Considering its low price, we were quite surprised when it turned out to be one of the best belt grinders for knife making for the money. For most users, we think the Bucktool Combo Belt Sander is the best belt grinder for knife making overall. The Shop Fox W1843 Knife Belt Sander is the best choice for serious knife makers.
In my opinion none of the belt sanders listed are powerful enough for general blade work. The belt sizes are often not common and that means you can be limited to only certain types of belts-and grit sizes. I favour the 50mm Wide belt which seems more common than the 100mm wide.
Steel: The “Welding steel” at Tractor Supply/ Lowes/ Home Depot is mild steel and useless for knives Buy new, known, annealed blade steel. Use commercial quench oil & match oil speed to the steel type Here is a good post by Kevin Cashen with the Explanation and classification of oil speeds. For heat treating yourself with minimal equipment, find a Eutectoid steel 1080, 1084.
best belt grinder for knife making australia Related Question:
What size belt sander is best for making knives?
2×72 Belt Grinders For professional knife making, 2×72 size belts are considered the industry standard. This size accounts for the majority of belt grinding machines manufactured specifically for knife making in North America.
What kind of belt grinder do they use on forged in fire?
The mechanical engineering degree paid off when he designed the TW-90 vertical/horizontal grinder, known to many as the “Cadillac of belt grinders.” It’s Travis’ brainchild, and it was an industry game-changer when it comes to finishing knives.
What belt grinder does Jason Knight use?
Why Does Jason Knight Use Red Label EdgeCore Ceramic Belts? Jason has been using Red Label’s EdgeCore Ceramic belts for some time now. He grinds with the 2 x 72 belts, alternating between 36 and 60 grit to shape his blades.
What is the difference between a belt sander and a belt grinder?
The belt grinder belt speed typically runs double from what the belt speed of the belt of a belt sander is running at. Belts grinders you generally have multiple grinding points such as the platen and the second grinding point is the contact wheel.
What are knife grinders?
The duties of a knife grinder are to sharpen, straighten, and smooth knives, blades, and other parts for cutting equipment, such as deli slicers or scissors. Some knife grinders work at production or manufacturing facilities and have many of the same responsibilities as buffers and polishers.
What is a belt grinder used for?
Belt grinding uses an abrasive belt attached to a motor (visualize a chainsaw without blades) to grind down the surface of a working material that makes contact. A belt grinder (not to be confused with a belt sander) is typically used on metal materials and is excellent at grinding down metal surfaces.
What forge Do they use on forged in fire?
Majestic Forge has supplied forges to Blacksmith Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Production shops, and T.V. shows, “Myth Busters” has chosen majestic forge twice for their show and Majestic forge is the forge of choice for “Forged in Fire”.
Can you use a belt sander as a grinder?
High speed abrasives heat the edge very quickly, especially at finer grits (finer than 120) and even more if the abrasive is a little worn. I have belts with grits as small as 15 micron, but no longer use them. A 1″ belt sander can replace a grinding wheel for many sharpening applications.
What kind of sanding belts are best for metal?
As high-performance belts, both zirconia and ceramic sanding belts will last longer and remove metal faster than aluminum oxide or silicon carbide sanding belts. Both belts have the ability to resharpen as they wear and both are primarily used on metal applications. In the end, both types of belts are excellent belts.