Best Belt Grinder For Knife Making

Have you ever thought about creating a knife of your own? The majority of you will say why to make it by myself when I can just go out or order one online. Plus, there are hundreds of knife designs that people can choose form.

The one thing that you don’t consider is that manufacturers make their knives in large quantities, and picking out one form a shop or online is not unique. But making your knife at home gives you the chance to pick out your materials, work on the design you want, and many more things. This makes your knife one-of-a-kind.

The one tool you will need to make your knife at home is the belt sander. There are a couple of things you need to know if you want to pick out the best belt grinder for knife making. You will also need to learn how to use it in order to prevent any injuries.

This article will help you pick and learn how to use the best belt grinder for knife making. Next, you will see out eight picks that can be placed in the category for the best belt grinder for knife making.

Best Belt Grinder For Knife Making Reviews

1. Grizzly G1015 Knife Belt Sander/Buffer

 

Out first entry to our list is the Grizzly knife belt sander. We put it first because this might be the best knife grinder for beginners. This might not be the best knife making belt grinder, but if you are a beginner, this is completely enough. This knife making belt sander comes with all the items and tools so you can start chiseling materials and start making your knife at home. With some add-ons and some upgrades, this machine can do a lot more.

It has a motor speed of 1725 RPM, and this speed can’t be changed, but it is more than enough to fabricate any material. It can also fit belts that are from 72″ to 76″ and its wheel is 8 inches. From the reviews we have seen online and talked to some people that have this machine, replacing the 8-inch wheel with a 10-inch one will make the knife making, experience more enjoyable.

Considering what you are getting, the price of this machine is quite high. Manufacturers placed this price because this is one of the most durable knife making grinder on the market. Again this is knife makers sander is for beginners and the people who like making knives as a hobby. It has some flaws, but it will get the job done.

2. EX ELECTRONIX EXPRESS Mini 

 

Next on our list of best belt grinder for knife making is a machine that is significantly smaller than the one before. Let’s be honest, this kind of belt sander for knives is better, because those larger ones are way better for making swords and long blades. So if you are into making small designer knives, than this is the perfect knife makers grinder for you.

Although the belt on this machine has good quality, people have recommended to replace it with a better one, which will make the end product look even better. The best thing about this belt sander for knife making is that it is super light. The whole machine weighs around 1 kg.

It is super portable and you can take it anywhere you want. It is also quite affordable, so we will certainly place it in the category of best belt sander for knife making. This is the right machine if you are just starting to get into making knives.

 

3. Jet Tools – J-4002 1 x 42 Bench Belt and Disc Sander

 

Now, when we are talking the best of the best, nothing comes close to this belt sander for knife making from JET. This machine has all the features and accessories it needs to satisfy all of your desires. It is super durable, very powerful, precise, and pretty versatile. Every company on the market today will say that their belt grinder is versatile, but no other comes close when it comes to making things out of pretty much every material. The interesting this is that you can also make your knife handle on this machine.

The work table on this machine is pretty specious and you will see that working on it will be comfortable and easy. Unlike the previous machines that we have reviewed, this one’s table can is tippable. This is an amazing feature that helps you place your materials at certain angles to make a certain cut. All that flipping around of the object or constantly making sure that you are on the right spot, ends now.

Now because this machine has all of these features and is built with high-quality materials, it is pretty expensive. The only people that should be getting this machine are the professionals and the ones that can easily afford it. This is considered to be the best belt grinders for knife making.

 

4. Goplus Belt and 5-Inch Disc Sander

 

Like one of the previous models we have reviewed, this one also is small. Because it is small, the belt and disks are also small, making it perfect for crafting small knives. Scraping metal and waxing wood will be such an easy task.

Like most belt sanders for knife making, this one also doesn’t come pre-assembled. But because it’s a small machine and the instructions are well put, you will be able to put it together in no time. Imagine having one that is big and comes with dozens of features and accessories. You will spend hours putting it together. Changing every part of this machine is easy as well. The blade can be changed easily and you can replace the metal scraping belt, and place the wood waxing one.

When you begin your work, have in mind to not put a lot of tension on the machine. The belt can be damaged, or it can become weak and last you for a shorter period of time. This machine is pretty affordable, so any person can get it.

 

5. Belt Sander By Central Machinery

 

This next model might not be the best knife grinder on the market, but we wanted to place it into our list just because it will get the job done and also costs maybe even half of the other models we have here. It is not high-end or high-quality and it doesn’t come with a metal belt. But this machine will do its job as it should. It is great for making knives and also sharpening them.

You may say that it is small and pretty cheap, but you will be underestimating it. Even if it looks small and kind of cheap, it will last you a long time. It is pretty durable and it will certainly survive numerous usages. A downside is that it you can only use a belt. It doesn’t come with a disk, so if you want to do some work on a disk, you have to get a separate unit.

 

6. Kalamazoo 1SM 1” Belt Sander for Knife Making

 

The majority of belt sanders that are on the market today can make a lot of noise when you use them. Well, the Kalamazoo 1SM is quite the opposite. When turned on, you won’t even notice the engine running. It has a motor speed of 1725 RPM, and the belt can simply be changed when it has been used enough.

It is quite light, coming in at 14kg, you can carry it around easily. Also, because this machine doesn’t have a lot of features, you can quickly learn how to work with it. It is pretty durable because it is made from great materials. This might not be the best belt grinder for knife making, but you will undoubtedly be satisfied with this machine.

