Sharpening on a Belt Sander Video

[Josh Perdue]

Thats great stuff, I liked some of your other videos as well.

[LB_hntr]

Thanks Josh!

Bisch this week is insanely cold! I went out to the garage on sunday night to cut a piece of wood for trim (redoing bathroom). It was minus 18! I walked in the garage, put the board on the table saw, got it all set and ready, put on my safety glasses and they instantly fogged and then froze. I thru the glasses on the bench and said "think I will wait until tomorrow when it warms up to zero!
Spring cant get here fast enough!

[amicus]

Like any tool, you have to learn how to use and get good with it. I would not start with new expensive broadheads. Practice with something old and cheap first.

A belt sander will take off metal very quickly and get red hot so you need to pay attention.

Gilbert

[KSdan]

Got the jig and the leather belt this past week. It all works sweet.

[Longbow58]

Really KSdan? No problems with the belt turning into the blade that's great. Where did you buy the jig?

[KSdan]

I got the jig from Amazon- though I did call the manufacturer- Wheatland Construction Corp. in Okla. to ask questions.  They have been making it for 25 years- American!  No reported problems with the jig as it is.  

For what it does, it is the best tool since sliced bread!  It can adjust angle easily.  It goes on/off the sander in seconds w/o tools.  You can change out a belt while it is on. Blades never get heated, it is just too fine and quick to even allow that. You can easily observe the edge for metal removal and burring as you sand it.  NOTE: You do not use it with the leather strop however- as that does have to be used with the blade pointed down.  

I sharpened 10 dull kitchen knives in 15 minutes!  For basic knives the best grits seem to be 120, 320, 400, 600- though 120, 320/or 400, with the strop would work for most of my everyday/kitchen knives.

You can change and keep consistent angles.  I used 10 degrees on the thin kitchen and filet knives- scary paper shaving sharp in under a minute!  You can go as high as 35 degrees if you like.    

I am going to make a wood jig/block/spacer for my broad-heads to accommodate the ferrule.  Should be easy enough.  I plan to set all my bevels with it. For my best knives I will still use my KME for the final edge, but in most around home apps I bet a guy could just use the sander/jig/belt set-up.

The time savings alone- while having sharp knives/edges around my home was well worth the $100 investment (HF sander + jig + leather belt + sanding belts = $100).    

Hope that helps
Dan in KS

[Longbow58]

Thanks Dan.

[LB_hntr]

Great review of the jig Dan!
 Glad the system works great for you!

Just got done doing 2 dozen heads for my kids for the pig hunt in Florida next month with true south adventures. I actually timed it. It took me 9 mins on the sander and 10 mins on a hand strop (leather and my blue jeans). So in 19 mins I had 24 new magnus 2 blade heads done. Started with 180 grit and ran all 24 to set new angles, then switched to 400 grit and ran all 24, the the leather belt and ran all 24, the finished by hand on the leather hand strop and my jeans.
 That would of normally took me hours to do.
 Love this sander!
For anyone that is not comfortable yet with holing the right angl s by hand that jig sounds like a great addition!