When is a belt finished?

S

SamaraVolk

Joined
Apr 17, 2014
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I've been making knives for about a year now. I've developed quite the collection of used belts. I'm curious when people decide to throw away a belt. I know it depends on the belt type. I've got around 10 60 grit used ceramic belts (and others) that just hang in the garage and would like to get rid of some clutter. Thanks
 
A belt is finished for use on a grinder when
- it seems like it is taking to long and to much work to grind
- when it heats up the steel faster

You should notice a change in the surface of the steel quickly when a belt is still good. When you start to think "why is this taking longer" then it is done, at least for steel it still may have a use for other materials for awhile.
 
I stop using a belt when it isn't cutting at a reasonable rate or in the way I want. Some may need re-conditioning or cleaning to get them back to usable. On coarse cubic type belts, I refresh them with a diamond dressing bar. On finer belts, I clean with a rubber stick. If that doesn't do what I want, I stick them in a garbage bag and give them to a friend who is learning. A bag of 50 to 100 belts is a huge deal to him. He doesn't care about grinding time. In my case, a crisp grind and speed are all important. Some belts only last for one knife, others dozens. It all depends on what I am grinding. I purchase belts in dozens so I always have plenty of fresh and sharp belts.


TIP:
My favorite handle shaping/finishing belt are the Klingspor scalloped edge belts I get from Pop's. They leave a perfect finish with no cuts from the edge. The 120 grit will shape a handle fast, and the 400 grit will prepare it for a flawless buffing. I keep some 220's for an intermediate step those tough to sand woods like ringed gidgee and some burls. They will last a long time if only used on handle wood and cleaned regularly with a rubber stick.
 
Don't collect them. When they're worn out - toss 'em.
They're not good for your Karma.
 
Last edited:
When they burnish as much as abrade. You can see it in the surface finish they leave.
 
Avigil said it. When you spend as much time cooling the blade as you do grinding, it's time to change belts.
With 36 grit I go through a progression. When it's sharp I taper tangs. When it begins to loose it's cut I use it to grind bevels. When it gets too dull for that I use it to profile blades.
It's hard to do at first, but throw used up belts away.
 
I find that for higher (finer) grit belts, when they wear out they'll start to "tug" on your blade a bit as you're grinding, whereas fresh belts cut really smoothly without pulling on your blade as you grind. For the fine belts I don't often use them for more than a single blade unless I'm doing smaller knives.

Coarser belts can go more than one blade but for bigger blades I always put on a fresh 40 or 60 belt when doing my rough grinding. After that they go into the "secondary" pile for less important tasks and after that they get their final hurrah as profiling and rough-use belts before they get fed to the sarlac.


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