What kind of belts?

A

AlphaMoose

Joined
Sep 1, 2016
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Hey all,
Looking forward to picking up where I left off so long ago as soon as this deployment reaches its end. In the meantime I've been busy making designs and explaining my tool needs to my (unbelievably supportive and understanding) wife.
I have decided on the KMG grinder setup, but as a belt grinder is not a luxury I was ever able to previously afford I am in the dark on belts.
Right now I'm planning on getting a fair whack of the Norton Blaze belts, unless someone has a reason to go with something else. I was also going to get grits in 36/60/80 and 120. I figured above 120 hand sanding will do the trick. Does anyone utilize 220 belts? Perhaps they are superior for the secondary bevel cutting.
Again, thank you for the input! Can't wait to get some blades made soon.
 
There are multiple ways you can take this depending on the finish you are looking for, me myself believe in (as blasphemous as it may be to some people) minimising hand work as much as possible to keep the cost down for the end user.

However sounds like you want to hand sand. I will tell you what I do, this is my belt progression 60 grit Norton Blaze -> 120 grit Norton Blaze -> x100 Norax belt -> x45 Norax belt -> x30 Norax belt. Then it is sent off to heat treat, since I use vacuum heat treatment it usually comes back with a very slight yellowish coating and I just go over it again with x30 Norax belt.

After it's all done it is a 600 grit belt satin finish. I'm usually happy with this others will mirror polish or stonewash or whatever but I never liked those finishes. Some people just take it up to 120 grit finish and use a scotch-brite belt on it, I want to try this but I can't get scotch brite belts from my local supplier (New Zealand) and shipping from USA is bit too expensive.

For hand sanding (for one knife I did a hand rubbed finish) I took it up to x45 grit then went to 120 grit hand sanding because you want to start on a finer scratch to help you see all scratches easier. Also just a tip for hand sanding, if you want a 600 grit hand rubbed satin go all the way up to 800 grit get it shiny for a 800 then bring it back down to 600.

Hope all that made sense.
 
Awesome, thank you for the advice! So you do your initial grinding at 60 huh? Maybe the 36 is simply too aggressive then? And I do plan on trying out the scotchbrite belts. I'm just worried about getting that dreaded "melted lines" look.
 
most people seem to use 36/50/60 for the initial roughing and major removal. i went with 36 just because i assumed it would be faster. using 36 you have to stop sooner and switch to the next grit up, because the scratches are very deep. 220 will remove some metal, but for me its for tuning up and smoothing things out. for example if your edge is at .030" after heat treat and you want it at .018 before switching to the higher grits, it will take you awhile using 220. i consider 120 the highest i would go for any kind of shaping. i start with 120 after heat treat. thats my approach, everyone has slightly different methods. remember the higher the grit, the more friction on the blade, make sure to lower your belt speed at 320/400 grit. the possibility of your edge turning blue from over heating (and ruining the heat treat in that spot) goes up. good luck !
 
I start at 60 grit, for just that reason--the 36 gets you some really deep scratches, and I can move all the metal I need with a 60--Redbate also gives a methodology I use, which is to take my blade finish all the way up to 800 grit and back down to 600 if that is where I want to end up--I'm still working on a protocol for mirror finishes, I get a pretty good one by sanding to 400 on the grinder, then on my sanding jig by hand up to 2500 and then buffing. I'll tell you a good idea to start, is to call Tru-Grit and talk to one of their guys, and get him to recommend a selection--they'll talk you through your desires and are really knowledgeable and helpful.

Good luck--Don
 
I have 220, 360, 400 (for sharpening) and smoothing all the way up to 600. You'll see with your touch you'll have polished results up to there.
 
You can go straight from a 36 to a 60 to a 120 and fully erase the deeper scratches w/ each grit no problem... But make sure you don't "over grind" or everything will get too thin :)
 
while Norton Blaze seem to be all the rage, they are twice the price of zirconia Norton Norzon or similar belts from Deerfos or VSM . The same is true when comparing them to Merit or VSM ceramic. I work with thin stock, 3/32" or less, and start with 60 or 80 grit and then move to 100, 180 then 220. Norton zirconia belts go to 220 grit. Deerfos makes J weight ceramic to 220. these belts can also be used wet.
one thing I do is 'break the edge' by draw filing with a 12" or 14" mill B file before grinding. I have several 12" files from Snap-On/Bahco that let me start the bevel in just a few minutes a side.
an aside, I have a couple hundred shares of Norton/Saint Gobain stock, so buy Blaze.
scott
 
Yeah, I find that using a 36 grit belt the grits just fly off the belt 60 grit just works for me but everyone will tell you one thing or another.
 
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