Blog category
Sharpening on a belt grinder, from kitchen knives and cleavers to mower blades and razors: angles, belts, stropping, and turning sharpening into a service.
26 articles · written in Sterling, Illinois
26 articles
A cleaver is wide, heavy and easy to rock, and a short rest lets the edge wander. Here is how I sharpen large cleavers on the 2×72 with an extended work rest: full support, angle setup, and safe handling.
Brass, copper, aluminum and titanium each misbehave on a belt in their own way: loading, smearing, sparking. Here is how I grind non-ferrous metals on the 2×72 safely, from belt choice and speed to dust handling and protection.
A mirror finish shows every scratch you skipped. Here is the belt progression I use on the 2×72 to get there, 120 grit through 1200, when to switch to hand sanding, how to buff, and the shortcuts that leave haze.
Profiling is where a chef knife takes its shape, and a 36-grit ceramic belt does it fastest. Here is how I lay out a blank, hog the profile on the 2×72, keep the tip cool and follow the belly.
The pattern is only as good as the polish under it. Here is how I take a damascus blade up the grits on the 2×72 before etching: pressure, speed, keeping it cool, reaching a clean finish, prepping for the etch.
A full hollow straight razor is ground almost to nothing on a large contact wheel. Here is why 14 inches is the standard, how to mount it on a 2×72, how to keep thin steel cool, and matching both sides.
Handles that feel right have no facets, and a slack belt is how you get there. Here is how I use the slack section of the 2×72 for organic handle transitions: belt choice, tension, where to work, and pressure.
Tough steels like CPM 3V, M4 and 52100 eat cheap belts and heat up fast. Here is how ceramic and Cubitron belts compare on cut rate, heat, life and cost, and which one I run on the 2×72.
A rounded spine feels better in the hand and looks finished, and the slack belt is the fastest way to get one. Here is how I radius a knife spine on the 2×72: grit, the rolling motion, and polish.
A 400-grit hand-sanded finish is the working knifemaker’s standard: clean, even and easy to maintain. Here is how I set it up on the 2×72, the hand-sanding technique, and how to chase out the stray scratch.
Micarta and carbon fiber shape beautifully on a 2×72, and their dust is the worst thing in the shop to breathe. Here is how I grind both safely: respirator and dust collection, sharp belts, low speed, heat control, and finishing.
A longer platen supports a chef knife and keeps a flat grind flat. A shorter one gives control on small blades. Here is how platen length changes the grind, the trade-offs, and how to pick for the knives you make.
Built in Sterling
I machine the parts, hand-assemble, track and test each grinder before it ships. Most orders leave in seven to ten business days from time of order.
Fiber-laser-cut 6061 aluminum on the 9x12-inch base. Easier to tilt and move, and corrosion resistant.
My heaviest 2x72: a 3/8-inch steel chassis with machined dual-axis tracking. Bolt it down and it stays put.
Reaches the choils, finger grooves and inside curves a flat platen never will. Wheels from 1/2 to 1.5 inches.
Built to order
I answer my own email. Tell me the work you do and which grinder you are considering.
