@cutlerylover Hey, I know this is old but I saw a comment from you saying you need to update because you found some negatives.. this motor seems a bit weak I use our industrial belt sanders at work.. i think a horizontal belt sander might be better for the job (easier angles), the ones we use have adjustable tension on the belt and have a powerful motor (of course, more expensive.)
Also I remove the guard and sharpen closer to the wheel so the belt doesn't deflect as much under knife pressure.
So after shooting such a positive review - you've changed your mind? Could you maybe produce an update - talking about the disadvanteges of this machine and what kind of machine you would recommend instead? - A big problem is, that (at least I) watch a lot of your videos directly on your channel and there you can't see the comments...
I was anyway surprised that you liked this machine, because before you were always talking about the importance of the right angle, that you won't get with this.
General consensus on white stropping compound among knife buffs says the brand sold by "bark river" is the best. Not sure if its their own make or just made for them.
Thanks for your video - I just got my H.B. 1x30 inspired by you. I also ordered a leather Sherpa Sharpie Belt and some 800 gritters. I couldn't wait, so started in on my Spydercos with the 80 grit that it came with, and I'm already amazed at how sharp (albeit toothy) the blades got in mere SECONDS! I have wasted over 25 years and at least a thousand dollars on the other hand and safe methods. I wish you would have told me this decades ago! THANK YOU JEFF!!!! YOU ROCK!!!!
Interesting that I bought this exact machine about 3 months ago...finally caught it on sale at HF for $29 I think. Been sitting in the box waiting on me to clean my workbench. I ended up building my work bench longer this weekend so finally pulled it out experimenting on old beater knife. Did the job but glad to see the strop belt. Will pick one up for sure. Do you have a grit recommendation for sharpening on a sand belt. Finest they had was 120 at HF. Need to order some.
Nice video, and great play-by-play as you were recording. I recently acquired a HF 1x30 sander with the extra wheel on the other side of the motor for the strict purpose of modifying tools, and it looks like this was an investment that has multiple uses. Can't wait to try it with a leather strop band and the compound.
Again, thanks for posting this video. It was both informative and insightful. :-)
I've used a delta belt sander for many, many years to sharpen my horseshoeing knives, but with 400+ grit sanding belts. Some belt brands work better than others. Because of their irregular shape, they are hard to sharpen with a stone, and hand sharpening is slow. Some folks use buffing wheels, bu these seem not to make flat enough edge. I just ordered a leather belt yesterday from Wheatland Corp, but for a lot more money than you quoted, plus some very expensive shipping.
Awesome, dude. I live right near HF headquarters, next time they do a big parking lot sale I will go and try to pick one of these things up. Thanks for the awesome information!
My on off switch to a dump today on mine,,I just capped the wires in the switchbox lol. when the belt speed slows from force it pulls alot of current and blows the switch. cool vid bud. what other 1x30 belt sanders do you know of that you could recommend? I did a quik search and found this same thing but it was 99$
Seems the edge deteriorated as you were cutting the paper. Obvious sign that a wire edge was stropped straight to a super sharp point but not very strong. Getting a wireless edge is a journey in itself.
I timed how long it took to sharpen, total time of 22 seconds but the blade was only in contact with the belt for 13 seconds. I'm going to go buy a belt sander, I want one with the wheel too though. I strop with a leather belt, it takes me about 2-3 minutes cause I move real fast but that looks better. Worth 70 (ish) bucks if you ask me.
So Jeff, are you still sharpening with a belt sander? What is your favorite method of sharpening? I know a fellow in TN who owned an Apex but sold it after purchasing a Wicked Edge. Please consider doing a review on this system if you get the chance.
TY for the info, but that is depressing. Ive been looking for a belt sander to sharpen convex blades. All the 1X30 and 1X42 sanders that are in my price range are 1/3 hp. I'm not trying to buy a Burr King just to get an edge.
Clamp it in a vise ,so it will run away from you, making easier to judge angle.Personally had bad experience w/ central machinery 1 x 30, exchanging belts was frustrating,and it arrived broken, they refunded my forty $ back.
check out my video 2 ways to maintain your woodcarving knife,you will see how I have the belt sander mounted,I dont use in vid.,but it it is in there somewhere...lol
Just bought a smiths sharpener that's like a pen with a retractable sharpening rod and it's usful as so much, I used it on my dull spyderco delica 4 and it sharpened it so nice, it went through paper like butter
Most people use the green compound for hand polishing. Did you choose the finer white compound because you were using a belt sander and didn't want to overdue it?
what would you recommend for some one who is just getting into knifes and needs a good sharpening system, the spyderco sharpmaker or a belt sander with a leather belt and stropping compound.
