What's the longest lasting belt for rough grinding?

Seeing as I too use hard, high alloy steels, I will probably stay with what I know, for now. Might buy a sample pack to try, though.
 
Crag the Brewer said:
I tried them once when I first started out, I didn't like them.
But I generally work with Very Hard steels, and higher alloy.
Also since i was a rookie, maybe I wasn't pressing hard enough? All the still I was unimpressed at the time.
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navman navman

Oops. I want to retract may statement. (I think?)
I'm at work now.
It might of been Red Label that I didn't like? Sorry for the confusion!

I have been using VSM ceramic, they are ok/good.

I want to try more Cubritron's I've read great things about them. SEEDY recommends some in a semi recent post for hand grinding. I'll have to dig out what version.... apparently they break down quicker, more evenly, don't glaze. with low/hand grinding pressure
* But I think I only found them at one source that I haven't bought from yet....
Wish I could get ALL my stuff from just a couple places!
 
Some people tried the new RazorStar belt and liked it. IIRC, it needed less pressure to cut well and break down the grains? Actirox, RazorStar, Cubitron 3's, etc have all come out in the past few years and seem better geared to knife makers who hand grind versus using machinery to grind blades.
 
Taz said:
Some people tried the new RazorStar belt and liked it. IIRC, it needed less pressure to cut well and break down the grains? Actirox, RazorStar, Cubitron 3's, etc have all come out in the past few years and seem better geared to knife makers who hand grind versus using machinery to grind blades.
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In my experience the razorstar belts need significant pressure to break down, their product brochure makes it look like they are geared toward automated grinding or heavy pressure applications. They worked great for profiling or on a surface grinder but I prefer some of the VSM lines like 880 or 885 for freehand grinding bevels.
 
Ah, ok! I may have gotten the new belts confused? There are so many out there! I usually use the 880 or 885 as well
 
I just received some new belts including Razorstar 36 grit and a Blaze 980P in 24 grit. Haven't tried them yet, but if they work as I expect I'm guessing I can double the time I spend hand sanding...
 
Richard338 said:
I just received some new belts including Razorstar 36 grit and a Blaze 980P in 24 grit. Haven't tried them yet, but if they work as I expect I'm guessing I can double the time I spend hand sanding...
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Double the time hand sanding???

Or cut in half?
 
I was joking that it will double. I can only imagine what 24 grit scratches will look like. Luckily I got some 50 and 80 to clean up.
 
C_Claycomb said:
Anyone tried Norton Razorstar?
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Yes! Great belt. Eats metal like crazy and lasts longer that I expected. I have never had a single knife making buddy of mine like Norton Blaze belts. Neither do I. I was astonished at the positive reviews I read when I opened this thread. They last about one blade, maybe a second and that’s it…..I’m just polishing steel at that point. I like Cubitron and some VSM belts for stock removal. Headed to Pops in a week or two and will try a few more Razorstars.

I run my ceramic belts fast when rough grinding @ 50 grit, as you should. The Blazes just don't have that “new belt bite” for me and I’ve often wondered why. Of course, we all grind differently and my technique might very well be why it doesn’t work for me.
 
REK Knives said:
I go straight from 36 to 120 and have had zero issues.
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Not being a jerk by any means but HOW ….enlighten me please. When I started out 43 years ago I started at 60-80 grit and transitioned to 120’s , 220’s, 400, then to 600. Whole lotta steps and I could mess up at any step.

If I see anything new and practical that makes sense, I’m all ears. I’d love to hear your technique on going from 36->120.
 
The sheer amount of details that knifemakers have to juggle seems like nightmare fuel to me.

Granted, it doesn't get much cooler than making knives but I'm never not gobsmacked at the plethora of information you fellas maintain.

If I ever make knives I'm buying blanks!
 
Fresh 120's remove a lot of metal quickly. Toss them when they stop cutting quickly! With more wear resistant steels, I go from 36 or 50 to 80 then to 120. Simple carbons or AEB-L/Nitro V type stainless, 36-120 is doable!
 
godogs57 said:
Not being a jerk by any means but HOW ….enlighten me please. When I started out 43 years ago I started at 60-80 grit and transitioned to 120’s , 220’s, 400, then to 600. Whole lotta steps and I could mess up at any step.

If I see anything new and practical that makes sense, I’m all ears. I’d love to hear your technique on going from 36->120.
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Have you tried ceramic structured abrasives? Norton U936. In 120 they cut longer and cleaner than regular 120 ceramic belts.
 
godogs57 said:
Not being a jerk by any means but HOW ….enlighten me please. When I started out 43 years ago I started at 60-80 grit and transitioned to 120’s , 220’s, 400, then to 600. Whole lotta steps and I could mess up at any step.

If I see anything new and practical that makes sense, I’m all ears. I’d love to hear your technique on going from 36->120.
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I use Ceramics for both... currently my favorite belts in both grits are the Actirox for 36 and VSM plus for 120. Like Taz said the 120's are more than sufficient, removing metal quickly (and thus, removing the 36 grit scratches quickly). I actually don't have any grits in between the two and I grind a variety of steels and different grinds (hollow, flat, and convex). I've done M390, Vanax, Cruwear, and S90V. The higher wear steels I don't take above 120 (or 220 at the highest) but I can get a very clean finish w/ no deep 36 grit scratches left without needing an in between belt.

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Even when I take to high finishes like damacore, same progression ( I just follow it with 220 then 400 and then switch to hand rubbing)

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I use the U936 series X65-16 on hardened S90V and other wear resiatant steels and I also have the ceramic Trizact Gators as well in 45 and 30 micron that also do well on the harder steels. I usually go to 120 on vsm ceramics, use some ceramic j flex 120 and 220 to clean up the plunges, then to the ceramic structured belts or compact grain ao belts.
 
godogs57 said:
Not being a jerk by any means but HOW ….enlighten me please. When I started out 43 years ago I started at 60-80 grit and transitioned to 120’s , 220’s, 400, then to 600. Whole lotta steps and I could mess up at any step.

If I see anything new and practical that makes sense, I’m all ears. I’d love to hear your technique on going from 36->120.
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Not sure if it was said....but with coarser ceramic belts break down they get finer cut marks. So at 36 or 50, the belt cuts out deep, coarse scratches on the blade. As you are using the belt more, it breaks down Into less deep peaks, to a higher pattern of progressively finer scratches. If that makes sense.

A 36 doesn't just dull. It kinda turns into a 50, then, an 80, then a.......something finer
*sorta
 
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