Hi, Ricky. I’m new to sharpening and trying to figure out whether belt sanders are a better approach than my jig with stones. The thing I’m stuck on is that some folks say motorized dry grinding heats the apex of the blades up almost instantaneously…that few microns on the top of the edge…and that this damages the heat treatment on that part of the edge, therefore weakening the edge. What’s your take on all that?
I totally get where you're coming from. The debate between belt sanders and jigs with stones is a hot topic in sharpening circles. You're right that motorized dry grinding can generate heat quickly, and if you're not careful, it can overheat the very edge (those few microns at the apex). When that happens, it can mess with the heat treatment and weaken the edge. But here's the thing-if you use light pressure, keep the belt moving, and pause often to check the blade, you can avoid overheating altogether. That said, using a jig with stones is a safer bet for beginners because it's harder to overheat the blade, and it gives you a lot of control. Plus, stones help you develop a "feel" for sharpening that comes in handy no matter what method you use. Ultimately, both methods can give you razor-sharp results-it just depends on your comfort level and the tools you prefer. If you're curious about belt sanders, maybe practice on a cheap knife first to get a feel for it.
@ Thanks for the response. Good stuff to consider. I have a WS Ken Onion MK2 with the grinder attachment sitting here, new in boxes, and think that based on your response, I’ll take those back today and focus for a while on just getting jiggy with it. If there’s ever a need for quicker sharpening, it’ll always be available. One more thing if you have the time (hate to keep asking questions)…have you tried the water-cooled wheels like the Tormek and Wen units? I’m all googled out and still don’t have a good grasp of whether there are real benefits to those vs belt sanders. I see the value in the belt sanders, particularly with trying to get convex edges. Can’t help but assume those big wheels would give concave results but haven’t tried any.
@@brad4817 I have 0 experience with those units. Practice practice and more practice. I just did a Christmas giveaway of the knives I have collected to practice on of the past few years. I had over 100😂
Hi, Ricky. I’m new to sharpening and trying to figure out whether belt sanders are a better approach than my jig with stones. The thing I’m stuck on is that some folks say motorized dry grinding heats the apex of the blades up almost instantaneously…that few microns on the top of the edge…and that this damages the heat treatment on that part of the edge, therefore weakening the edge.
What’s your take on all that?
I totally get where you're coming from. The debate between belt sanders and jigs with stones is a hot topic in sharpening circles.
You're right that motorized dry grinding can generate heat quickly, and if you're not careful, it can overheat the very edge (those few microns at the apex). When that happens, it can mess with the heat treatment and weaken the edge. But here's the thing-if you use light pressure, keep the belt moving, and pause often to check the blade, you can avoid overheating altogether.
That said, using a jig with stones is a safer bet for beginners because it's harder to overheat the blade, and it gives you a lot of control. Plus, stones help you develop a "feel" for sharpening that comes in handy no matter what method you use.
Ultimately, both methods can give you razor-sharp results-it just depends on your comfort level and the tools you prefer. If you're curious about belt sanders, maybe practice on a cheap knife first to get a feel for it.
@ Thanks for the response. Good stuff to consider. I have a WS Ken Onion MK2 with the grinder attachment sitting here, new in boxes, and think that based on your response, I’ll take those back today and focus for a while on just getting jiggy with it. If there’s ever a need for quicker sharpening, it’ll always be available.
One more thing if you have the time (hate to keep asking questions)…have you tried the water-cooled wheels like the Tormek and Wen units? I’m all googled out and still don’t have a good grasp of whether there are real benefits to those vs belt sanders. I see the value in the belt sanders, particularly with trying to get convex edges. Can’t help but assume those big wheels would give concave results but haven’t tried any.
@@brad4817 I have 0 experience with those units. Practice practice and more practice. I just did a Christmas giveaway of the knives I have collected to practice on of the past few years. I had over 100😂