Nice video, i am interested in getting a leather strop for the sander now. I am just wondering how dull was the knife before hand, ie did you have to use medium grit paper to bring up a pre edge on the knife?
Is that sander powerful enough for shaping knife handles or taking a lot of metal off a blade like when convexing an edge? It looked like it slowed down when you pushed the blade hard against the belt.
one thing you forgot to mention is to always always always wear eye protection. i know what its like to get a bit of steel in my eye. it hurt a lot and i had to go to an eye doctor 5 times in one month to make sure that it healed properly. and wash your hands after sharpening anything because it can get in your eye later on in the day.
Totally sweet man, I wish I had the space to get one, I would certainly use it! *(by the way, is there gonna be any more CutleryLover Customs rolling out now for the new toy?)*
lol, thanks =] about the leather strop, would u use the smooth tanned side, or the more fibrous side? and do u always finish with it or could u use a very fine stone?
would any belt sander be good for that? and how do u keep the knife at an equal angle(how do u hold it at the same angle) while switching between sides?
The RPM's on those belt sanders are very high & will cause a lot of heat to the blade & may wreck the temper of the steel. Make sure you have a bucket of water handy to cool the blade after each pass or two.
but say u go real slow, it will take longer, causing it to heat up to about the same, if u go real fast it wont take as long but will be about the same temp
Great vid. It just so happens that my own Tenacious needs some touching up. I've been interested in a belt sander for sharpening but did not know it was that inexpensive.
If you Google Steve Bottorff, he has directions for converting your 1 X 30 Harbor Freight beltsander so the belt runs away from you. Safer & easier to see. Enjoyed your video.
Just a tip, when using your belts try to apply pressure across the belt so that it wears evenly, and not in one spot which will cause weak spot and more prone to break on you in use.... which isnt good if you have a knife.
Hey jeff i need a good sharping stone to touch up my knife i am new to sharping all togeathather i have a basic idea how to sharpin them but i need to find a decent stone any ideas and where to get them perferably a store thanks
all you have to worry about is not overheatign the blade, I keep a cup of water next to the machine to dip, the knife in throughout the process...if the metal turns a yello or blu color you heated it up too juch, shiorts bursts and little pressure is key...but it DOES take off metal alot faster so you cna easily screw up the grind...
at what angle the blade bites into you nail doesnt have anything to do with how sharp the knife is.
its the steepness of the bevel. if my knife has a 20 degree bevel it will bite into my nail at 20 degrees, if my knife has a 10 degree bevel , it will bite at 10 degrees. it can be a little dull and it will still bite in at the degree that it is.
thats not true the very edge is too acute to be determined by bevel angle...that woudl be correct if the the very edge was where the beveld started or in the case of a zero grind but other than that a sharp 20 degree egde will bite the same angle as a 10 degree edge...
Jeff, I'm not sure if you're applying too much pressure or if you need more tension applied to your belt, but it really shouldn't slide off the wheel like that. Especially when stropping, which should use zero pressure. Also, if you leave your leather belt on the machine when not in use, it will stretch and reduce the life of your belt. Great video on a very useful technique
Looks and sounds like you may be applying too much pressure on the belt and bogging down the motor. I'm no expert, but I can't help but think that can't be good for the long haul.
Last year I purchased a Dremel with the idea that I would first use it to do some projects around the house, then retire it to a life of sharpening garden tools and the occasional novice knife making. Apparently I was using it too hard for the latter, as it died on me mere days into my first knife project. :(
Nice addition to your tool and equipment arsenal Jeff, the shipping time must have been frustrating, glad it arrived, as now we all have another great vid to watch eh! Thanks!
need to get one now! Only thing there has to be some aftermarket angle setting thingymajig for those who want a precise angle on their blade but i guess eye balling will have to do. Nice Vid~!!
wow! you sold me ! that sander is gonna make life alot easier,thanx for all that info !The Spyderco Tenacious is my favorite knife,,i'm guilty of buying 12 of them, can't imagine me ever not carrying one...
Great vid. I always thought belt sanders were the way to go, but they're a bit pricey. Definitely do an update so we can see you actually sharpen something up, going down the grits and such. Also keep us posted on how it holds up, because everybody says Harbor Freight sells garbage that will break before long.
when you sharpen the knife don't rock it upward (5:21). Just pull the handle toward you. This seems counterintuative but it's the proper way to grind a blade. Check out Bob Loveless's book "how to make knives" from the library for an in depth look at blade geometry.
To make the belt spin the other way around, check if it's powered by a simple electrical motor. If it is, you should be able to make it spin upwards by reconnecting the negative and positive poles (swapping them). I don't now a lot about sanders, but I know quite a lot about electronics, so I think it'll work..
