A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a Harbor Freight 1x30 belt sander, for which I had a coupon. Total price was under 30 bucks.

I bought a leather belt http://www.ebay.com/itm/Surgi-Sharp-...-/251389275716

I also bought a 120 grit belt (finest grit I could find locally) and have ordered some finer belts (up to 800) which should be here in a few days.

I tried a couple of kitchen knives with the 120 followed by leather. HOLY CRAP! I have been sharpening knives for 40+ years, and i'm impressed. While the 120 belt left some noticeable "grain," the edge is nothing short of sharp. It shaves easily, and slices vegetables, meat and paper like a sharp knife should.

The truly amazing part is that the whole process took less than five minutes. A proper progression through successive grits, say 120, 240, 320, 400 shouldn't take any longer and will yield a prettier (if not more functional) edge.

Y'all may want to give this a try.

"rangerssuck" wrote in message
...
A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a Harbor Freight 1x30 belt sander, for
which I had a coupon. Total price was under 30 bucks.

I bought a leather belt
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Surgi-Sharp-...-/251389275716

I also bought a 120 grit belt (finest grit I could find locally) and have
ordered some finer belts (up to 800) which should be here in a few days.

I tried a couple of kitchen knives with the 120 followed by leather. HOLY
CRAP! I have been sharpening knives for 40+ years, and i'm impressed.
While the 120 belt left some noticeable "grain," the edge is nothing short
of sharp. It shaves easily, and slices vegetables, meat and paper like a
sharp knife should.

The truly amazing part is that the whole process took less than five
minutes. A proper progression through successive grits, say 120, 240, 320,
400 shouldn't take any longer and will yield a prettier (if not more
functional) edge.

Y'all may want to give this a try.


I have used my 1x30 HF belt sander for sharpening before as well. Its not
bad for quickly reshaping a badly dulled blade, but if you look at it under
a magnifier you will see its more a series of ragged teeth than a sharp
edge. Even for a steep angle blade like an axe head it will dull quickly if
its left like that. A good edge still needs to be finished on a fine stone
for long holding.

I made much the same discovery you did a few years ago, and I proudly
announced it here on RCM where several members promptly set me straight.
Rather than argue I both tested it, and I looked at it under a microscope as
compared to a blade finished on the fine stone of the triple oil stone I
have left over from my youth cutting meat in my Mom's grocery store.

That being said, I still occasionally throw a quick edge on a blunt tool
with the belt sander.

Also, be aware with thin blades and thin tips that it will overheat the
steel very very quickly.

On Wednesday, April 9, 2014 5:12:06 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote:
"rangerssuck" wrote in message

...

A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a Harbor Freight 1x30 belt sander, for

which I had a coupon. Total price was under 30 bucks.



I bought a leather belt

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Surgi-Sharp-...-/251389275716



I also bought a 120 grit belt (finest grit I could find locally) and have

ordered some finer belts (up to 800) which should be here in a few days..



I tried a couple of kitchen knives with the 120 followed by leather. HOLY

CRAP! I have been sharpening knives for 40+ years, and i'm impressed.

While the 120 belt left some noticeable "grain," the edge is nothing short

of sharp. It shaves easily, and slices vegetables, meat and paper like a

sharp knife should.



The truly amazing part is that the whole process took less than five

minutes. A proper progression through successive grits, say 120, 240, 320,

400 shouldn't take any longer and will yield a prettier (if not more

functional) edge.



Y'all may want to give this a try.





I have used my 1x30 HF belt sander for sharpening before as well. Its not

bad for quickly reshaping a badly dulled blade, but if you look at it under

a magnifier you will see its more a series of ragged teeth than a sharp

edge. Even for a steep angle blade like an axe head it will dull quickly if

its left like that. A good edge still needs to be finished on a fine stone

for long holding.



I made much the same discovery you did a few years ago, and I proudly

announced it here on RCM where several members promptly set me straight.

