What belts to buy for 2 x 72 ? 8 or 10" wheel?

[SRHooM]

Hello, I am a new member and long time knife lover! I have been making my own knives for the past year or so.
I am using a Harbor Freight 1x32 as of right now but I am looking to upgrade.
I have done much searching and looking around and would like to ask a couple specific questions to any fellow knife makers. The blade material will be 1090 1/4" & AEB-L 1/8" aswell as Martica & titanium.

#1 I'm planning on getting the KMG-PL 3-speed grinder. I really love the frame and will upgrade to a larger motor and VFD in the future if needed. I will be doing doing all flat and convex grinding and possibly nightmare grind. So should I also get a contact wheel for stock removal or any other reason & if so what size 8", 10" or smaller?

#2 What belts should I all buy?
I was gonna get Cubitron 80 & 120 aswell as Klingspor jflex 120,220,400 & 800. Should I also get Gator belts in 280, 380 & 600? anything else?
I would just like to run a set or proven belts. Also I plan on acid & stone washing all of my blades. So I don't want waste time on higher grits if its not needed. Although I would also like a completely smooth grind less acid & stone wash finish in the end.

#3 Finally, what about sharpening. A wicked edge just isn't in the budget. Can I free hand it on the grinder? If so what belts? I was gonna get "3M 2x72 307EA Trizact" 1000 & 2000 then strop on leather.

 

[LARRYZ10]

I have wheels from 1/2 inch(small wheel attachment) to 14 inches and the wheel I use most is the 8 inch. I started with a 10 inch wheel but I like deep hollow grind that look so good so the 8 inch is for me. The belts you will try yourself and buy them one or a few at a time. Cubitron belts are great and I like Norton products for the rest and I use a couple gator belts too. I like Norax from USA knifemakers supply in the X100 up to the x5 which is roughly 220 grit to 1500 grit I believe. Again , you have to try them yourself. Lastly, sharpening is something that everyone does a different way. I finish my edges on an inexpensive harbor freight 10 x 30 inch belt sander with 220 or 320 to start and I do not usually go past 600 grit before I have a pretty sharp knife. Some guys can make a career out of sharpening and that is ok but I stop when the blade will cut a piece of copy paper cleanly. You can shave your forearm with a reasonably sharp blade but that is not the best test of an edge in my opinion....but that doesn't stop me from doing it . Half he fun is doing it your way after some trial and error. Use what you have at first until you see something better and have the finance to try it. These are just my OPINIONS after a lot of trial and error so ask some other guys what they like and what kind of knives they make. Most of my knives look like they have been chromed when I finish and my buffer gets so hot that I stand next to it the winter HA.

 

[quint]

Belts you gotta try some out and see how they work for you. Take a little time reading a few of the threads on this subject then I would get a sampling of the belts and see what works best.

My one suggestion is if your doing stock removal on 1/4" steel get some of the lower say 36 to 60 grit. You will want something to really take off the metal (atleast in my experience). I personally like to forge what I can now and my main goal Ive set for myself (when practical) is to forge as close as possible so that I grind as little as I can. I really dont like grinding forever myself. I would rather move onto the hand sanding and handle work after I am done forging.

Oh and Ive got a 8" as well. What I got initially. Ive got one of Nathans plattens that is shaped for a 48 or 60" or something like that just need to set it up.