I love my 1x30 leather belt. Good choice! :) A couple hints:
- when you get to the tip, bring it to the middle of the belt then lift it off straight towards you. Don't run it off the side of the belt or you could round the tip off. You described it in your spyderco sharpmaker video--it just happens faster with a belt sander. ;)
- elevate the front feet so that the belt is at a 10-20 deg angle to the vertical. Then you only need to keep the blade vertical to get the bevel you want.
This is what the fuck I'm talking about! This is the reason why I subcribed to this channel. You have a speciality my friend...and that is knives. Other reviews are so/so...Firearms are basic but your in a major learning process right now. I love this review tho...10 out of 10.
if your wondering whether or not to subscribe do it! theres nothing to lose and he makes fantastic videos. very informative and i bought the knife he sharpened based off his review. Hes also not to pro-brand. which means he will tell the honest truth about a knife even though he likes the brand. these are just observations ive noticed. definitly subscribe!
maybe it is a location thing because i have been a butcher for 16 years and here it is stropping and every one else i have ever spoke to it has been stropping
Have you thought about offering a blade sharpening service? You could start out locally, maybe by offering your services through craigslist, see how far that gets you and how much demand you can generate. Then maybe progress to mail order? Flat rate priority boxes would help keep costs down, and you could always require a minimum of 3 blades (or more) per order. Just and idea I had.
holy cow Jeff, that's amazing. I never even heard of belt sharpening before. I can't believe how that leather belt sharpened the blade like that, especially with only a few passes. who could have imagined? My jaw is still on the floor from how sharp in such a short amount of time you got it. All those little slices and slivers of paper around 10:08 are incredible. Between the belt sander, leather strap, and compound I'd say you got everything dialed in pretty good.
yesterday i was cutting with my swiss army knife, which was dull, and i was struggling. and slipped and sliced my finger up good (needed 6 stitches). cant use the hand for 2 weeks now.
moral of the story is to keep your knifes sharp!!!!!!
You know, when you do hand sharpening and stropping for quite a while, and then you get a machine that can do it quicker... It really makes you appreciate the machine more.
If all you know is the machine, you take it for granted, and if it ever breaks down, then you're stuck.
I've been using the same sander to sharpen my knives, khuks, and axes. I threw out the black plastic side to make belt changing easier, its only for dust collection anyways. If you get some normal belts you can actually sharpen with the knife facing up, just not with the leather belt. Lee valley sells nice 3M 1x30" belts from 9 to 40 micron for around $5 each.
@cutlerylover Hey, I know this is old but I saw a comment from you saying you need to update because you found some negatives.. this motor seems a bit weak I use our industrial belt sanders at work.. i think a horizontal belt sander might be better for the job (easier angles), the ones we use have adjustable tension on the belt and have a powerful motor (of course, more expensive.)
Also I remove the guard and sharpen closer to the wheel so the belt doesn't deflect as much under knife pressure.
DeludedManiac 3 weeks ago
So after shooting such a positive review - you've changed your mind? Could you maybe produce an update - talking about the disadvanteges of this machine and what kind of machine you would recommend instead? - A big problem is, that (at least I) watch a lot of your videos directly on your channel and there you can't see the comments...
I was anyway surprised that you liked this machine, because before you were always talking about the importance of the right angle, that you won't get with this.
vitopetre 4 months ago
General consensus on white stropping compound among knife buffs says the brand sold by "bark river" is the best. Not sure if its their own make or just made for them.
red0ubtable 4 months ago
Are these belts unidirectional or bidirectional?
454Casull 6 months ago
Kind of sounds like something is loose on the sander when it's on.
TheRaven0811 6 months ago
the white bar looks like a brick of cokaine
wilsk8tz 8 months ago
Thanks for your video - I just got my H.B. 1x30 inspired by you. I also ordered a leather Sherpa Sharpie Belt and some 800 gritters. I couldn't wait, so started in on my Spydercos with the 80 grit that it came with, and I'm already amazed at how sharp (albeit toothy) the blades got in mere SECONDS! I have wasted over 25 years and at least a thousand dollars on the other hand and safe methods. I wish you would have told me this decades ago! THANK YOU JEFF!!!! YOU ROCK!!!!
FastidiousG 9 months ago
Interesting that I bought this exact machine about 3 months ago...finally caught it on sale at HF for $29 I think. Been sitting in the box waiting on me to clean my workbench. I ended up building my work bench longer this weekend so finally pulled it out experimenting on old beater knife. Did the job but glad to see the strop belt. Will pick one up for sure. Do you have a grit recommendation for sharpening on a sand belt. Finest they had was 120 at HF. Need to order some.