Rather than argue I both tested it, and I looked at it under a microscope as

compared to a blade finished on the fine stone of the triple oil stone I

have left over from my youth cutting meat in my Mom's grocery store.



That being said, I still occasionally throw a quick edge on a blunt tool

with the belt sander.



Also, be aware with thin blades and thin tips that it will overheat the

steel very very quickly.

Yeah, I figured it's a pretty ragged edge, based on the coarseness of the belt. I expect that the edge will be much cleaner and prettier with a finer belt before the leather. That said, I wouldn't really care if there were dinosaur teeth on the edge - it's sharp enough to shave and slices carrots, potatoes and ripe tomatoes cleanly and easily.

As far as overheating, with a proper progression of grits and with reasonable care, that shouldn't be a problem. You wouldn't want to try to remove 80 grit scratches with a 400 grit belt - it would take too long and likely overheat. But go through, say, 120, 220, 320 and THEN 400, and it should only take a few passes on each belt.

The jury's still out on this. I'll know more in a few days after the belts get here. But for now, it's looking pretty good.

When you did your test, what grit belts did you use? I saw one youtube video that suggested 80 grit and then leather, and that's it.

"rangerssuck" wrote in message
...
On Wednesday, April 9, 2014 5:12:06 PM UTC-4, Bob La Londe wrote:
"rangerssuck" wrote in message

...

A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a Harbor Freight 1x30 belt sander,
for

which I had a coupon. Total price was under 30 bucks.



I bought a leather belt

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Surgi-Sharp-...-/251389275716



I also bought a 120 grit belt (finest grit I could find locally) and
have

ordered some finer belts (up to 800) which should be here in a few
days.



I tried a couple of kitchen knives with the 120 followed by leather.
HOLY

CRAP! I have been sharpening knives for 40+ years, and i'm impressed.

While the 120 belt left some noticeable "grain," the edge is nothing
short

of sharp. It shaves easily, and slices vegetables, meat and paper like
a

sharp knife should.



The truly amazing part is that the whole process took less than five

minutes. A proper progression through successive grits, say 120, 240,
320,

400 shouldn't take any longer and will yield a prettier (if not more

functional) edge.



Y'all may want to give this a try.





I have used my 1x30 HF belt sander for sharpening before as well. Its
not

bad for quickly reshaping a badly dulled blade, but if you look at it
under

a magnifier you will see its more a series of ragged teeth than a sharp

edge. Even for a steep angle blade like an axe head it will dull quickly
if

its left like that. A good edge still needs to be finished on a fine
stone

for long holding.



I made much the same discovery you did a few years ago, and I proudly

announced it here on RCM where several members promptly set me straight.

Rather than argue I both tested it, and I looked at it under a microscope
as

compared to a blade finished on the fine stone of the triple oil stone I

have left over from my youth cutting meat in my Mom's grocery store.



That being said, I still occasionally throw a quick edge on a blunt tool

with the belt sander.



Also, be aware with thin blades and thin tips that it will overheat the

steel very very quickly.

Yeah, I figured it's a pretty ragged edge, based on the coarseness of the
belt. I expect that the edge will be much cleaner and prettier with a
finer belt before the leather. That said, I wouldn't really care if there
were dinosaur teeth on the edge - it's sharp enough to shave and slices
carrots, potatoes and ripe tomatoes cleanly and easily.

As far as overheating, with a proper progression of grits and with
reasonable care, that shouldn't be a problem. You wouldn't want to try to
remove 80 grit scratches with a 400 grit belt - it would take too long and
likely overheat. But go through, say, 120, 220, 320 and THEN 400, and it
should only take a few passes on each belt.

The jury's still out on this. I'll know more in a few days after the belts
get here. But for now, it's looking pretty good.

When you did your test, what grit belts did you use? I saw one youtube video
that suggested 80 grit and then leather, and that's it.


