Sometimes I get frustrated...

Jesse Smith

Jesse Smith

Joined
Dec 2, 2013
Messages
163
Sometimes I get frustrated and think, "I am SO slow at this. I'm never going to be able to make knives fast enough to even pay for my tools."

Then I realize a 36 grit belt should not be polishing the steel, change belts, and kick myself for wasting SO much time thinking that belt was still 'good enough'.

facepalm.gif
 
That is a lesson we all are still trying to remember.

If it cuts really hot, slow, smears or does not seem to be cutting...change to a new belt.
 
I'm still just barely getting to accept this, don't feel alone :-)
a fresh sharp belt is really something wonderful.
 
As a general rule I only use about 50-60% of the grit on any belt for flat grinding, they not only don’t cut as cleanly any more but they build up to much heat and I grind post HT.. the belt then goes in the profiling or other not so important job... use belts as though they are free!......they aren’t, but use like they are because Time & clean grinds are more valuable!:thumbsup:
 
Non-knife makers are always amazed at how many belts I have hanging. Granted, I should go through them and cull the herd more often, but i order a lot of 36-120 belts to keep fresh ones on hand. I'm just glad my wife never goes in my shop.
 
i use new 60 grit belts for wood/micarta handle shaping. i can hog more off faster with out browning or burning. after 2 or 3 handles the belt turns into a bevel belt. after 6 or 7 or bevels ( i use ceramics) it turns into a profiling belt for about 8 or 10 blades. if you profile a blade with a new belt then use it for bevels, you have already stripped off the sharp tips of the individual grits reducing efficiency.
 
Stupid, but it energizes me to know that those thoughts expressed here are mine exactly. It makes me feel less alone and gives me confidence that I may, one day, get better at this. In the meantime, I need a map to find my grinder through the hanging belts!!
 
If you are using low grit cubic structured abrasive belts and they start polishing the steel, you have glazed the belt. This is caused by running them too slow or with too light pressure. They are designed to hog steel and shear the cubes of grit as they do it. This continuously exposes new cutting surfaces. The method of using them is at full speed and with lots of pressure. They need plenty of power to do that, and do not work well on lower power grinders.

They can be restored with a few passes of a diamond dresser, or by grinding on an old coarse sharpening stone.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
If you are using low grit cubic structured abrasive belts and they start polishing the steel, you have glazed the belt. This is caused by running them too slow or with too light pressure. They are designed to hog steel and shear the cubes of grit as they do it. This continuously exposes new cutting surfaces. The method of using them is at full speed and with lots of pressure. They need plenty of power to do that, and do not work well on lower power grinders.

They can be restored with a few passes of a diamond dresser, or by grinding on an old coarse sharpening stone.
Click to expand...

This is so true.. Take a 3M Cubitron 984 36 grit, it cuts ok at low speed but really just dulls the belt. It's a hungry hippo when I give it everything my grinder has at roughly 7000sfpm. The harder you push the more it likes it.
 
Just went through half a 70 foot roll of 3" wide 36 grit AO on my 22" drum sander surfacing carbon fiber. Not steel, but I share the frustration, even when flipping the ribbon end for end to cut in the opposite direction to get a bit more life. Too bad diamond glazes over so fast, as its almost worth it. $40 worth of belt in half day isn't so bad when you amortize it into the price of the product.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
If you are using low grit cubic structured abrasive belts and they start polishing the steel, you have glazed the belt. This is caused by running them too slow or with too light pressure. They are designed to hog steel and shear the cubes of grit as they do it. This continuously exposes new cutting surfaces. The method of using them is at full speed and with lots of pressure. They need plenty of power to do that, and do not work well on lower power grinders.

They can be restored with a few passes of a diamond dresser, or by grinding on an old coarse sharpening stone.
Click to expand...


Great advice. Never knew this!
 
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