TigerRagFishingTeam 9 months ago
Love the sound as you slice the paper. You can hear how sharp it is
SezMan716 11 months ago
that paper looks quite thick, if i hold a piece of paper like that in england it flops everywhere
iRJRx 1 year ago
Nice video, and great play-by-play as you were recording. I recently acquired a HF 1x30 sander with the extra wheel on the other side of the motor for the strict purpose of modifying tools, and it looks like this was an investment that has multiple uses. Can't wait to try it with a leather strop band and the compound.
Again, thanks for posting this video. It was both informative and insightful. :-)
Lomotilian 1 year ago
where did u get the leather belt for that, and would sharpening with a realy fine grit sanding belt, maby a 1000 grit or higher?
nedge46 1 year ago
Lover, I got this sander and works great. I am a chef. My leather belt needs to be stretched. do you know how?
hermannj33 1 year ago
I got that for christmas!!!! It works great!!!
somecreativename14 1 year ago
I've used a delta belt sander for many, many years to sharpen my horseshoeing knives, but with 400+ grit sanding belts. Some belt brands work better than others. Because of their irregular shape, they are hard to sharpen with a stone, and hand sharpening is slow. Some folks use buffing wheels, bu these seem not to make flat enough edge. I just ordered a leather belt yesterday from Wheatland Corp, but for a lot more money than you quoted, plus some very expensive shipping.
OldGuyNo1 1 year ago
@OldGuyNo1 Hoping it will give me a sharper, more durable edge.
OldGuyNo1 1 year ago
a polishing jack works much better, even better when u put a grease belt on!!
ramirezvk56 1 year ago
I'd love to get one of these but i can't find one thats cheap like this was. please respond with exact brand or model or something?
WoWpwnzurfaceoff 1 year ago
@WoWpwnzurfaceoff brand is central machinery,at harbor freight
codydean10 11 months ago
My wood work teacher in highschool used to be a chef in the navy.. and he'd always bring his knives at school and sharpen them on the belt sander..
gpumn1 1 year ago
Awesome, dude. I live right near HF headquarters, next time they do a big parking lot sale I will go and try to pick one of these things up. Thanks for the awesome information!
sqbimmer 1 year ago
i swear jeff,
ive been watching your videos for a few months now and just when im searching around on youtube for something you always seem to have a video on it!
awesome
lilcamo25 1 year ago
where'd u get that and how much??
cooler2288 1 year ago
My on off switch to a dump today on mine,,I just capped the wires in the switchbox lol. when the belt speed slows from force it pulls alot of current and blows the switch. cool vid bud. what other 1x30 belt sanders do you know of that you could recommend? I did a quik search and found this same thing but it was 99$
FloridaSnookHunter 1 year ago
I got a 1 inch 30" leather belt from Jantz and it was not a loop it was a strip. Any ideas how to attach the ends and create a loop so ican use it
Thanks
MrJohnnybatz 1 year ago
Seems the edge deteriorated as you were cutting the paper. Obvious sign that a wire edge was stropped straight to a super sharp point but not very strong. Getting a wireless edge is a journey in itself.
allumirati 1 year ago
I timed how long it took to sharpen, total time of 22 seconds but the blade was only in contact with the belt for 13 seconds. I'm going to go buy a belt sander, I want one with the wheel too though. I strop with a leather belt, it takes me about 2-3 minutes cause I move real fast but that looks better. Worth 70 (ish) bucks if you ask me.
spamerman 1 year ago
I'm officially jealous. I have a wheel grinder, but it is definitely not meant for knives.
JosephNowhere 1 year ago
Yeah, wow - I can hear the motor slowing down. lol
JinaSolo 1 year ago
You need a Bader BIII ;-)
Thanks for the vid bro
Take care,
greetings from Belgium,
Pedro
keeperofblades 2 years ago
So Jeff, are you still sharpening with a belt sander? What is your favorite method of sharpening? I know a fellow in TN who owned an Apex but sold it after purchasing a Wicked Edge. Please consider doing a review on this system if you get the chance.
huck761 2 years ago
haha i want to send you my tenacious for you to sharpen!
WoWpwnzurfaceoff 2 years ago 5
This has been flagged as spam show
So what are the problems ?
sztajmesnyc 2 years ago
Is this sharpener still working for you?
Would you still get the harbor frieght, or would you get something else?
Thanks
mudtoa 2 years ago
thsi really only works with regular sanding belts, better suited for wood, I woudl recommend buying a model with a larger motor,l at least 1 hp...
cutlerylover 2 years ago
TY for the info, but that is depressing. Ive been looking for a belt sander to sharpen convex blades. All the 1X30 and 1X42 sanders that are in my price range are 1/3 hp. I'm not trying to buy a Burr King just to get an edge.
