Any of you guys familiar with sharpening knives and broad heads with a belt sander, starting with 600 grain, then 800 grain, then 1000 grain, and finishing with a leather stropping belt?
I won't plug in the guy that professionally provides this service, but I have watched many of his videos and he has a guy shave his entire arm in about a minute with one of the knives sharpened with this method.
While a belt sander can get a broadhead very sharp, it is easy to warm up your glue and loosen the head. My own belt sander ran too fast and the heat built up very quickly.
I guess using screw in heads, and holding them with a pair of pliers would easily fix that problem. Right?
I use a belt sander a lot for surgical instruements, knives, & BH's. I rebuilt it to handle the 42" belt. Shorter belts are too fast & hot IMO. Any tool is only as good as the experience of the person using it. That is, it takes awhile to learn this sharpening process & technique. PM for more.
Please PM me a link. I'd like to watch the videos.
I use a belt sander with 80grit to set the original angle by touching it lightly on all 3 sides until each edge of the blade is shiny the entire length. Then I use a small bastard file to finish it. Get's my Snuffers shaving sharp and I never had much luck with a leather strop, but by lightening the strokes toward the end of the sharpening process I can get mine shaving sharp.
The method absolutely works, but it's very easy to overheat the piece you are working on and ruin the temper.
I used to set the edge on the old Grizzly's, had a jig to hold at the correct angle and dipped in water often to keep cool, worked great and was fast. Finished up on a Tormek wet grinder that also has a leather stop wheel. New Gizzly's I can go straight to the Tormek.
Better keep a pail of water handy and dip often. Don't want to over heat and ruin the temper. I wouldn't use pliers because you can't tell how hot the head is getting. If you can hold it it isn't too hot. When it gets warm dip in the water to cool it off.
Hold it in your fingers and you won't let them get too hot! :) Be sure to not let the point face against the direction of belt travel.
I'm a huge fan of the 1x30 belt sander for sharpening heads and knives.
I'll say this, I haven't used anything but leather on mine in the last few years. Mainly because over heating is a concern, but my KME puts the flat edge on easily and evenly, and the leather stropes the edge down to the concave just the leading edge. Very durable edge and lasts for several deer. Saying that though I prefer to strope it on the belt sander with leather after every use.
I set the angles on new heads with this. As above, be sure to quench often !
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h254/BiteMyButtski/100_0837.jpg)
I epoxied a heavy wire guide (used an old Lansky guide) onto the side of the grinder, watch the angle..
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h254/BiteMyButtski/100_0838.jpg)
I doctored an old Lansky or similar holder to be angled, allows a more straight presentation to the belt.
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h254/BiteMyButtski/100_0840.jpg)
Lightly ! Quench often. Doesn't take much
(http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h254/BiteMyButtski/100_0841.jpg)
Works great for me... Easy for straight bladed heads, gotta work a bit more for rounded (convex) blade heads. Don't think my jig would work for concave heads.
ChuckC
I use a belt sander to get the bevels straight on WWs...then I use a jewel stick to get them hunting sharp....I don't have a clue what grit the belt is.
I also can use it before or after I glue in the inserts cause I use JB Weld...and I don't over temper the head cause I go by feel of the heat. I rotate one head usually 6 times and lay it down and get another...then another...etc...and let them cool down and start over in the same order.
I use my knife KME grinder 2X72" with a worn out 220 grit belt then to a worn out 400 grit. All by hand but then again I do all my knife grinding by hand...be careful! Doc