Group Therapy?

EdCaffreyMS

EdCaffreyMS

"The Montana Bladesmith"
Hi, My name is Ed..... and..... and.....and..... I hoard old worn out belts. (That's a 50gal contractor's garbage bag!)

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What do you need Group Therapy for???
 
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My name is Dennis. I am a hoarder. I just threw out a bunch of those. Not quite that many. Around 25 or so. It was time to say goodbye. A wise man told me to use belts like they are free.
 
I find it very cathartic to toss all my used grinding belts (220X and below) on the burn pile about once a month. But I am an incurable hoarder of polishing belts (400X and above) because I have found that, due to the backing, they beat most shop rolls for hand finishing. All my 400X and 600X belts get the splice cut out and rolled up into big rolls that I cut strips for when hand finishing. They are one of the biggest expenses in my shop so why not get as much out of them as possible? I haven't bought shop rolls in at least 15 years. I find that if they are no longer useful for even hand finishing, I had them on the grinder way too long, and was just washing out my lines and orange pealing anyhow.
 
I’ve started cutting the belts that have some life left in 12” lengths And then ripping that into various width sizes to shoe shine sand knife handles.
 
lol, and I thought I was the only one. I went through mine the other day and could only bring myself to throw out 3. The rest, well.... I can just use them for rough shaping, yeah yeah.....

My name is Chris and this is my first meeting......
 
I’m just starting in my hoarding addiction, I’ll be back when I’ve gone through a couple orders of bel lol
 
But I am an incurable hoarder of polishing belts (400X and above) because I have found that, due to the backing, they beat most shop rolls for hand finishing. All my 400X and 600X belts get the splice cut out and rolled up into big rolls that I cut strips for when hand finishing.
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I hope everyone read and grabbed onto that! I do the same thing.....but your more organized then me..... I wad the used belts up and toss them under the finishing bench.....then untangle/use then as needed. :)
 
About a month ago I threw a bunch of old belts away. I'm wishing I'd cut them up and kept them now.
As I was throwing them away I was thinking "There goes at least a $100.00"
 
Two kinds of people in this world: Those that admit to hoarding over-used 2x72 belts, and liars. :D

I'm the "Let's tear the belt into a strip so I can't use it on the grinder, but I'll roll it up and save it because now I can use it as emory paper on the lathe, or maybe for shining boots or something...."

I can quit any time I want to...
 
We can keep them around for sentimental value, but one of the truest knifeisms, or sayings in the business is- "they are one of our biggest expenses, but if you want to make a good knife you have to treat them like they are free!"

Anybody who has been at it long enough to know, realizes that all you do with a dull belt is heat steel, destroy lines, and create so much work for yourself in hand finishing that you will probably just give up before you are done anyhow. As soon as that belt stops cutting clean, retire it to your keepsake pile, and start making another keepsake with a new one. Somedays I think I would accomplish the same result buy just gluing $5 bills to my contact wheel and making green confetti. :(

On the way to the burn pile with belts the other day, I saw a little tree starting to grow in one of my buckets of blades behind the shop- let's face it, belts, old blades, tools, I think we are all hoarders by nature.
 
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