How Do You Sharpen Knives With A Belt Sander?
Entire books have been written on the subject of sharpening. Putting a cutting edge on a knife or tool is an essential skill for a woodworker. Many woodworkers test the sharpness of their tools by shaving a patch of hair off their forearms. A tool this sharp makes fine detail work easier, but an edge that will shave is necessarily thin and must be renewed frequently. If you don’t feel the need to shave with your knife, a belt sander can give you a useful edge quickly. Place a 300-grit or finer belt on your sander. Larger grits can remove too much material from your blade or cause pitting. Turn the belt sander on. If you are using a portable belt sander, turn it upside down and secure it in a bench vise before turning it on. Hold the knife parallel to the belt at a 30-degree angle. Make a single pass against the belt from the base to the tip of the blade. Immediately dip the knife in water. Turn the knife around, hold it parallel to the belt at a 30-degree angle and make another pass on
