Blaze Ceramic Belts

JAWilliams

KNIFEMAKER
Hello everyone. I have just started using the Blaze Ceramic Belts that Tracy cares at USA KNIFEMAKER SUPPLY (http://www.usaknifemaker.com/store/). Let me tell you they are great!!!!!! I have been listening to everyone about them and decided to try them. I have rough ground six blade and have done a ton of grinding on the same belt and it is still cutting like a dream. It is the 36 grit belt and it is amazing. As most will tell you you can buy cheaper belts and get more but I have a feeling it would be a waste of time, energy and money.I have used several different kinds of belts and have never had one that lasted for so long. If you have been thinking about it and have looked at the cost and thought maybe later don't wait. It is well worth the investment and it will save you money in the end. Before someone asks what I am getting out of this the answer is nothing. I am just hoping to share something with everyone that will help you out and most likely will save you money. So if you get a chance give them a try, you won't be sorry. Oh and they do come in different grits. I have four different grits. And if you are not sure where to start, shoot BOSSDOG (Tracy) an email or pm. He will get you started like he did me and many others that were not sure where to start.2thumbs

James
 
Ditto on the Blaze belts! When they first came out, I was one of the testers of them. Prior to the Blaze belts, I thought nothing could beat the Zirconia belts from Klingspoor. WRONG! Some day there might be something better, but for now, I personally think that the Blaze belts are the top of the heap!
 
I've been using the Blaze 80 grit belts to rough out my blades. They keep on cutting when other belts would have been headed for the trash bin. They are well worth the cost.
 
Nortons has quietly made some improvement in the Blaze line of belts with improved technology - voodoo some how. Long story short, the new Blaze belts have tested to last 20% longer than the "old" belts. These will slip into production as the old ones are exhausted...
 
They don't need to make the grit last longer. The end of use for me is when the bonding tape fails. I use them until the tape fails and the belt comes apart. I had one new belt that I put on the grinder, turned the grinder on, and the belt broke, on the first revolution. Other than the tape coming apart the do seem to last forever and they do usually last for a loooong time before the tape fails.
 
Wayne, I know you are serious but that's pretty funny.:D
I don't use them that long, but they do last a really long time.
-John
 
Yeah John, I used to try to do that with cheap belts and would ware them until the grit was just about gone. I have to make myself put on a new belt just to see that I am working and not getting anything done.

When I got my first belt grinder I would go to Ryan Johnson's shop and gather all the "worn out" belts off of the floor. I still have some of them. It is hard to get to where you understand "false economy". It also took me the longest to realize that the "expensive" belts really weren't the expensive belts.
 
I use step pulley's and I never use the highest speed.I was told that the Blaze needed to be run very fast.I have never used Blaze,but I have tried many types,and have not been real satisfied.
Not running as fast as some,Will the Blaze work just as well for me?
Thanks,

God bless,Keith
 
I rough grind most of my blades after heat treat since I started using the blaze belts (i do a small straight grind on the really thick blades before HT), I'll get 5-6 blades from one belt, then the belt is put on the wall for profiling steel and then titanium. It seem like after the belt get too slick for steel, it'll bite right into ti and it gets used for that until it starts creating too much heat then it does a pretty decent job rough profiling G10 and some other handle material. They are worth every cent :)
 
I use step pulley's and I never use the highest speed.I was told that the Blaze needed to be run very fast.I have never used Blaze,but I have tried many types,and have not been real satisfied.
Not running as fast as some,Will the Blaze work just as well for me?
Thanks,

God bless,Keith

I never run my grinder over 50% when grinding steel and slower for ti and they seem to work great at that speed. I have a KMG with a 2hp variable speed motor.
 
Recently I was sharpening a blade with a "worn out" Norax 45 micron belt. As I started sharpening it, it sounded funny. I stopped, but it was too late. Some of the abrasive had come off in a patch and it scratched the heck out of the grind. So now i got this finished knife with a nice 600 grit hand satin finish with 3 inches of vertical scratches about half an inch long on the edge. I was so sick. The blade had been etched too becuase it was CPM 3V. So, I had to go back by hand and pull the scratches out on a sharp blade and re-etch that section of the grind. Took about an hour. So, now I inspect every used belt every time. So, just check those old belts. Another thing for me, when they start getting hot and not cutting well, it's time for a fresh one. I've nearly ruined several knives trying to stretch a belt out a little longer.
 
I was sold on the 3M 977's for the longest time. I tried some of the 60 grits and 120's and went back and ordered some 50's. I like that they keep there sharpness for a long time.
 
Nortons has quietly made some improvement in the Blaze line of belts with improved technology - voodoo some how. Long story short, the new Blaze belts have tested to last 20% longer than the "old" belts. These will slip into production as the old ones are exhausted...

So they last 20% longer than forever? ;)

Seriously, they are the cheapest belt you will buy. They just dont stop. I wont use anything else now that Ive tried them.
 
My best with a blaze was profiling 54 full tang blades out of Chad's ss damascus and I rough ground the initial bevel as well (most were approx 7" long). I then used it for profiling several carbon damascus blades before the tape broke.

I was disappointed because I am convinced that belt still had alot of life left in it.
 
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