I posted this question and the response I received form Brian Fellhoelter was this.
Sure, a big plus for me is that they are less work.
There's 1" less that I have to run off of the part.
At .050 - .100 cross feed , that is 10 - 20 less back and fourths, PER PASS !
We aren't plunging straight down, full width on the blade, so that extra inch makes a big difference.
Even @ 1", we're double the width of a typical wheel.
The leading edge of the belt wears out relatively quickly, and it's different than a stone.
When a stone wears, it's just not flat anymore, it's still a stone, and still cuts.
Not so with a belt.
The belt will cut much less effectively on that leading edge, generating a lot of pressure.
This will result in higher temperatures, and more likelihood of tossing the part across the shop.
With a 1" wide belt, by the time this becomes an issue, you are ready for a new belt anyhow, so you swap it.
You are more likely to keep trying to push a 2" belt further
You could have 1" of worn belt, and 1" of relatively fresh abrasive.
If you split the belt, you have already swapped by that time, and all is well.
Meanwhile, you are still going back and forth because you are using a 1" wider belt, you'd be down to your next depth if the belt was 1"
So, it's faster, and more efficient.
I did 40 - 50 blades before I decided to try 1", and besides the time efficiency, I didn't get fewer blades per belt.
If I had, I might still consider running 2" belts.
A 1' wheel is easier to keep flat and true, and there is less belt splice/high spots to worry about.
And for the third time, because it's that important (if your trying to make money) a 1" belt is just way less work.
Let's take this little 1" high folder I am working on.
After heat treat, there are 3 depth passes that need to be taken off per side.
I rough the 1st 2 passes with a .100" Y increment per stroke.
Roughly 22 strokes to get a 1" belt off of it.
44 strokes for the 2 passes.
The finish feed is .050" per stroke, so 44 more just for the finish stoke.
That's 88 back and forths...
With a 2" belt, I need 34 strokes per roughing pass, and 64 for the finishing pass.
132 Strokes.
So, the 1" belt is only 67% of the work...
Any day you can speed up a process by 33% is a great day in my book.