I used 80/120/240... My test basically showed with a regular "working" it
didn't seem to hold up very long. I am sure with a finer grit it would be
less course and hold up longer, but instead I just used it for really bad
blades and finished them on the stone after that.

"Bob La Londe" fired this volley in
:

When you did your test, what grit belts did you use? I saw one youtube
video that suggested 80 grit and then leather, and that's it.


Y'know, we get all sorts of arguments about what is the sharpest blade...
but when it comes to cutting veggies, I personally want a slight bit of a
rough, wire edge. It handles fibrous stuff so much better than even a
razor edge does. (otherwise, why not cut trees down with straight razors,
neh?)

I'm partial to carbon steel kitchen blades, and I sharpen those to a wire
edge, while honing my SS kitchen knives to smooth edges. That way it's
easy to tell them apart at a glance.

For the wire edge, I stop at 150, then use a light touch on a hard fabric
dressing wheel to take just the loose burrs off, but leave a bit of the
'sawtooth'.

LLoyd

"Lloyd E. Sponenburgh" lloydspinsidemindspring.com wrote in message
. 3.70...
"Bob La Londe" fired this volley in
:

When you did your test, what grit belts did you use? I saw one youtube
video that suggested 80 grit and then leather, and that's it.


Y'know, we get all sorts of arguments about what is the sharpest blade...
but when it comes to cutting veggies, I personally want a slight bit of a
rough, wire edge. It handles fibrous stuff so much better than even a
razor edge does. (otherwise, why not cut trees down with straight razors,
neh?)

Really? Yer gonna give me one that easy? Because you can't drive a tissue
paper through a brick.

On Wednesday, April 9, 2014 9:28:39 PM UTC-4, Lloyd E. Sponenburgh wrote:
"Bob La Londe" fired this volley in

:



When you did your test, what grit belts did you use? I saw one youtube

video that suggested 80 grit and then leather, and that's it.





Y'know, we get all sorts of arguments about what is the sharpest blade...

but when it comes to cutting veggies, I personally want a slight bit of a

rough, wire edge. It handles fibrous stuff so much better than even a

razor edge does. (otherwise, why not cut trees down with straight razors,

neh?)



I'm partial to carbon steel kitchen blades, and I sharpen those to a wire

edge, while honing my SS kitchen knives to smooth edges. That way it's

easy to tell them apart at a glance.



For the wire edge, I stop at 150, then use a light touch on a hard fabric

dressing wheel to take just the loose burrs off, but leave a bit of the

'sawtooth'.



LLoyd

I agree that the toothiness seems to make it cut better, perhaps at some expense of sturdiness, but a couple (literally, 2) strokes on each side of the edge on a steel brings the edge back, and a touchup on the belt sander could take perhaps a minute or less.

So, I haven't received the finer belts yet, but I'm feeling pretty confident in this process which takes a LOT less time than the old stones (and I have pretty big collection of them).

"rangerssuck" wrote in message
...

A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a Harbor Freight 1x30 belt sander, for
which I had a coupon. Total price was under 30 bucks.
I bought a leather belt
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Surgi-Sharp-...-/251389275716
I also bought a 120 grit belt (finest grit I could find locally) and have
ordered some finer belts (up to 800) which should be here in a few days.
I tried a couple of kitchen knives with the 120 followed by leather. HOLY
CRAP! I have been sharpening knives for 40+ years, and i'm impressed. While
the 120 belt left some noticeable "grain," the edge is nothing short of
sharp. It shaves easily, and slices vegetables, meat and paper like a
sharp knife should.
The truly amazing part is that the whole process took less than five
minutes. A proper progression through successive grits, say 120, 240, 320,
400 shouldn't take any longer and will yield a prettier (if not more
functional) edge.
Y'all may want to give this a try.

I bought a strap of leather, skived the ends, glued and made a belt. I put
a fine buffing compound on it and use it to hone the edge of knives. Seems
to work well.

RogerN