Recommended 80 grit belts?

[M&J]

Got through the last of the 80G belts, need to replace. What's your recommendation?

[Ed Caffrey]

Whatcha grinding? Carbon? Stainless? Synthetic handle materials? With knowing, I can't recommend a specific belt, but can say if you want the best prices, got o Tru-Grit

[M&J]

Both carbon and stainless. The prior belts were ceramic hoggers. Those seemed good though open to others.

[Ray Rogers]

I had good luck with VSM 80 grit ceramic belts from Tru-Grit. I tried other more expensive ceramic belts but none seemed to work any better than VSM...

[Ed Caffrey]

Originally Posted by M&J

Both carbon and stainless. The prior belts were ceramic hoggers. Those seemed good though open to others.

There was a time when I would recommend Norton Blaze belts, but the horsed them up by putting some silly "anti-friction" coating back, and all it does is build up on the platen and create a mess.... OH! And they also jacked up the price to stupid expensive.

Personally, for my heavy grit belts, right now, I use VSM KX760X in 50 grit. I've never understood folks who make additional work for themselves by starting out with a 36 grit, and then needing a 60, 80-120, etc to get down to the fine finish. With the 50 grit, it hogs plenty of material, yet I can jump straight to a 220 grit, and easily get the 50 grit scratches out.... can't do that with a 36 grit.

I am constantly trying new belts, always seeking something that offers the best cost to use ratio I can find. I generally encourage folks to try 1-2 of a "new" belt each time they order.... that way you can try new (to you) products, and discover belts that you might not otherwise.

If you don't take anything away from my inputs, take this.... Buy your belts from someplace such as Tru-Grit (actually, there isn't any other place like Tru-Grit).... if you buy from general knife supply outfits, all you're doing is paying 30+% more then you have to. I also have a burr under my saddle for al these johnny come lately outfits that claim to sell "Our own brand" of abrasives..... these are nothing but China made junk, that are under made, and way over priced.

[Chris Railey]

Its funny this came up now because I just changed back to VSM for my 60 and 120 grit ceramics. I have been using blaze and Cubitron II but I just do not see enough of a difference to keep paying their prices.

[M&J]

Thanks guys! Will give those VSM belts a go!

Agree Ed, buying quality supplies from a reputable dealer is the way to go. Tru Grit has been great. Used to drive over there to pick up supplies and hang out a bit with John and Linda when they were in El Monte and later at Corona.

[KenH]

Yep, I've got good words for Tru-Grit also, but don't forget Pop's knife supply for decent prices and good service.

BTW, has anybody considered this new VSM belt for $16? https://trugrit.com/product/2-x-72-3...tirox-ceramic/ I find it hard to imagine it's worth that cost over a VSM760X belt.

Another question, I think we all agree 50 grit is a very good "hogging" grit, is a VSM 2X72 XK760 CERAMIC 50 grit at $7 a better buy than a 60 Grit at $4.75?

[Ray Rogers]

The 60 is the one I always used. As Ed said, the best way to find a better belt is to add a new belt to each order and try it ...

[Chris Railey]

Originally Posted by KenH

Yep, I've got good words for Tru-Grit also, but don't forget Pop's knife supply for decent prices and good service.

BTW, has anybody considered this new VSM belt for $16? https://trugrit.com/product/2-x-72-3...tirox-ceramic/ I find it hard to imagine it's worth that cost over a VSM760X belt.

Another question, I think we all agree 50 grit is a very good "hogging" grit, is a VSM 2X72 XK760 CERAMIC 50 grit at $7 a better buy than a 60 Grit at $4.75?

On the Triox belts I will have to let you rich knife makers try that one first and let me know if it is worth it.
As far as the 60 grit 760K VSM belts I use those all the time and I like them a lot for hogging. I have noticed they do not work as well as I like for wood, which is weird to me and maybe just my imagination. For hogging wood I use these from Pop's in 50 grit. They will hawg some wood. https://popsknife.supplies/collectio...29511065600034

[KenH]

Chris, those belts you linked to are good belts for me also. Isn't it amazing how dull a belt can get grinding wood? You'd think a belt would last forever with wood.

I use the ceramic belts for metal, and AO or ALUMINUM OXIDE / ZIRCONIA for wood. Those ALUMINUM OXIDE / ZIRCONIA actually work darn good for metal. Don't last as long as ceramic, but are less expensive.

[Chris Railey]

Originally Posted by KenH

Chris, those belts you linked to are good belts for me also. Isn't it amazing how dull a belt can get grinding wood? You'd think a belt would last forever with wood.

I use the ceramic belts for metal, and AO or ALUMINUM OXIDE / ZIRCONIA for wood. Those ALUMINUM OXIDE / ZIRCONIA actually work darn good for metal. Don't last as long as ceramic, but are less expensive.

I do the exact same thing. Ceramic for steel AO/Zirc for wood. I feel the AO/Zirc out performs the ceramic on wood. I have no testing to base that on except of using sooooo many belts of each kind its just my observation. You want to hawg out some wood get the 36 grit AO/Zirc belts and they will ruin a piece of wood in seconds at WAO on my grinder. Now getting the 36 grit marks out of your wood is another story.

[M&J]

I used the VSM 760's on some hard maple...not as good as expected. It worked but it should have gone through the wood much faster. Pretty much killed it on some already heat treated stuff, like it just removed all the grit from the belt. This was some 440-C croyo'd at 59-60 RC.

Will order some VSM 885's and 890's next.

[M&J]

Really like the 885's in the 50 grit.

Tru Grit had some of the new VSM AK 890 which is supposed to be the competitor to the Cubitron II. Profiled a batch of blades and it d##n't wear as expected. Had some areas where chunks of abrasive were torn out. The outer edges wore down fairly quickly. I d##n't put the sharp edge of the steel into the abrasive so it was fairly uniform across the entire belt. Profiled out about 25 blades and it does hog out plenty of steel and is still aggressive enough. Just not accustomed to the belt wearing that way.

The XK 885 50 grit has beveled about 20 blades at this point and the surface of the abrasive looks pretty good.

These are from the prior day's grinding session: