Where are you folks buying your Norton Blaze belts [assuming you even use them!]?

Thanks,

Dave

 

 

Airgas, of course I work there. ;)   Not only do I have access to a blevie of items but lots of customers who have tons of scrap. :P   Getting them for a good price, probably online.  They are expensive, but good.  I tried Sait's but they just didn't hold up as well.

I don't suppose you checked the suppliers list in knife making lessons?

Lots of listings on google. I can't say which supplier is best at price or shipping.

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Steve/Rich yes, I did check the suppliers list. But I appreciate you both pointing out that the list is there. That list is nowhere near complete.

 

A list of suppliers does not tell where folks are actually BUYING their belts, which is what I asked.

 

Price is only one component of the buying decision we use to select a vendor. I have used Trugrit and supergrit for almost 20 years and am curious about where others are buying.

 

Dave

Went and checked AIRGAS and the site does not show any Blaze belts in 2x72? Are you getting them on special order or?

Thanks,

Dave

Dave if you read that thread we for sure know it is incomplete...We just wanted to post suppliers that users of this site have dealt with and would suggest others from the site do the same. And the ability for our members to add names any time they would like was set up to help fill in the blanks. 

So where it goes from here is really out of our hands as far as updates.

The supplier list was not a web search but a listing of places members are currently using and have been happy with, which was the criteria for that list.  and it appeared that was what you were asking for.  It is as complete as the members offered us. I wont bother you anymore.

I can get anything that norton makes.  A lot of stuff like these belts aren't a normal stocked item so the web site doesn't show it.  If I remember right, the minimum is 50 belts from norton.  Get a pn and give your local welding suppiers a call, tell them your shopping around.  Some of them will get them through a wholeseller, others can get them direct and those guys can save you $'s.  You should be able to get the pn from Nortons web site.

www.usaknifemaker.com.

Tracy and his staff are great to work with and he has good prices.

USA is one of those listed in the link above.....always good to know those folks are good to deal with. 

Don't know if they carry the belts you're looking for, but one of my favorite sanding belt suppliers is mscdirect.com. They ship VERY fast! I tend to get items the very next day when I order from them.

you may want to try the bvc belts from trugrit. they hold up well and are 1/2 the price of blaze.

john

talked with MSC today [been using them for many years- great company] and they called their supplier to see if they could get the Blaze 2x72. They can, but the price is almost $3 a belt more than trugrit.

 

John, I will give a few of those belts a try but I am pretty happy with the norton blaze belts :)

 

Thanks to all-

Dave

Dave how long are those Norton orange belts usable?

I can most always get very good grinds for 3 knives from the 50 and 120 grits. I have a hard time getting them to fracture, but if you can get that fracture you can do 3 more knives with each. Good grinds, not messy or sloppy or pushing. A couple times I have gotten a clean 2nd fracture for another 3 blades.

I always end up with them glazing over and then it is very hard to get them to cut again. I have several now that I am going to work on tomorrow and try to get them to cut some more. Hard to get good grinds with crummy belts. I usualy just grab a new belt to keep working. Maybe if I try to fracture them 3 or 4 at a time I will have better luck.

I am going to try the belts John recommended. Have to order more soon anyway.

No idea how many belts I have used over the past 13 years but if I did my heart would probably just quit :)

One of the older makers used to say pretend the belts are free or pick another trade.

Thanks for all the ideas!

Dave

To get the belts to fracture, try running very fast, use a piece of hardened steel and really lean into it.  Think about trying to stall the grinder.

Years back I used a yellow belt from 3 M  I do not remember the number and no longer have any. I made 60 drop point hunters alike from 440 C. Hollow grind on each blade was a bit over three inches. I rough ground all of the hollows before heat treat with one belt.

Then I found Norton Blaze and have used it ever since. I make quite a few knives each year. In a typical year I will use about two blaze belts for rough hollow grinding,,then each of them is used for profiling and handle work. 

I do not have problems with glazing over when working on annealed or heat treated blades. If I did I would suspect speed too low or too high. And I do this work with both high carbon and SS of several types. 

I do glaze old belts when I grind epoxied handles roughly. Then I do as Wayne suggested and grind on some hard steel a bit. It does not remove the epoxy glaze completely but helps. 

have you tried 3m cubitron? the best I have used so far (by a long way).

 I would love to try the norton (fairly certain they are not available in the UK)

 I adhere to the use them as if they are free motto.