Knife Sharpening Tool for Belt Grinder

Knife makers are always looking for way to sharpen knives faster and better. In this video, knife maker Walter Sorrells shows how he constructed a knife sharpening fixture or attachment for use on his belt grinder.
More at:
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Twitter: @WalterSorrells
Facebook: / waltersorrellsblades

[@gustingdis]

If you guys can't make a clamp, an inexpensive alternative would be a floor scraper. The part that clamps the razor blade can clamp a knife if the screws are replaced with longer screws.

[@chrisj4570g]

Using the digital dangle angle gauge is a PRICELESS tip. Thank you sir, you just helped me with my own sharpening system design. 👊

[@RobanyBigjobz]

Nice build, Walter. Sometimes it's good to do something complicated because you can.

[@mattthescreamer177]

I've been subscribed for years and I just want to say thank you for putting out these videos. Your videos are some of the best content on KZbin.

[@Alanbataar]

Nice! This reminds me of a wood lathe chisel sharpening jig that I've seen. It's an accessory for a bench grinder. Those delrin balls look like they'd be super handy for projects around the shop - thanks for the heads up, I've never seen them before.

[@nj-bz8pv]

Damn I was hoping for something I could make haha

[@Cherokie89]

I bet those of us without some of these tools could repurpose some commercial fixed angle hand sharpener parts/jaws to do this more expediently. Good idea.

[@RRINTHESHOP]

Nice setup and well made.

[@brysonalden5414]

Thanks for sharing this. I'm already thinking about how to adapt some of my tooling to do this.

[@homemadetools]

Good work. We featured this video in our homemade tools forum this week :)

[@damasydia]

Nice build, thanks for sharing

[@mgrenell]

I had bought parts already for a very similar design! Thanks

[@larrybair8074]

Always the expert. Good job.

[@CanadianCuttingEdge]

I am a knife reviewer, but I don't review customs or semi-customs, I focus on the budget end of things and almost every knife I review has been very poorly sharpened. Now I don't expect perfect sharpening, just wanted to say that free hand belt grinder sharpening is VERY tricky to get right and many (perhaps most) knives I see have at least 4° variability in angle along each side of the edge, especially bad at the tip and at the heel of the blade. A jig like this for factory made knives would slow things down a bit but it would make customers much happier.

[@lootbloody9760]

Very interesting video thanks man!!

[@davesmith5656]

I notice at 10:34 that the clamp rotates, keeping the angle consistent. Other systems* do not allow rotation, so the angle changes slightly with the curve of the knife. I don't have machines nor expertise to make that, but I do use an upside-down belt sander (with 1000 grit) to remove chips, then finish by hand on whetstones. If anyone wonders what a burr is, use a belt grinder / sander and you'll see a mega-burr. *(On hand-held systems with a stone held in the arm, pulled over a fixed knife, the further out from the center, the shallower the angle.)

[@trainwon5699]

Simply awesome job thanks

[@taith2]

Considering sand belt at my fathers place, cheap underpowered crap, but might make similar jig to keep up with angle, might add some counter weight on my idea

[@widneyburton5559]

Hey, Walter! I am wondering if placing a couple of straps of leather on the inside of those jaws would help to compensate for the way your blade doesn't quite center in the jaw due to a change in thickness along the spine. I may be wrong, but it's just a thought :) thanks for the upload!

[@jaredhowe9970]

Cool video

[@jamesbarisitz4794]

One thing I've learned about the exact angle for sharpening isn't as important as doing both sides symmetrically. 18, 20, 15 degrees whatever. Just get them the same and adjust next sharpening session and change the angle according to the task you are performing with the blade. Great time saving jig Walter. ✌

[@tek9102]

What size is the Delrin ball? Great video as usual.

[@sanyok7777]

Beautiful video was wondering your honest opinion how often you using it after making it

[@withoutfurtheradoforever]

Seems like a Tormek knife jig could be easily modified to do the blade holding part, for those with less tools.

[@mitch3384]

Hi Walter, if you're interested in re-visiting this jig and making it self-centering, check out Tormek's new KJ-45 self centering jig. :)

[@alphaomegasurvivalsupply6548]

Those jaws may need to be leather or rubber lined so they don't mar or scratch a nice finish. Plasti dip would probably work good also.

[@elund408]

aluminum should not harm tempered steel, but leather or other soft materials could hold grit that could scratch the knife.

