The Big O!

Sean Cochran

Sean Cochran

Well-Known Member
I just used a blaze belt for the first time, man these things cut like nobodys business. I now love orange belts.:)

Just wondering though, how long do they last?

Sean
 
Sean, I've lost count of the number of blades I have ruined in the past couple of months (20-30). I'm just now ordering a new supply of 60 grit belts. I initially ordered two of the 60's from T and they are still going. They're just not cutting quite as well as the new ones.
 
murphda2 said:
Sean, I've lost count of the number of blades I have ruined in the past couple of months (20-30). I'm just now ordering a new supply of 60 grit belts. I initially ordered two of the 60's from T and they are still going. They're just not cutting quite as well as the new ones.
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You did all those with two belts Murph?
 
Cool. Ive been using the cheaper belts for 60 and 120. Im used to one knife and then retire the belts to handle work. It seems in the long run the blaze belts are alot cheaper.

Sean
 
I used to think that the discount belts were great until I got some really good ones. I have use gators but now I start out with the orange belts, which like the Energizer Buddy keeps going and going, and then I switch to Norax. Discount belts are the most expensive way to go.

Doug Lester
 
I asked around prior to placing my first order of belts. Matt Bailey highly recommended the Blaze and Gator belts. Granted, both of these brands of belts are a bit expensive, but they have really worked great for me. Eventually I'll get better at grinding and develope a solid technique. Once I do, I feel these belts will prove to be even more valuable to my performance.
 
Blaze belts are insane. They are the best out there. I got cleaned out on 40grit a week ago but have more coming. I have just ordered 36 and 50 grits also. Those will be instock in a few weeks.
 
I became a fan of the blaze belts earlier this year, I can grind 5 to 10 blades with one belt then it gets used for titanium profiling for a little bit (they really work well on the ti at this point) and then sometimes they get a third life for profiling or initial texturing on handles. They seem to hang around the shop for a long time..... well, a lot of belts do that in my shop and it's not because they are still useful :)
 
Gee, people you make me sick ! I've tried the blaze belts about 4 or 5 times using at least 1/2 dozen in a run in 60 grit and some 36 s the last time. They don't grind worth a darn for me. I again have gone back to the 3M gold coloured ones. I tried more push, and pulling a file across. Sure wish I could get results like that. Frank
 
Frank Niro said:
Gee, people you make me sick ! I've tried the blaze belts about 4 or 5 times using at least 1/2 dozen in a run in 60 grit and some 36 s the last time. They don't grind worth a darn for me. I again have gone back to the 3M gold coloured ones. I tried more push, and pulling a file across. Sure wish I could get results like that. Frank
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Hey stranger, I don't know how fast you grind, but I can see a big difference with speed. If I run my grinder on the slower setting the 3m gold belts you are talking about will last forever and put the blazes to shame. If I run my grinder on fast the blaze belts will out last the 3m gold belts big time. First time I tried the blaze belts I was running slow and couldn't figure out where the hype was coming from. Starting grinding initial bevels and tapering tangs on Mach 1 speed and it changed my mind.

PS hope the knee is doing good and Peggy is doing well. I'll send ya an email in a day or two. Ryan
 
I agree with Les. My grinder is set up with a step pulley, and I run it at the slowest setting, but it still is pretty fast. Yesterday, I did some bevel grinding on a batch of knives and I ground out 7 of them with the same belt. These were not huge knives, but they were not tiny edc's either. At the end, the belt was noticably duller than a new one, but it still has a lot of life left in it. I still put it on my "new belt" hook. I dont use new belts for the initial bevel cut, I have an old one that I knock the edge off with. If I use a new one for that, I just get covered in a shower of orange dust and the belt loses a third of it's life. Other than that, they just keep going.
 
I did a little more grinding tonight, just trying to work the bugs out of my new grinder. I was grinding an old blade I had forged out long ago, it was still covered in scale and the blaze went like butter, scale and all. I put a nice full hollow on the blade in no time. Just a shower of sparks.:)
I am running a step pulley on the middle. I havent worked out how many sfpm I am running for each speed yet, but on the middle is just a good roughing speed.
Anyway I highly reccomend Blaze belts.

Sean
 
Hi Ryan .
Now ain'nt you a mind reader ! I was thinking about what I was missing that others might be doing. A quick thought passed through the pea brain I have and it was could it be speed? I talked to a fellow at Tru Grit today and he didn't know the answer but agreed there were a FEW others out there that were experiencing the same results. Well, now I have the answer what do I do? Ryan, do you have and idea of the feet per minute I would have to run in order to get good results from the blaze belts? I usually grind slow or slower. I just might get the one I use for contour and flat grinding changed back over to a faster speed at 100% reostat opening. The grinder I use for hollow grinding may be fast enough if I turn the reostat up to full. Give me the word oh knowledgeble one !!! Thanks for the boost . Frank.
 
Frank,

I'm not sure what the exact SFPM would be, but I run them at 50-60% on my speed controller and can rough grind 10-12 of my EBKs on a single belt.
I personally use the 50 Grit Blaze.....I like that grit because it takes off material well, but doesn't leave such big scratches that I can't jump straight to a 400 belt during my finish grinding phase.
 
Frank
I figured the sfpm that Im using it is right around 2000 give or take. That seems to be the sweet spot much slower and they dont seem to cut as well.
 
Well, thanks Sean. I don't think that's my maximum. I believe I do have a larger drive wheel that I changed out, if I didn't give it away. Sure great to have an answer on those belts. I found an answer on another anoying problem that was showing up very seldom, but was still happening the other day.That gave me a boost. Frank
 
Tracy, I notice that the finest grit Blaze belt you carry is 120. Is there a reason for this? Is there a reason that we would not want to use finer grit Blaze belts or do they just not make them? If not I wonder why not? I have done a Google search for Blaze Belts and haven't come up with anywhere whith as much selection as you have.
 
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