Sharpening with a belt grinder

cracked_ribs

Well-Known Member
Hey guys, this came up in the tips thread... I have not actually watched the video, I just gave it a quick give'r and uploaded it so if it's unclear or lousy I apologize. Feel free to ask questions and I will clarify things as necessary.


Just trying to show the versatility of a simple belt grinder for the fisherman. I think one of these should be on every workbench, frankly.
 
In fact I now realize that the first minute or so did not upload.

I have taken a large treble hook given it a quick pass with a 400 grit belt, and am comparing it to a factory point.

Then I run it on a 1200 grit belt, then a 2500 grit belt.

I'm jabbing the points into a copy of "Navigating a New World" by Lloyd Axworthy and comparing the number of pages it punches through with about the same pressure.

The factory point I jabbed in good and hard and got to about page 40, or 20 sheets of paper.
 
That's a cool video thanks for posting. I just kind of browsed through it so you may have answered already.
For sharpening knives how do you get the correct angle doing it by hand? I think the angle is roughly 18 degrees.
Maybe its just done by feel and you don't worry about the exact angle?
 
There are generally rests available for most of these but in my case I have hundreds of hours sharpening knives and things and I can hold most items within about a degree. I have actually cut threads on stuff before just freehanding it into the belt at moderate tension.

Depending on the edge I want, sometimes I'll run the belt pretty slack and give it a convex surface like an axe, with a razor finish...that's a little more forgiving on the angle. But I will usually pick an angle and just hold to it by hand.

After a while you get to feel whether the surface you're cutting is parallel to the surface of the belt; then you can really keep it quite finely tuned. On a mora knife, say, where I might be cutting a large flat, I can probably hold it within a quarter degree or so.

But most of these machines come with rests. I think I just chucked mine because I didn't use it, personally.
 
Neat sharpening a hacksaw blade? But I cant do electric knife sharpeners/grinders, as a red seal cook I learned many years ago the how's of sharpening knives, proud that I can sharpen to shaving sharp any knife I have found so far no matter the type, parring, chef, fillet, boning, hunting or? Once won a case of beer for sharpening shave sharp a 2 year lost on ocean bottom and then found diving knife. Have a small stone in tackle box for any hook. Don't even own a havalon type knife, yes scalpel and blades for capping game to be mounted. Pissed me off when I see good knifes chewed by inexperienced pers with electric "grinders". Wet (meaning water) stone and steel for me. Belt maybe OK for inexperienced or guys with 100's of knives to do, no good to me, most of my sharpening happens in areas without power and after first batch of fish or animal is completed.

HM
 
Interesting, and who makes the best (at reasonable price) belt sander? I wouldn't be any good at free handing either, so need to find a sander with a guide to hold the sharpen angle correctly.
 
Work sharp is a mini belt sander with guides. Works for me. 25 knives in 20 minutes. Fishing knives a few times per season, kitchen knives once per year. Ken Onion is the better model, I don't have it.
 
I just use 2 different grits of emery. I can always shave with the final product. I have also used a leather strap with valve grinding compound for a final polishing, but found that step is not needed.
 
I’ve had one of these for at least 15 years and it’s awesome! So easy to use. You can shave with your knife when done. I get replacement wheels for it every 3 years or so DE7149EE-7A07-485D-A0BE-0E74B25FBD56.png
 
https://beaumontmetalworks.com/product/3-speed-kmg-10/
or search for kmg grinder plans

i built one, lots of work, lots of sourcing parts on the cheap, stealing motors from table saws, bearings etc etc.

i wanted to make knives but this thing is amazing a general shop grinder too. makes a bench grinder look like a file in my mind now.

Cool. One day. My 6x48 ROK is a piece of crap.
 
https://beaumontmetalworks.com/product/3-speed-kmg-10/
or search for kmg grinder plans

i built one, lots of work, lots of sourcing parts on the cheap, stealing motors from table saws, bearings etc etc.

i wanted to make knives but this thing is amazing a general shop grinder too. makes a bench grinder look like a file in my mind now.

Definitely one of the best in the knife making industry , I had 3 at one time , sold everything a couple years ago now , if I were to get back into it again I would buy KMG again hands down
 
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