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The biggest difference to consider is the direction of the arm that holds the belt, this is usually either horizontal or vertical. However, there is no right design as it is really up to personal preference and whatever fits the blade and the user best. That is why a tilting bench is really helpful. They can be adjusted to different positions or angles and options to fit specific needs. Other Attachments Polishing belts are made of felt and are used to achieve a near mirror finish on a surface such as ceramic, glass or stainless steel. Overall a 1x30 is a great low-cost option to get into knife making. If you decide to use this size of grinder, keep in mind that it is essential to use good ceramic based abrasives; otherwise, the grinder won't perform to its full potential. Plenty of incredible knife makers (Will Stelter included) started with this machine and it is a sure-fire way to help ignite your knife making passion but you will end up outgrowing it if you're serious about knife making. Ceramic grains are tougher and more durable than zirconia so the more aggressive the application, the greater the potential benefit
In addition to the belt grinder and the belt itself, there are a number of tools designed to prolong the life of your belts and to improve your grinds. These tools are not necessary to make high quality knives, but it’s worth knowing about them grinding belt eraser Notching tubes with thinner walls, such as handrails, requires a less aggressive belt. Here, we would recommend the 60 grit Ceramic FX87 belt (SKU: FX87/60/2000X75). The cooler and faster cut of the Ceramic belt again offers a consistent notch. Additionally, using a 60 grit belt leaves finer sanding marks than a 36 grit belt, allowing for a neater, cleaner weld – one that uses less welding wire. Some of the best belt grinders will come with multiple surfaces for getting different angles and shapes when knife making. For example, there is the platen arm for flat grinds but there are many types of grinding wheels to get a radius cut, too. FX87 36 grit ceramic 75 x 2000mm grinding belts. More expensive than the 36 grit zirconia belts the 36 grit ceramics earn their keep being much longer lasting and fast cutting making them the most cost effective high aggression grinding belt option. This also gives the user more room to work and adjust the angle for bevel grinding. A happy customer wrote, “I'm a sword maker mostly and it does the job fast and accurately.” Another buyer followed up with, “For the price, it's still smoking fast and powerful.”The size of a sanding belt is how much area of abrasive material is available for shaping. The length of a belt will also often reflect the size of the machine that accommodates it. For that reason, different-sized belts cannot be interchanged between belt grinding machines. The major downfall of the 1x30 is that the belt isn't wide enough to flatten off material effectively, which is a big job in any knife shop. Some of the more expensive models include a 6" disc sander on the side, which can help with this though. The 30” long belt doesn’t provide you with much abrasive surface area either meaning you’ll have to change belts more and the motor doesn’t have the most power in the world. These 36 grit ceramic belts will chew threw steel faster than you can believe. Best ceramic 80 grit belt for knives There 400 grit is just as good as their 320 and 220 grit belts. Best high grit finishing belts for knives
Inch width: Another relatively popular option is 1-inch belts, specifically 1 inch by 30 inches. These come on smaller grinders and are great for small projects, detailing, and getting into tight areas. They will be the best for knife-making beginners as there is less room for error. However, they don’t have as much durability and versatility as the 2-inch belt sanders offer. There is no centralized source of truth for these terms. Manufacturers of these machines will often refer to them as sanders. People in the abrasives industry will often refer to grinders as machines that use wheels, rather than belts. Knife makers will refer to these tools as belt grinders – I have heard some knife makers say that belt sanders refer to tools designed for woodworking. Who’s right? What terminology should you use? Hell if I know, I just know knife makers generally call these machines belt grinders. Belt Grinder Accessories
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A wider belt exerts more friction on the flat platen of a machine, needing more power and a longer belt allows for less time between belt changes but will also demand extra power.
Our FX87 ceramic sanding belts are available from 36 grit up to 120 grit. They are ideal for high aggression grinding of steels, stainless steels and even aluminium. When you start applying pressure to shape your blade, the last thing you want is for the machine to move. Machines that aren’t completely stable can make it very difficult to create precise shapes. Same brand as before, they make good high grit AO belts. Best Aluminum oxide 400 grit belt for knives The most popular sanding belts for wood are made from our KP949 materials and are often supplied for both long pad sander sanding belt machines and for wide belt sander applications.
Another belt to watch out for and avoid is the 4″x36″ belt grinders. These are generally made for woodworking and are not well suited to knife making. They tend to have weak motors that will slow down when grinding steel. How Much Horsepower Does My Belt Grinder Need For Knife Making? The Shop Fox W1843 Knife Belt Sander is the best choice for serious knife makers. It’s got a 1-HP, 14-amp motor that spins the 2-inch wide belt at 4,500 FPM, with fast single-lever belt changes and a dead-stable build. We recommend a square wheel configuration 2x72” or 2x48” if it's within the budget, adding attachments as you can afford them is an excellent way to build up your shop slowly.
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