Question for knife makers

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Scotty

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Aug 27, 2007
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317
Location
Blacksburg, VA, USA.
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?
 
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frank123

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Feb 5, 2012
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Colorado
Try the ceramic (orange or purple) ones, I've had best luck using these, the Zircona ones work well too.

Expect to pay more.
 

skiprat

Passed Away Mar 22, 2022
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Oct 19, 2006
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In a Skip in Wales
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:
 

More4dan

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Mar 17, 2016
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2,102
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Katy, TX
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




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