[@alphaomegasurvivalsupply6548]

@@elund408 ya it could but depending on the finish it could scratch it, just because its hardened doesn't meen it won't scratch it. I've had cpm-3v scratch from having grit on it and put it in a kydex sheath.

[@reddogknives]

I have a fixed angle sharpening jig that I had the same problem with. I line it with painters tape and it lasts 3-4 knives, no marring or scratches, just my thoughts from a guy in Tucson

[@JohnSmith-gs4lw]

Question on grinding the aluminum. Does that load up your belts? I know with a bench grinder stone, you aren’t supposed to grind soft metals because the heat melts them into the wheels.

[@periocarlos]

Very very cool

[@stevesuesens3942]

Curious if you are running the grinder in forward or reverse when you are using this jig? Great video - thanks.

[@richardsargent113]

I tnink this is one ill make. Thank you Sir!!

[@abdullahbhutta]

5:51 Just to make the point clear; You don't have to chose the exact flute end mill, if you have 6 Flute End Mill, It will work absolutely perfect; Some KID BEGINNER will say this "Sh!t, now I have to buy a 2 Flute" on watching this timestamp. You don't have to buy new one, 6 Flute will work better than 2 Flute

[@johngray9626]

Very cool sure

[@russellmcgibbon6187]

Very nice

[@carycleland9506]

What’s your thoughts on belt travel direction to sharpen? Does it matter?

[@824WaterBoy]

Glad to see fusion 360 getting the credit it deserves haha

[@matiasmai3357]

Hi does is suitable to heath treat a stain less teel with char coal

[@zumbazumba1]

You can use a rose joint or make a ball out of ping pong ball and a epoxy resin.

[@fn45tacticalsuppressed11]

Precisely

[@clapton924]

Tormek? I'll make my own! lol

[@carycleland9506]

Maybe instead of hash marks to mark certain angles, you could mill recesses in the male arm so that your set lever bolt engages only in certain places.

[@ChristopherSalisburySalz]

I am surprised that you don't have a cold cut metal chop saw!! You have basically everything else! 😂 Get yourself a cold cut saw.

[@max88nielsen]

I'm sorry to say so. But know you got me with another video with you and you milling machine. And I'm not a machinest. Thanks for a lot of cool stuff on making knives. I've learnt a lot from you earlier videos. 😊🙏 But I'm not into this milling anymore.

[@jeverettrulz]

another one of your tools you could probably sell of few of if you're bored with Tactix Armory items...

[@Stillpoint23]

Fun to watch but it far beyond my ability at this point...some day maybe

[@tacticalcenter8658]

Sharpening on a grinder reduces edge retention unless it's water cooled belts

[@erwinli6962]

I’ve been sharpening on belts for a while and haven’t noticed any real difference. I exclusively use 3M Trizact belts which seem to keep the blade cooler

[@tacticalcenter8658]

@@erwinli6962 this is not new. Please read knifesteelnerds.com he has a book which details it as well os other knife making and an article specifically on burning the edges. Most knife makers don't even know cause that's what they have been doing without testing.

[@erwinli6962]

@@tacticalcenter8658 Interesting, thanks for the link. I wish the articles included a bit more details on how these tests were done because I can see a few different factors that could change things. Tempering temperature, force applied onto the belt, and time spent sharpening could all play a role. I admit I was wrong in saying that sharpening with a belt sander does not affect edge hardness, but I believe that more research can be conducted to get a better look at what actually happens

[@reddogknives]

If you keep the edge cool , i cant see the difference. Many famous knife makers sharpen on a grinder, such as Geoff Feder of feder knives. If you keep your edge cooler than tempering temperature say 400 degrees the crystalline structure would not change and you finish off by stropping. I am not a metallurgist but I've been making knives the last few years. I have sharpened with a grinder but mostly with a fixed angle knife sharpener. It is time consuming, and there are misting tools to keep your edge cool. Just my thoughts from a guy in Tucson

[@timhofstetter5654]

The only thing you should ever contemplate sharpening with a belt grinder is your lawnmower blades. No self-respecting steelworker will ever sharpen a knife with one, especially not if they're a knifemaker. A belt grinder would make it super-easy to burn the hardness out of the steel and hide it by just grinding a little deeper until the carbon stain goes away. When the carbon's gone, it's GONE. No getting it back without retroactive case-hardening.

[@luisermert]

Alternative video title: How to make your knife have 70% worse edge retention

[@trainwon5699]

Simply awesome job thanks