Scotty
Member
What kind of sanding belt or grinding belt works best for removing metal? I usually end up with aluminum oxide belts but they don't seem to last very long. Is there a brand and/or material that you can recommend?
Question for knife makers
- Thread starter Scotty
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lorbay
Member
The aluminum oxide work ok for me. 2 x 72" is what I use.
Lin
Lin
I have a 1x36. I use aluminum oxide as well. But they dont last real long
Lathemaster
Member
Check out this post
https://usaknifemaker.com/abrasive-belt-basics-what-kind-should-i-buy.html
https://usaknifemaker.com/abrasive-belt-basics-what-kind-should-i-buy.html
As I'm still a very green newbie with knives, ( only one so far ) I'd love to see what you guys have made. :wink:
I certainly can't comment on the quality or best belts to use, but I can tell you that all 72 inch belts aren't 72 inch. I bought some cheap belts to help me with my grinder design. I never measured them and just assumed other belts would be the same but a new batch of mixed belts were too tight for my grinder design and I have had to alter it a bit to accommodate a bigger variation in length. No train smash but a pain at the time. :wink:
I certainly can't comment on the quality or best belts to use, but I can tell you that all 72 inch belts aren't 72 inch. I bought some cheap belts to help me with my grinder design. I never measured them and just assumed other belts would be the same but a new batch of mixed belts were too tight for my grinder design and I have had to alter it a bit to accommodate a bigger variation in length. No train smash but a pain at the time. :wink:
Scotty
Member
Thanks everybody. That link is full of good info. Merry Christmas to you!!
Ceramic if you have the HP to apply lots of pressure to rough grind and hog out the bevels. They require aggressive use to get the most out of them. You have to break down the ceramic grit to get the most life. Zirconium belts work well for lower power grinders and are available in higher grits than the ceramics. Aluminum oxide are for final finishing in higher grits and for shaping and finishing the handles. Order some of each and discover what works well for you. Zirconium may be better for starting out. It requires you to go a bit slower. I'd use 60 or 80 grit for grinding the initial bevels.
With experience you can switch to lower grit ceramics to lower production time.
After making a few consider scoring some Damascus from Alabama Damascus, great steel at a reasonable price. The Damascus makes for a memorable blade and the patter helps hide those minor imperfections in your grind lines.
Danny
Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app
With experience you can switch to lower grit ceramics to lower production time.
After making a few consider scoring some Damascus from Alabama Damascus, great steel at a reasonable price. The Damascus makes for a memorable blade and the patter helps hide those minor imperfections in your grind lines.
Danny
Sent from my iPhone using Penturners.org mobile app
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