Trizact Belt Tip

Huntsman Knife Co. LLC.

Huntsman Knife Co. LLC.

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Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
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Sep 10, 2010
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I've been using the 3M Trizact CF belts for years and have been using them incorrectly the entire time. Trizact CF belts are delicate, structured abrasives and are meant to be used with minimal pressure;)

My typical grit progression is 3M Ceramic 50, 120, and then Trizacts 100A, 45A, and sometimes 30A.

When using Ceramic belts, I'm a heavy pressure style grinder. This style is compatible with ceramics which stay sharp through fracturing. Heavy pressure keeps the belts cutting hard and long and creates clean lines. This heavy style quickly becomes muscle memory as you spend dozens of passes hogging off material creating the bevels.

No idea how I didn't realize it, but I've been applying that heavy pressure, muscle memory encoded approach when I switch to the Trizacts. DOH. This has often left my blades with a smeary, uneven finish as the tracks on the belt clog up and get destroyed by the pressure.

I recently started using very light passes and my surface finishes have improved drastically and the belts are lasting much longer. With light pressure, even an A100 finish on 3V looks nice. A 30A finish is dead sexy.

Just thought I would put this out there. :thumbsup:
 
good advice - I'm having a hard time with the opposite - putting enough pressure on ceramic belts to make them work decent. That does leave me doing ok with trizact belts.

Thanks for posting.
 
when i get that wormy grind mess t is always due to the belt smeering the back and loading plasticlike lump on the platen. i jsut clean the platen and get back to grinding
 
you can also extend grit life by using finer grits to line things up, with the coarser grits to remove large even surfaces. It seems that way to me. The first thing I learned with the 2x72 was, "what the hell is this "hogging" on the belts I read about?"
 
Gators are great, but they WILL heat thin stuff up fast if you press too hard!!!! I have recently come to use Gators as "hand sanding time reducers" I just "cross hatch" with 160 and 65 and then drop right into 400 grit EDM stones, 400 grit Rhinowet paper and then go from there. Interestly, to my eye a 65 micron Gator looks like it leaves a finer finish than a fine Scothbrite.
 
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Good advice! The other thing that has helped me with the gators is to use a diamond bench grinder dressing tool often to keep them fresh and even. I think some guys use a section of worn 36 grit belt as well.
 
I use one of the Desmond belt dressers with the wire bristle wheel on them. It freshens them up like new in seconds. I'm still on the gators I bought 3 or more years ago, and I only bought two of each grit.
Like any abrasive they are great for some things and horrible for others.
 
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