KickRocks5000 2 years ago
Do you use the Rough side of the belt or the smooth side?
scotchleaf 2 years ago
Clamp it in a vise ,so it will run away from you, making easier to judge angle.Personally had bad experience w/ central machinery 1 x 30, exchanging belts was frustrating,and it arrived broken, they refunded my forty $ back.
check out my video 2 ways to maintain your woodcarving knife,you will see how I have the belt sander mounted,I dont use in vid.,but it it is in there somewhere...lol
allengoodman69 2 years ago
I need to make an update for this, I was happy with it at 1st but found many negatives with this machine after some use...
cutlerylover 2 years ago
that would be very interesting
trailer701 2 years ago
Just bought a smiths sharpener that's like a pen with a retractable sharpening rod and it's usful as so much, I used it on my dull spyderco delica 4 and it sharpened it so nice, it went through paper like butter
nascardude152 2 years ago
Most people use the green compound for hand polishing. Did you choose the finer white compound because you were using a belt sander and didn't want to overdue it?
888zzz 2 years ago
So you have problems with this??? saw the below comment...
seanuhthin 2 years ago
what kind of belt (leather?!?) did you use? and what will be it's equivalent girt in standard sand belt?
AMRonin 2 years ago
so what would be a simaler system that would be more reliable?
survivaloutfitter 2 years ago
is it a reliable system?
survivaloutfitter 2 years ago
so far no, just not enough power for my needs...and it wont turns thicker belts like the 3M.,,.
cutlerylover 2 years ago
Just got a used Delta 31-050 1" x 30". Watched your video and got some 3M Scotchbrites on eBay. Thanks.
CGSEEKER 2 years ago
what kind of reguler strop do you have??????
TheDelica4 2 years ago
do you have any tips on how to sharpen the serrated part on knives?I have a gerber half of it is a straight blade and the other half is serrated.
schinkengermany 2 years ago
you cna find a tapered rod sharpener at walmart or an outdoor gear store that cna do serrations...
cutlerylover 2 years ago
the belt seems lose
JSTNLRSN 2 years ago
it was a bit loose, unfortunatly the belt was a big bigger than I needed even though it was advterised as 1X30
cutlerylover 2 years ago
what would you recommend for some one who is just getting into knifes and needs a good sharpening system, the spyderco sharpmaker or a belt sander with a leather belt and stropping compound.
lastking9 2 years ago
Nice video, i am interested in getting a leather strop for the sander now. I am just wondering how dull was the knife before hand, ie did you have to use medium grit paper to bring up a pre edge on the knife?
ma894 2 years ago
Is that sander powerful enough for shaping knife handles or taking a lot of metal off a blade like when convexing an edge? It looked like it slowed down when you pushed the blade hard against the belt.
888zzz 2 years ago
what grit is the belt
XXc24pimpinXX 2 years ago
do you have a gerber LMF II? I would love to see a cutlerylover video on that!
MrWildtime 2 years ago
one thing you forgot to mention is to always always always wear eye protection. i know what its like to get a bit of steel in my eye. it hurt a lot and i had to go to an eye doctor 5 times in one month to make sure that it healed properly. and wash your hands after sharpening anything because it can get in your eye later on in the day.
theartilerysheller1 2 years ago
it was cool to listen to you on the show with nutnfancy last night
gibsongod123 2 years ago
thanks, I had a bad connection, I wish we could have talked alot more...
cutlerylover 2 years ago
what show or video were you on
JSTNLRSN 2 years ago
man this sucks i just saw a vid by nutnfancy explaining it think you willl put a video of the show up i would realy appreeciate it
JSTNLRSN 2 years ago
what did he say the youtube vids stop right there :(
trailer701 2 years ago
Totally sweet man, I wish I had the space to get one, I would certainly use it! *(by the way, is there gonna be any more CutleryLover Customs rolling out now for the new toy?)*
QuietBearr 2 years ago
not right away, just dont have the time..../
cutlerylover 2 years ago
lol, thanks =] about the leather strop, would u use the smooth tanned side, or the more fibrous side? and do u always finish with it or could u use a very fine stone?
john1112112 2 years ago
would any belt sander be good for that? and how do u keep the knife at an equal angle(how do u hold it at the same angle) while switching between sides?
john1112112 2 years ago
u get the hang of it
TheDevilsRubberDucky 2 years ago
Jeff,
The RPM's on those belt sanders are very high & will cause a lot of heat to the blade & may wreck the temper of the steel. Make sure you have a bucket of water handy to cool the blade after each pass or two.
huck761 2 years ago
umm i dont think rpms really matter, its friction
TheDevilsRubberDucky 2 years ago
RPM=Rotations Per Minute..
