techinque for using 3m regalite belts?

RHINOKNIVES

RHINOKNIVES

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May 6, 2000
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hey you 3m lovers out there. i just talked to the nice people at trugrit supply and they told me that they have become 3m distributors for 3m abrasives. they are starting a promo with a discount on the 977's 966's etc. now i have tried these before and could not get more than a knife or two, flat grinding. do you 3m belt, die hards have any tips on getting the most out of these?
 
light pressure? hard? i have been using the norton 36g, but the price they are running is the best i've ever seen. on the 3m 963 36g, belts they are selling for $6.25 and if you buy 50 it go's down to $6.00 a belt. on the 977 36g, belts $6.65 each or $6.35 for 50. thats less than the norton 36g, so if i could get some tips i will buy 50. thanks
 
I use the 977's, and I flat grind at 3600 SFM with fairly hard pressure. I found that I can get a lot of knives out of them, but the after an initial break in, they cut a lot slower than aluminum oxide belts. They continue to grind for a long time though, just slower after the break in. That's why I get 36-grits. After the initial break in, they grind like 50's or 60's and last a long time.
 
I think the key to 977s is high speed, and high pressure. This is needed to cause the grit to fracture and expose fresh cutting edges.
Low speed and mild pressure will make the belts seem worn out when they really aren't. Tom Lewis
 
From my limited experience with them, I would agree that the 36 grit seems to last a very long time at higher speeds and with fairly good pressure. Why don't you just get a smaller amount and make absolutely sure they are what you want Laurence, before getting a whole batch of 50 that you wind up hating. Just my .02.
 
hi peter, i only ordered 5 of each and a few finer grits. this sell inculdes all of the 3m belts & paper.
 
I spoke to a good freind of mine about the 977 belts. He is a 3M rep. and we talked about the life of the belts. The higher speed will make the belts last longer. But take a old belt and start the blade grind to knock the sharp edge off the steel first. Then install a new or better belt to flat or hollow grind your blade. John Stout uses this belt method in his hollow grinding video.

Best regards
Jeff P
 
Hi yall we run them at 7400 sfm and they cut till you hit canvas. We had a guild meeting at Wayne Hendrix's shop and when I looked in his trash can I seed a handful being thrown away. When I asked for them he said what are you going to do with them since they are worn-out. I told him profile, He laughed, but the cavelady has profiled a couple hundred blades with them. I finally quit telling him about my 8in. drive pulley since I can get his "wore-out" belts. Run them till the canvas screams and ketches afire. GenO
 
Wow!!! At 7400sfpm I'll bet it's exciting if one breaks! My Square Wheel hauls butt at 4600sfpm. I can't even imagine 7400.
 
I've never had one break, 7400spm is fast but I can't imagine profileing with anything slower personally. Believe me I use Wells Lamont work gloves, a bucket of water beside me and a dust mask.Just watch the tracking.I'm scribeing patterns this week but after that's through (thank god for back braces)it'll be sparks flying. We do this outside year round and since it's cold it does keep me pretty warm!! Cavelady
 
Cavelady? You mean GenO makes you do the hard part, and stand out in the cold too? I hope he appreciates what a gem of a lady he has there...
 
Hi Jerry, oh yeah he tells me I'm a walking vision every day.:D and thank you for the compliment!! I just really like to profile, it's fun. :)
 
yes speed seems to make a big diff, i made a dagger for a customer today using a worn 963G-36 grit to profile ans a new on to vertical grind the flats. cranked it up to about 3/4 of the way on my hardcore variable. things get hot fast at this speed. had to up the dunks per minutie. to keep from burning the steel.
 
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