HF belt sander on sale

[Chef Niloc]

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-inch...direct_20&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=1111a

 

[apicius9]

+ $34 for 10-day shipping. Sometimes it sucks to live on an island...

Stefan

 

[Eamon Burke]

People sharpen on those? Seems kind wimpy for steel.

 

[tk59]

Yes, they do. Lee Valley sells something like this and these guys do as well. Actually, if you look at the reviews, most of them are from people sharpening. I was talking to the guy at edgemasters about belts and he assured me I'd never want to use stones again once I started sharpening on one of these.

 

[Dave Martell]

It works OK for sharpening and tip repairs. I got along with only having one of these for about a year of pro sharpening.

 

[99Limited]

How about using this for shaping new handles for old knives?

 

[mr drinky]

This is one that I have been eyeing lately, but I have a 20% off coupon for HF and I think I am going to get the yellow one with the combo disk/belt sander instead. On Friday I am heading to a store.

If you search bladeforums or knifeforums there are quite a few threads about tweaking the HF sanders, how to use them, belts etc.

k.

 

[Dave Martell]

How about using this for shaping new handles for old knives?

If you remove the platen (the belt support plate) you should be able to do the rounding parts but the platen might have to go back on for doing the flats like on the top. I think it's doable.

 

[Chef Niloc]

Just got better I got a discount code that's good till the 20th, take 20% off any one item.
GIFT20

 

[mr drinky]

Just got better I got a discount code that's good till the 20th, take 20% off any one item.
GIFT20

Yep, it worked and knocked off another $8 or so.

k.

 

[Eamon Burke]

*edit*

New question.

What does it take to attach the leather straps on here to make a leather belt? As in, how do I seal the 1x30 strip of leather. I live in DFW and there are well stocked leather shops around here, and if I can make the leather belts on the cheap, this would be in my immediate budget.

 

[Dave Martell]

Making leather belts sounds easier than it is. You need to skive the joints (not easy on thin leather which you have to use on this sander because the belt path is narrow), glue the joint together even and smooth, and then tape the backside for security. I've made some really killer belts and some real crap ones, some held together great, others slapped me in the face after a few rotations. In the end I lost money and went back to buying them pre-made.

 

[99Limited]

Would this sander be more useful: http://www.harborfreight.com/4-inch-x-36-inch-belt-6-inch-disc-sander-93981.html
or would the OP's 1" work just fine for re-handling knives.

 

[Chef Niloc]

Leather belt makes this little thing worth it just alone, power strop rocks! Best to beef up the platen, I glued plate glass to it.

 

[spinblue]

I was looking at that plate, I was thinking a rubber pad would protect the edge if something should happen.

Anyone, any thoughts?

 

[Eamon Burke]

There is a HF like 2 blocks from my house, so I went and checked it out.

I've never seen such a place! It's like a novelty hardware store!

 

[Chef Niloc]

I was looking at that plate, I was thinking a rubber pad would protect the edge if something should happen.

Anyone, any thoughts?

I'd use leather, but if your sharpening you should be using the slack part of the belt, just in front of the plate. Also I'd get some cheep knives to practice on first as there is a bit of a learning curve to sharpening on a grinder. I used the "shop knives" at my restaurant. You can get a "kitchen knife lot" on eBay for cheep sometime 10+ knives for under $10.
But as I sad before this little baby with a leather belt will keep your knives crazy sharp & there is not much of a curve with he leather belt