Belt sharpening question / advice

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K80Shooter

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When using a belt sander to sharpen knives should you use a lubricant on the belt? If so what would you use?

I have a 1x42 Kalamazoo with a mod to the platin to allow me to use it if I want to. I use AO belts, 3M Micron belts and I also have some 3M Trizact belts I use.

I've always ran the belts dry but lately I've saw where several people say to lube them. So what the best way to go?
 
I use water, applied with a piece of drywall sponge.
But...that's only when I'm running at lower speeds and it won't all sling off the minute I turn the machine on.

At higher speed I just stop and dip often, every pass or two. Normally keep a finger or thumb on the back of the blade and if I feel it heating up I dunk it. If the blade is such I cannot keep contact on the edge I touch it to my wrist every pass or two.

I'd have to see some convincing studies showing how a mister or other form of integrated coolant performs better than a frequent dip. Not saying they don't, just that I have not seen any evidence of such when running at high speed. Even at low speed keeping the belt very wet will not prevent the blade from heating up - it does prevent a lot of the filings from becoming airborne though.
 
I do keep water nearby to dip the blades in however I also keep a bar towel that I wipe them with afterward. I've never had any problems with the way I've always done it, it's just seeing the other post's have got me wondering.

Thanks for your reply.
 
I'm still curious about it myself. I know some machines come with coolant circulating through channels in the platten, some use misting nozzles and other means of wetting the belt. At higher speed I'm not sure how much good any of them are, would like to hear from folks that use them.
 
I can give you anecdotal evidence. It frigging works WAY better at keeping things cool when there's a water cooling system. The key is to have the nozzle(s) right at the point where the belt is contacting the work. Then you don't have to worry about it being flung off the belt because it's applied right there AT the point of contact. The best system I've used is a spray mister that sprays the water out at the same velocity as the air, so that it doesn't create a big "fog" in the room. There's a similar system made called a "Fogbuster" that I think uses the same principle.

Additionally, if you add some oil to the mix it will increase belt life as well. I've used these systems extensively, and they do work.
 
I have used the 1x42" Kalamazoo for years and never lubed with anything. It's the fastest way to sharpen a knife once you get the knack of using it. I go down to 20 micron belts then leather belt with 0.50 micron diamond spray. Best money I ever spent to sharpen knives.
P1010489-vi.jpg
 
rpttrsn said:
I have used the 1x42" Kalamazoo for years and never lubed with anything. It's the fastest way to sharpen a knife once you get the knack of using it. I go down to 20 micron belts then leather belt with 0.50 micron diamond spray. Best money I ever spent to sharpen knives.
P1010489-vi.jpg
Click to expand...
I agree, I love my kalamazoo.
I'll have to try the diamond spray. So far I've only used the green compound.
I like your mod for the platin also.
 
I agree, I love my kalamazoo.
I'll have to try the diamond spray. So far I've only used the green compound.
I like your mod for the platin also.[/QUOTE]

I can adjust the grinder for any angle I want. You can see it's adjusted for 15.15 degrees. This way you draw the knife parallel to the bench and your angle is there. Base is on a plate with a hinge and 2 adjusting rods in the front. Super easy. No guessing for the angle you want. The space between the platen keeps the convex edge at a minimum as the belt flexes very little in this area. I use x-weight belts which are stiffer. Love this machine.
 
rpttrsn said:
I have used the 1x42" Kalamazoo for years and never lubed with anything. It's the fastest way to sharpen a knife once you get the knack of using it. I go down to 20 micron belts then leather belt with 0.50 micron diamond spray. Best money I ever spent to sharpen knives.
P1010489-vi.jpg
Click to expand...
rpttrsn, I see your mods but am not quite understanding how you draw the knife? Blade is just straight up and down in between the platens? If you could give me a little more info or pictures would be better I know its tough to take pics and hold the knife but anything helps. Thank you
 
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Bladegunner,
“I see your mods but am not quite understanding how you draw the knife? Blade is just straight up and down in between the platens?”
Yup! Belt creates the angle you want.

Old Navy,
Have you used the belt stick before? The Kalamazoo doesn’t run at a high speed and have not run into any issues as long as I don’t use a old belt which heats up much faster. Maybe the belt lube would give more life to a new belt.
Not trying to hijack the op’s question but since he has the Kalamazoo other ways to use it could be interesting to him. Sometimes we wander off the subject a bit. Thanks for the reminder.
 
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Don't worry about going off subject on my questions, I gladly listen to any and all suggestions. One thing I've learned is that you're never to old to learn.
 
I personally don't use any. I've tried grease sticks, pastes, sprays, and rouge. Dry belts is what works for me. My machine is variable speed with a glass platen. I rotate the belt into the edge and I like being able to see any micro or stress fractions in the blade when sharpening. They don't really become obvious until about a16 Trizacts that I use.
 
Old Navy,
Have you used the belt stick before? The Kalamazoo doesn’t run at a high speed and have not run into any issues as long as I don’t use a old belt which heats up much faster. Maybe the belt lube would give more life to a new belt.
Not trying to hijack the op’s question but since he has the Kalamazoo other ways to use it could be interesting to him. Sometimes we wander off the subject a bit. Thanks for the reminder.[/QUOTE]

Have used the sticks, but not in a home setting. Back in the 70's I worked at an Aluminum Die-Cast Foundry
with Large Floor Mounted belt Grinders, & I would burn through 1 or 2 sticks a shift.
 
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