Digital Friend's video: How-to Sharpen Tools Using A Belt Sander Tutorial

Learn how to sharpen tools using a belt sander. Sharpening tools saves both time and money. The tools last longer and you don’t have to go to the store and buy a new tool once the tool becomes dull. The rougher the grit, the quicker material is removed from the tool. The downside of a rougher grit is that the edge will not be very sharp when using rough sandpaper. The finer the sandpaper grit, the less material will be removed from the tool, but the sharper the edge will be. When sharpening, the general idea is to move from rough to finer and finer grit, with each successive stage of the sharpening process. This belt sander technique is used to shape the blade. An edge has a certain angle to it, almost like a triangle. The bigger the angle, the better the edge is for chopping, but the worse the edge is for fine detail work. The smaller the angle (think a really thin pointy triangle tip), the better the sharp edge is for fine detail work. If you are sharpening an ax which is used for chopping wood, give it a big angle. If you are sharpening a small very sharp knife used for artwork or carving, then use a very small angle. If the blade is rocked from side to side when sharpening, then the upper parts of the knife edge form more of a curve and less of a right angle. I keep the knife edge pointing in the direction that the belt on the belt sander is moving. This is generally safer, because the knife edge will not bind to the sandpaper, and jerk the knife. However, it is possible position the knife edge pointing in the opposite direction that the belt sander is spinning, but knife edge can catch on the sandpaper, pull or jerk the knife and cause a problem. It is safer to positing the knife edge pointing in the direction that the sandpaper belt is moving. The bend sander as flat metal part in the middle. This is a good place to sand, because it allows you to make a right angle. If the tool is held in one position, it will be sharpened to a right angle. If you are sharpening a scraper, you want a right angle. If the tool is rocked from side to side, it will form more of a rounded edge. If you are reshaping a tool handle, then you want a rounded shape, one which will not rub on your hand and cause blisters. When sanding, harder metal such as carbide steel tends to make more sparks than softer metal, which makes less sparks. Harder metal takes a longer time to sharpen, but it keeps and edge for a longer time. It is quicker to sharpen soft metal like aluminum, but it won’t hold and edge for a long time. My ferro rod striker sometimes gets some bumps or ridges on it when I hold it free hand. The ridges prevent the ferro rod from efficiently producing sparks. Sometimes the ferro rod develops ridges when I hold it free hand without touching down the base. One way to get rid of the ridges is to quickly sand them down a little bit using a belt sander. The other way to get rid of the ridges is to place the ferro rod bottom on the ground while holding the top of the rod with your hand and the use the scraper to create some sparks. This technique also gets rid of the ridges over time. If the ferro rod striker stops working well, I just put a new right-angle edge on the tool, and it works perfectly again. Many other tools also need to be sharpened periodically to ensure that the work well. Scissors need to be sharpened periodically. The right angle edge on the scissors cutting edge also needs to be maintained. Wood can also be shaped using a belt sander. It is possible to round the corners of wood items or otherwise shape or smooth the wood. A belt sander can also be used to make knives by hand, to form the blade and handle. Finish off the blade by hand, moving from rough sandpaper to fine sandpaper. The sandpaper is stretched over a block. The final step is to use the rough unglazed ceramic on the bottom of pottery. When you are using a belt sander, it is often possible to roughly identify the metal. For example, soft metal doesn't make many sparks. Softer steel probably won't make a lot of sparks. Harder carbide steel makes a lot of sparks. If the metal makes a lot of sparks, it is probably harder metal. Safety Issues Don’t wear long loose clothing when using a belt sander, so the clothing won’t catch in the belt sander. I wear safety glasses, hearing protection and leather welding gloves which protect my lower arm and wrists. If you want to be even more safe, have a second person holding the power cord. If something goes wrong, they pull the plug, disconnect the machine from the electrical power source and the machine quickly stops. Use lots of common sense when sharpening tools on a belt sander. Sharp tools are usually safer than dull tools. Dull tools have a greater tendency to slip during use and cause injury. It’s a good idea to keep your tools sharpened, regardless of whether it’s a carving knife or a food cutting knife. Thanks for watching, stay safe and Have A Great Day!