They do matter, as the faster the belt goes, the more friction goes against the blade.
illogicalmethod 2 years ago
but say u go real slow, it will take longer, causing it to heat up to about the same, if u go real fast it wont take as long but will be about the same temp
and i know what the fuck rpm means
TheDevilsRubberDucky 2 years ago
If you go real slow, the heat will dissipate before it builds up, not causing it to get to the same temperature as if you're going fast.
It's the constant friction that will heat it up and the faster it's going, the more heat will build up in it...
illogicalmethod 2 years ago
when i build knives i do the hollow grind on a large belt sander.
bluesmez4 2 years ago
Great vid. It just so happens that my own Tenacious needs some touching up. I've been interested in a belt sander for sharpening but did not know it was that inexpensive.
chodemessiah 2 years ago
If you Google Steve Bottorff, he has directions for converting your 1 X 30 Harbor Freight beltsander so the belt runs away from you. Safer & easier to see. Enjoyed your video.
huck761 2 years ago
Impressive video! And I like the idea of the pen test, it's a good alternative to leaving tiny bits of paper all over my floor. =P
Skyline770 2 years ago
you have to make the belt tigh the belt is not suposed to move when you youse it
bbeener209 2 years ago
so when doing the pen test the angle you see between the pen and the blade is the angle of the grind?
DDP239 2 years ago
yah well a knife with a thinner grind is a sharper knife so... :P and if yur lookin for a convex edge then it should give a bit.
mlcz1995 2 years ago
Just a tip, when using your belts try to apply pressure across the belt so that it wears evenly, and not in one spot which will cause weak spot and more prone to break on you in use.... which isnt good if you have a knife.
Pierre8907 2 years ago
Wow they got this at my local Harbor Freight
for 39.99! That's cheaper then some of those
Lansky systems.
sungwei9 2 years ago
Wow, that's pretty awesome.
Wish I had more room for a belt sander.
sungwei9 2 years ago
yea harder sucks in ther shiping there wicked slow
superman46 2 years ago
U must go through so much paper!
PyroHurd92 2 years ago
Hey jeff i need a good sharping stone to touch up my knife i am new to sharping all togeathather i have a basic idea how to sharpin them but i need to find a decent stone any ideas and where to get them perferably a store thanks
ZippoFan93 2 years ago
Meh. I really dislike using sanders of any kind to sharpen knives. If you do it wrong, you often screw up the temper of the blade.
Get a set of sharpening stones. Water stones are probably better.
IonStorm889 2 years ago
all you have to worry about is not overheatign the blade, I keep a cup of water next to the machine to dip, the knife in throughout the process...if the metal turns a yello or blu color you heated it up too juch, shiorts bursts and little pressure is key...but it DOES take off metal alot faster so you cna easily screw up the grind...
cutlerylover 2 years ago
Looks like you got caught up and started having too much fun cutting the paper :)
CheatinChad 2 years ago
what is the Jantz catalog numbers for the belt and compound you used?
fart1fart1 2 years ago
wow that was quick to touch up i can see why ur so happy hope the belt dont fail you as u sharpen all ur knifes 5*
godsend420 2 years ago
which model of of habor frieght sander is this one?
mudtoa 2 years ago
I am smelling a side business opportunity!!!
Diopterman 2 years ago
Screw stropping for half an hour, i needs me one of those.
soul111smasher 2 years ago
wow nice vid
alvinleong2 2 years ago
Ok Now I wanna send you all my knives to have you sharpen them. LOL
Denomolise 2 years ago
at what angle the blade bites into you nail doesnt have anything to do with how sharp the knife is.
its the steepness of the bevel. if my knife has a 20 degree bevel it will bite into my nail at 20 degrees, if my knife has a 10 degree bevel , it will bite at 10 degrees. it can be a little dull and it will still bite in at the degree that it is.
OneWithGuns93 2 years ago
thats not true the very edge is too acute to be determined by bevel angle...that woudl be correct if the the very edge was where the beveld started or in the case of a zero grind but other than that a sharp 20 degree egde will bite the same angle as a 10 degree edge...
cutlerylover 2 years ago
another great vid
CrypticArtist 2 years ago
wow that is so much easier than hand sharpening, I really need to buy one of these machines
chickenz666 2 years ago
nice vid a+
solorstars 2 years ago
Jeff, I'm not sure if you're applying too much pressure or if you need more tension applied to your belt, but it really shouldn't slide off the wheel like that. Especially when stropping, which should use zero pressure. Also, if you leave your leather belt on the machine when not in use, it will stretch and reduce the life of your belt. Great video on a very useful technique
steph818181 2 years ago
what, do u sharpen at about 40* or what???
vwbmw93 2 years ago
you should have done the paper test before you stropped.
sendmenosigns 2 years ago
ha that thumbnail test was pretty cool thank you. great purchase!
