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Post by willhart on Mar 6, 2012 21:28:40 GMT
*Warning, I'm very new to swords, sharpening, and terminology so I don't know if I'm using the right words. So I purchased a Habor Freight 1x30 belt sander and I've tried to sharpen my Hanwei Practical Ninjato. I the edge was a flat grid, a pure V shape, but I found that it's slightly convex. So thinking it was a flat grind, I used the back plate which was a bad idea for me. Does anyone use the back guiding plate to sharpen with a belt sander? Anyways, when using the back plate to sharpen, I noticed I was only hitting a portion blade and trying to hold the blade steady using the back guiding rail was next to impossible for me. See picture A (warning this is not accurate picture of my blade. I'm just showing you where I'm hitting it). So I took out the back guiding rail, but now I'm just sanding the portions in the B blade and not the center at all. I've noticed the belt is pretty loose so when I push the blade into it, it wraps around the blade a lot. Tom stated not to touch the Shinogi, but if you look at the B picture, I'm rounding the shinogi a bit too. Before I move up the grits, I want to get the scratches out from where I messed up using the back plate, but it doesn't appear to be hitting that area. Anyone have any advice? Sharpness isn't the problem right now as it feels pretty sharp and I'm only at 400 grit right now.
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Greg
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,800
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Post by Greg on Mar 7, 2012 0:03:41 GMT
Well done good sir. What you described is exactly how it should be done. But be careful about pushing to far into the belt when you sand. A flat edge geometry isn't horrible by any means, but it does leave the blade susceptible to edge chips. By rounding out the blade, you are giving up a little of the cutting ability for durability.
But so far you are doing everything correct.
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Post by Lonely Wolf Forge on Mar 7, 2012 0:04:54 GMT
that backing plate will ruin a blade, i did the same thing to my viking sword, and those scratches are a semprini to get out. i gave up lol
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Post by willhart on Mar 7, 2012 1:05:46 GMT
Thanks Greg.
Saito, that's not what I wanted to hear. I made some bad scratches(really bad) ones in the picture of A, but now that I'm sanding without the back plating, I'm only touching the portions in part B. So I can't get the bad dent/scratches out.
I think the only way to fix this is to put the back plate back on and try to sand out those specific areas.
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Post by Lonely Wolf Forge on Mar 7, 2012 1:24:14 GMT
i wouldnt suggest that, but did you know you can tighten the belt on that model belt sander?
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Greg
Senior Forumite
Posts: 1,800
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Post by Greg on Mar 7, 2012 6:47:37 GMT
Tightening and loosening the belt is more to keep the belt centered on the wheel. You can tighten it a little without having the belt grinding into side plate on the protective housing, but any more then that and the edge of your belt will start carving it's own path. But the way to fix it isn't going to be with your belt sander, unless you want to take off a lot of metal. Your best option will be elbow grease. You'll need to go down to your local auto parts store/department, and just get a pack of 400 grit paper. After that, you'll need to only sand the face of the blade, and stay away from the edge, which is a pain. Luckily, the edge of the blade will still be affected by the belt. I've tried a couple different way to make a guard for the edge of the blade, so I wouldn't have to pay as close attention, but they've all been mediocre at best. So just sit back, get comfortable, and start sanding diagonally to the scratches, and then go back and sand parallel to the blade. But don't worry, after all of this, you'll be fully capable of sharpening most things. I had to warn my roommate that all of the kitchen knives will be much sharper since we've moved in together. Well... except for the butter knives... but there time is coming
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Post by willhart on Mar 7, 2012 17:36:18 GMT
Thanks Greg, I was afraid I was going to have to use the manual sandpaper trick. I bought the automotive sandpaper to start with, but realized how little I was actually doing so I bought the belt sander instead. But looks like to fix the dents in the blade I will have to go back to where I started or take Saito's route and live with it.
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