Thread: Belts

Ok, so let me start out by asking that you ONLY comment on what you have first hand experience with, not hear-say (I have enough of that already).

Anyway, I'm looking at getting a variety of belts for when I get my grinder in about a week. Lots of options obviously. I suppose my question has lots of aspects:

-what belts do you enjoy using for razors
-what belts do you think work poorly for razors
-what grits do you consider necessary/frivolous
-any specific comments on trizact, trizact gator, j-flex, zirconia, regular AO

-Also, anyone know the difference between the Norton R980 Blaze and Norton R981 Ceramics?

-Lastly, what supplier do you like? Lots of places have very different prices I've noticed but also lots of different selection. Do you usually go with just one supplier who has everything you need regardless of price?

Thanks!

Supplier is easy: US Knife Makers!, Operated by a knifemaker for knifemakers!. His prices are really, really good, and he ships very fast. Great guy to work with.

I have experimented with Norton Blaze belts, Norton ziconia belts, Norax belts, cork belts, and Scotchbrite belts.

In the Blaze belts, I've used the 36 grit and the 120 grit. The 36 grit is amazing for profiling blades. You can hog out a razor's profile in a few minutes. When I was doing stock removal, I could get 20 or more profiles from one 36-grit belt. Sure, it was pretty worn, but it still cut.

For the actual grinding, I prefer the ziconia belts. They're much cheaper and don't last as long, but I find that I want a really sharp belt for hollow grinding. The Blaze belts cut longer, but at three times the price I'd want them to stay sharper at least three times longer, and they don't seem to. Instead I use a ziconia for two blades, then get a new one.

I usually start with a 60 grit, then move to 120 and 240. Then I use the Norax belts for finishing. Cork belts loaded with chromium oxide are a lot of fun, too.

Josh

I can't comment on the belts but I can say that Tracy is a great guy to do business with, I've purchased several things from USA Knifemaker Supply and was more than satisfied with the transactions in every way.

I buy all my belts from Tru-Grit. I use the 60 grit Blaze for profiling and roughing in. To me, 36 is too rough, but lots of guys like them. I've found the Blaze belts hold up and stay sharp longer than anything else I've used in this grit, including the Norton Hogger, which the Blaze is a direct descendant of. For 120 grit, I still use the Hogger. My favorite belt I've found so far in 220 is the Regalite ceramic. I use aluminum oxide 400 grit; typically a RB406 J-Flex. Same for 600 grit. For 800 and 1200 grit, the best I've found are Norax belts, followed by 3M 9micron. There are lots of choices, but those work for me.

I buy belts from Tru-Grit, Pop's, and Bader. The Blaze is good stuff for really ripping material off. I use 24 grit-36 grit when I want to get some work done, then downshift to 60 grit in Regal.

Make some sparks. light a pant leg on fire, don't just tickle it. LOL

where can I findbelts fo2"x123" belt grinder. I have an oppurtunity to buy one w/ dual head for 300$, dont know the brand, but from the pics it looks like it was made back when they used to know how to make things, havent approached the seller yet, just trying to get some info/input/advice from you guys first. tried websites suggested for belts, nothing in that length.

since original post I have found suppliers, still would like any input/advice on this type machine.

Mate,

Any of the major players can supply belts in unusal lengths (it's unusual widths that are difficult), the suppliers i deal with are in australia, so they're not much use to you... but get onto your local bloke and ask about cutting and joining belts in the length you want.

Typically they will have abrasive belt on large rolls that they can cut and join to any length you order... trouble is you usually have to order 12 or more belts at a time to warrant the time spent cutting and joining.

You will probably have to go to a specialist industrial abrasive supplier rather than a knfe making supplier... the bloke i deal with here sells only abrasives and is great to deal with... he's forgotton more about this kind of thing than I can ever hope to remember.

If you dont have any luck... i can get them made here and send them to you... but it's american made belt... so you must be able to get it done there much much cheaper than that.

Greg Frazer

Nun, try Bader. Stephen Bader & Co., Inc. - Manufacturer of quality belt grinders, polishing and finishing equipment

I think you mean a 2 x 132 inch belt. These also come in 3 inches wide and Bader makes a very nice size grinder so they have the belts too. Sometimes MSC or ENCO will get long belts like that.

A long belt has more time to cool down on the revolution. When the belt gets hot the glue holding the abrasive on the belt loses its abrasive stuff quicker. Plus the big units have more HP on the motor and you get more material removed.

Hey Nun,

Like what was said earlier you can get the belts made into any length you want but for odd sizes and a small run you may have to pay a tad more. When I lived near abilene texas a couple of us knifemaker had custom made belt grinders made by the same guy using a 2"X144" belt. We would get together and order our belts at the same time for a larger order to save a little cash. It wasn't that much more expensive but a little. We ordered from tru-grit then. Now I have a grinder from beaumont metal works and don't have to worry about custom ordering belts.