 

7. Shop Fox W1843 Knife Belt Sander/Buffer

 

 

The company that makes this belt sander is considered to be the best when it comes to machines like these. It is important to point out that most of the businesses and companies that make machines like this one, make them so people can work with wood on them. Not being made for honing and designing knives, takes some points away from this machine. Because the power that it has and some of his features makes it eligible to be placed in our list. You will just need to modify it a little bit, so that you will be able to work with any material on it.

We have mentioned power and this machine doesn’t have the best RPM, but it is enough to get the job done. Honing will be easy and you won’t have any problem with that, but if you plan on grinding and forming, then you will be greeted by some issues along the way.

The biggest downside to this machine is certainly the contact plate. It looks and feels small, and that can be a problem when you try honing something. To fix that, you can just tilt and adjust it so that you will feel more in control.

 

8. Happybuy 2Hp Belt Grinder for Knife Making

 

Last but not least, on our list of best belt grinder for knife making is the Happybuy belt sander. This machine is created so people can engage in detailed work, and focus more on the highlights on the item they are working on. This machine is considered to be high-quality and it can do so many things such as profiling, evacuation, and lots of completion work.

All of the parts of this machine have been perfectly welded together just to ensure the customer that this machine is strong and will not move when they are working. This 2-inch belt sander for knife making will be a right choice for you.

 

Why make your own knives at home?

Almost all of you may be wondering, why would I waste my time in making knives at home, when I can just go to the market or order some online?

Actually, there are plenty of reasons why making knives at home is better than buying them from the market or online.

An art form

All of the knives available on the market or online are pretty much the same. Making your knife, it does take some time, but you are in control of how your knife is going to look. Maybe you have a certain idea on your mind and you can’t find that type of knife on the market, so making it will be the only solution.

It is considered as a hobby

There are hundreds of people today that consider knife making a hobby. Just like collecting knives, making them is also a hobby and you can either make them so you can use them at home or just to expand the collection you have.

Become more skillful 

Maybe you are already into metalwork, and only with practice, you will get better. Deciding to make a knife can improve your skills, plus you will have an end product that you can use around the house.

It is way cheaper

Of course, every knife you plan on making won’t require the same materials and the same amount of those materials. Knives can differ in size, shape, design, and what you are using them for. At the end of the day, it will cost you less than going and buying one form the market or online.

The quality of the knife

Many knives that have been sold today don’t put out information on the material that is being used during creation. But when you sit down and create the knife yourself, you can use any material available to you.

What To Look For When Buying The Best Belt Sander for Knife Making

The belt sander is your essential tool for making your own knives. You will need to know what to look for and know what the best features to look for in a belt sander are. Here are some features to look out for.

How big must sander be

Focus on the ones that are not too heavy and the ones you can easily carry around. Installing it can be tricky, so make sure that the machine isn’t that heavy because you will have problems during the installation.

The size of the belt

After the size of the machine, check out what size is the belt. The ideal one that you want to have so you can make your knives is a 2-inch/74-inches. This size of the belt allows you to work on your grinding and to sharpen the knife when it is time to do it.

Type of motor

This is certainly the main part of the machine. The smaller sanders out there use a ⅓ HP motor, while the bigger ones can go up to 1 HP. Having a bigger motor is better because you can use your machine for different tasks, and you will have more power when it comes to grinding and shaping the knife. The smaller motors do have good speed, but they are somewhat less powerful than the bigger ones.

Contact point

Another feature to look out for is the contact point. The contact point is a small plate that reassures the knife from swinging on the side. This is one part of the machine that can’t be replaced or changed. But what you can do is just place a new plate on the old one. If you want to sharpen your knife with the machine, make sure that you get a sander that it’s contact point can tilt at least 45 degrees.

Speed

When it comes to speed, the best sanders you can get are the ones that you can adjust the speed of the machine. Because if your sander is too slow, you will sit there a long time trying to make your knife. On the other hand, if it`s too fast, the chances of the belt getting damaged are higher.

Dust collection

Dust collection is outstanding because you don’t want your workplace to be dirty. There are belt sanders that have different kinds of systems for collecting dust. It doesn’t really matter which one you choose as long as it gets the job done.

How hard is it to use

Find a machine that will be easy to use and its parts can be changed pretty quickly. It is wasteful spending time on learning how to take out the belt and then struggle to do it.

Frequently asked questions

Belt grinder vs belt sander

The main difference between these two is the speed in which they run. For example, the belt grinder will run 8000 miles in a minute, making it perfect for grinding any material. Sander is slower and is recommended for working on wood.

Tips for using belt sanders

Here are some tips that may come in handy when you start making your first knife at home. They will help you be quicker, make the job smoother and you will avoid any type of accidents.

Wearing hear resistant gloves

When you turn on the machine, the blade starts working and in a couple of minutes, it can get pretty hot. So if you want to avoid or decrease your chances of burning yourself, wear some gloves.

Have a bottle of water close

Once again, the blade on the sander is getting hot pretty quickly, so cooling it once in a while is essential. Take a bottle of water and, from time to time, cool the blade down in order to keep your sander from damaging.

Utilize parts of your body

Many people think that when making a knife and shaping the edges, you only need to use your hands. But if you think about it, if you utilize your body and tighten your elbows, you will have a better grip. This ensures you have all the control while working.

Use both of your hands

When it comes to the point of shaping and sharpening your knife, you need to turn the knife around to the contact point. This can’t be done with only one hand.

Best Belt Grinder For Knife Making Conclusion

Finally, we hope that you have gathered the right information you were looking for. We also hope that we helped you understand belt sanders a little bit more. Now the only thing left for you to do is choose one of the mentioned machines above and start creating and designing your knife ideas. We are certain that no matter which machine you choose, you won’t be disappointed.