some other thoughts. Its a good idea to mark the centerline of your edge. It can also be helpful to use a sharpie to mark in where you want your grind lines to be.
I grind edge up, and alternate sides with every pass. This helps keep things even which helps avoid warping later on. I dip in water every few passes to keep it cool. I look to see how I am doing after every other pass or so. I apply more pressure on the edge side or the back side of the blade to move the bevel which ever way it needs to go.
You are right to get a platten (metal backing) behind your belt, its essential.
If you want to speed up the learning curve, get yourself some wood the same thickness as the steel you want to work with and practice on that. It goes a lot faster, and you can get the hang of it pretty quick.
Just don't give up. Making knives rocks!
And keep watching this forum and posting questions.
Ed
OK! I got home from work, got a piece of scrap steel and started attempting for the first time, putting a bevel on it. MAN DO I SUCK! i swear, a monkey could do better work. Its nasty! Thankfully i didnt put it on my profiled knife yet. im a perfectionist, so i refuse to suck at this (since im a new maker). Thus, since i like action with complaint, heres my plan. my belt is a one inch with slack... im gonna make a metal plate that can run behind it so theres no more slack. secondly, the belt is a 120 grit. im thinkin ill get a 6 grit or smaller and try that so it takes fewer passes. please hit me up with some advice here. (i tried doing it on the disc portion of the sander and it flipped the steel out of my hands.... fearing for my feet, i stopped that!)
if you know what I mean.Learning to get a good crisp clean grind is not as easy as one would think,if you have a opertunity to go to another makers shop and watch him (her) you will takes months off the learning curve,A 1X30 is not much belt to work with in the first place so I suggest smaller blades to start with.
Thank you! You have made so many of us smile. We've all shared this feeling - and it keeps coming back. There is some excellent tecnical advice above. I was going to suggest hand filing the bevels as an option till you get a platen worked out but then I noticed your username. If you have CTS that is not an option. (or at best a painful one).