ThatOneGuy8904 2 years ago
won't when your using the actually belt not the strop would mess up the heat treatment.
PittRules55 2 years ago
only if it heats up enough, which I am careful about...
cutlerylover 2 years ago
Thanks for doing this review. I was considering this exact same setup and now you have me fully convinced that this is the way to go.
southstar10 2 years ago
oops them is harbour frieght
btw if you hear the mottor sound different or see the rpms lower then you are pressing to hard and will cause damage
let the belt do the work!
ziepit 2 years ago
my uncle works for them
ziepit 2 years ago
ALEX JONES google him.
stevenOO3 2 years ago
Google yourself.
imgonnapissuoff 2 years ago
$40 at harbor freight
rmojo23 2 years ago
Jeff,
Looks and sounds like you may be applying too much pressure on the belt and bogging down the motor. I'm no expert, but I can't help but think that can't be good for the long haul.
Last year I purchased a Dremel with the idea that I would first use it to do some projects around the house, then retire it to a life of sharpening garden tools and the occasional novice knife making. Apparently I was using it too hard for the latter, as it died on me mere days into my first knife project. :(
buriedintheblack 2 years ago
Nice addition to your tool and equipment arsenal Jeff, the shipping time must have been frustrating, glad it arrived, as now we all have another great vid to watch eh! Thanks!
reasoning777 2 years ago
need to get one now! Only thing there has to be some aftermarket angle setting thingymajig for those who want a precise angle on their blade but i guess eye balling will have to do. Nice Vid~!!
HawaiiIceMan 2 years ago
Cool man!
kodachii14 2 years ago
wow! you sold me ! that sander is gonna make life alot easier,thanx for all that info !The Spyderco Tenacious is my favorite knife,,i'm guilty of buying 12 of them, can't imagine me ever not carrying one...
6x5magnum 2 years ago
Great vid. I always thought belt sanders were the way to go, but they're a bit pricey. Definitely do an update so we can see you actually sharpen something up, going down the grits and such. Also keep us posted on how it holds up, because everybody says Harbor Freight sells garbage that will break before long.
pate357 2 years ago
Comment removed
shark61111 2 years ago
man i want one so bad
tannertgf 2 years ago
Cool vid i will have to try that sum time. O ya I that is so cool u got to meet Rex!
Hissatsu5 2 years ago
WOW! im hooked!!!!!
fallenspirit123 2 years ago
when you sharpen the knife don't rock it upward (5:21). Just pull the handle toward you. This seems counterintuative but it's the proper way to grind a blade. Check out Bob Loveless's book "how to make knives" from the library for an in depth look at blade geometry.
good vids though. Keep them coming Jeff.
3forfree 2 years ago
I love my belt sander too.
blan101 2 years ago
WOW...impressive!!! Good Job. I want one too.
14DFASniper 2 years ago
To make the belt spin the other way around, check if it's powered by a simple electrical motor. If it is, you should be able to make it spin upwards by reconnecting the negative and positive poles (swapping them). I don't now a lot about sanders, but I know quite a lot about electronics, so I think it'll work..
FatzoMcUgly 2 years ago 3
the only problem with doing that is thats theres a chance that the power connection might over heat becasue of the swapped poles
twitchymcsquirrels 2 years ago
hold on a sec, isnt that only with DC motors, and would that be an AC motor cause its connected to an AC power point?
StConstantine 2 years ago
I love my 1x30 leather belt. Good choice! :) A couple hints:
- when you get to the tip, bring it to the middle of the belt then lift it off straight towards you. Don't run it off the side of the belt or you could round the tip off. You described it in your spyderco sharpmaker video--it just happens faster with a belt sander. ;)
- elevate the front feet so that the belt is at a 10-20 deg angle to the vertical. Then you only need to keep the blade vertical to get the bevel you want.
TheAmazingSpiff 2 years ago 3
This is what the fuck I'm talking about! This is the reason why I subcribed to this channel. You have a speciality my friend...and that is knives. Other reviews are so/so...Firearms are basic but your in a major learning process right now. I love this review tho...10 out of 10.
clap5 2 years ago
impressive
collecterjoe 2 years ago
you gotta watch out if you heat up the blade it will knock off the temper
chrissept21 2 years ago 2
how much is that knife and the sander combined becase i need a sander like that and that knife looks prety good lol
armykiller96 2 years ago
Another interesting video. Thanks
CuteChihuahuaDog 2 years ago
Subscribe?
markstevenbuisness 2 years ago
if your wondering whether or not to subscribe do it! theres nothing to lose and he makes fantastic videos. very informative and i bought the knife he sharpened based off his review. Hes also not to pro-brand. which means he will tell the honest truth about a knife even though he likes the brand. these are just observations ive noticed. definitly subscribe!
DivineSynergy 2 years ago
Mom is a chef and i showed her this and she said your mis-pronouncing the word it is " strapping " just a little F.Y.I 5 stars for new tool =]
tighten your belt and watch bringing your tip around off the belt you'll cut it right in half !
markstevenbuisness 2 years ago
maybe it is a location thing because i have been a butcher for 16 years and here it is stropping and every one else i have ever spoke to it has been stropping
drew1095hc 2 years ago
5/5m8
youcornerstorecrooks 2 years ago
wow that is very cool i might halv to try this on one of the machines out in the garage
desighnedmilitent 2 years ago
Great machine, now the only problem is finding a power outlet in the bush ;-)
happymark1805 2 years ago
Have you thought about offering a blade sharpening service? You could start out locally, maybe by offering your services through craigslist, see how far that gets you and how much demand you can generate. Then maybe progress to mail order? Flat rate priority boxes would help keep costs down, and you could always require a minimum of 3 blades (or more) per order. Just and idea I had.
pacificcoast 2 years ago 2
congratulations on presenting me with a video that's going to cost me money lol
Seriously though. Thanks for the video, I might have to look into getting one of these for myself
bigboss686 2 years ago
holy cow Jeff, that's amazing. I never even heard of belt sharpening before. I can't believe how that leather belt sharpened the blade like that, especially with only a few passes. who could have imagined? My jaw is still on the floor from how sharp in such a short amount of time you got it. All those little slices and slivers of paper around 10:08 are incredible. Between the belt sander, leather strap, and compound I'd say you got everything dialed in pretty good.
pacificcoast 2 years ago
ooo. my mom works or 3M. hehe
briguy3418 2 years ago
you should level your belt
lazyboyalex12 2 years ago
weeds LOL
CatemacoRock 2 years ago
cutting them..lol.
2muchwatching 2 years ago
Remember not to touch any metal parts when it is running or you'll get crazy static shocks that will make you jump up.
Roger1379 2 years ago
very good info..tks
torpilo 2 years ago
My God you do good reviews "cutlery"...
regards fredde90210
fredde90210 2 years ago
yesterday i was cutting with my swiss army knife, which was dull, and i was struggling. and slipped and sliced my finger up good (needed 6 stitches). cant use the hand for 2 weeks now.
moral of the story is to keep your knifes sharp!!!!!!
2 days before my birthday :(
oldschooltoledo 2 years ago 2
Do you plan on sharpening your home made knife with this? That would be really cool
HermesTheMessanger 2 years ago
4 str 4 stam leather belt?!
badm0nk3y158 2 years ago
level 18?
familyphotoshoot 2 years ago
aww uhh!
badm0nk3y158 2 years ago
wow i want 1 :] 5/5
nemesistyrant661 2 years ago
You know, when you do hand sharpening and stropping for quite a while, and then you get a machine that can do it quicker... It really makes you appreciate the machine more.
If all you know is the machine, you take it for granted, and if it ever breaks down, then you're stuck.
Very nice video 5/5!
Kisk79 2 years ago
very true!
cutlerylover 2 years ago
Awesome!
CLD1970 2 years ago
dang i wish u could show us how to sharpen tantos and chisle ground and zero ground
gangsta965084 2 years ago
I have a sperate video on sharpenjing chisel grinds and tantos, by hand,.but I did not yet talk about zero grinds.....
cutlerylover 2 years ago
yea just saw the tanto one
thanks
gangsta965084 2 years ago
kull mashin! i wot one on my birth day prezent!!! :)
vovavoyevodin 2 years ago
I've been using the same sander to sharpen my knives, khuks, and axes. I threw out the black plastic side to make belt changing easier, its only for dust collection anyways. If you get some normal belts you can actually sharpen with the knife facing up, just not with the leather belt. Lee valley sells nice 3M 1x30" belts from 9 to 40 micron for around $5 each.
entropyspigot 2 years ago 3
there is harbor freight next to my house.
looks like im going there soon hehe
dnasplice 2 years ago
oh dude, 4 strength 4 stam leather belt AH level 18 OUGH OUGH!!!
FatGuyWithAKatana 2 years ago
O.o
Warunho 2 years ago
yeah i know 83
FatGuyWithAKatana 2 years ago
wut?
Warunho 2 years ago
bark!
FatGuyWithAKatana 2 years ago
o.O
Warunho 2 years ago