Last updated on March 12th, 2022 at 10:49 am
Knives are being made since the cavemen days. Some people still love making their knives like the pro craftsmen. These grinders are also used to sharpen your axes, saw blades, and other gardening tools. Here we have put a buying guide and a compiled list of the models that are considered the best knife grinder for beginners.
Best Knife Grinder for Beginners Review
Let’s dive into the top-rated products, go through their features, pros, and cons to get your favorite one.
1. Work Sharp Knife Belt Sander
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- Well-made with a powerful motor
- Easy to use
- Fastest and accurate knife sharpener
- Worth investing in
[/joomdev-wpc-pros][joomdev-wpc-cons]
- There is some problem with the switch
[/joomdev-wpc-cons][/joomdev-wpc-pros-cons]
Features
- Dimensions: 5” x 9” x 5”
- Weight: 2 lbs
- Synthetic material
- Fine, coarse, and medium grit belts
- Interchangeable sharpening guides
- 40o angle guide for kitchen knives
- 50o angle guide for outdoor knives
- 110v power required
- 1-year warranty
This work sharp knife belt sander is made of synthetic material and helps you sharpen your knives quickly and easily. You can use coarse, medium, or fine abrasive belt grits according to your need. These belts do not let the steel get damaged. Sharpening guides provide accurate results which sharpen kitchen knives to 400 and outdoor knives to 500. You can also sharpen your garden tools like grass cutting blades, shovels, scrapers, and other cutters.
This handheld grinder needs a 120v power outlet and can also run with a 12V inverter from a boat, truck, or car. Work Sharp provides a 1-year warranty for North America.
2. Bucktool BG2600 Knife Making Belt Sander
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- Affordable replacement belts
- The sander/grinder works well
- Quiet motor
- Belts are easily tracked
- Good value of money
[/joomdev-wpc-pros][joomdev-wpc-cons]
- The motor is not that strong but performs well
[/joomdev-wpc-cons][/joomdev-wpc-pros-cons]
Features
- 5A motor
- 6” x 1” x 1.5” disc size
- 2” x 42” belt size
- 3450 RPM disc speed
- 4480 RPM belt speed
- 120-grit belt and 60-grit disc
- Adjustable belt, and eye shield
- Supporting table
- LED light
This belt sander and bench grinder combo is great for sanding, grinding, polishing, and finishing purposes. The sturdy construction gives it a longer life and the 3.5-amp motor does the required job well. You can position the belt horizontally or vertically as per your need while sharpening a tool and the cast iron working table gives you full support for precision.
The Bucktool knife making belt sander includes an adjustable eyeshield, belt guard, fast belt tensioning, belt tracking knob, belt changes, LED light, and a dust port. There is also an extra brush wheel in the box.
3. WEN 6515T Belt Grinder for Knife Making
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- Intact belts with easy adjustment
- Well-made with a great motor
- Easy setup and usage
- Compact design and sturdy tables
- Low noise level
- Economical
[/joomdev-wpc-pros][joomdev-wpc-cons]
- The speed is too high. It would be better if there was a speed variation option
[/joomdev-wpc-cons][/joomdev-wpc-pros-cons]
Features
- 1” x 30” 100-grit sanding belt
- 5” 80-grit sanding disc
- 3A motor
- 3160 belt RPM
- 3450 disc RPM
- Heavy-duty base
- 2 dust ports
- Miter gauge included
- 2-year warranty
The WEN 6515T belt grinder for knife making includes a 1 x 30” belt and a 5” disc allowing you to smoothly remove the splinters on wooden pieces. Powered with a 2.3 amp motor, this sander has 3160 belt speed and 3450 disc speed. It has a compact design that allows you to easily install and move it wherever you want. The sturdy base and beveling table make your work smooth without causing any hindrance.
For angled things, you get an 80-grit sanding disc, a 100-grit sanding belt, and a miter gauge for precision. The dust ports help you keep the workplace clean. You also get a 2-year warranty for this knife grinder.
4. Jet J-41002 Knife Makers Sander
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- Well-made cast iron machine with sturdy base and table
- Performs well to grind and shape knives
- Motor works well
- Easy assembly
[/joomdev-wpc-pros][joomdev-wpc-cons]
- The table needs to be removed while changing the belt
[/joomdev-wpc-cons][/joomdev-wpc-pros-cons]
Features
- Dimensions: 23” x 16.7” x 16”
- Weight: 60 lbs
- Motor: Single-phase, 115v, 3/4 HP
- 2 X 42” belt size
- 10-3/4 x 7-1/2 in. disc size
- 3100 SFPM belt speed
- 45 degrees disc tilt
- Sturdy steel base and rubber feet
- Dust collector
Another knife makers sander is Jet J-41002 that provides an excellent finish. This cast iron designed machine has a removable platen for grinding, sanding, and finishing the randomly shaped pieces. The sturdy base and cast iron table provide support while you work. It is a versatile machine as the abrasive belt unit works like a jigsaw, coping saw, or hand file allowing you to remove material and then finish it providing you adjustments to access the minor openings. The disc can tilt up to 45 degrees and the miter gauge moves and locks it.
5. Aikeec Belt Grinder for Knives
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- Durable and solid construction
- Portable design
- The belt is small but the powerful motor helps to grind the blade well
- Good for light-duty uses
- Accurate and tight pulleys and bearings
- Easy to change belts
- Worth the price
[/joomdev-wpc-pros][joomdev-wpc-cons]
- None so far
[/joomdev-wpc-cons][/joomdev-wpc-pros-cons]
Features
- Dimensions: 6.8” x 4.3” x 5.5”
- Weight: 6.6 lb
- 13” x 0.4” belt size
- 4500-9000 adjustable RPM
- 75-85 dB noise level
- In-built double bearings with non-slip and dustproof design
- Adjustable worktable angle
The Aikeec belt grinder for knives is a small-sized portable machine that can be taken anywhere you want. Especially it is convenient for beginners as they do not work daily which requires a one-place work station mostly. The motor is strong even though the machine is small which is not found in most cases. It has a 4500-9000 RPM range with adjustable 7 speeds. The adjustable speed option is important for accuracy so that you do not end up over-grinding or causing any other errors.
It has in-built double bearings that have a non-slip and dustproof design to prevent dust from entering and damaging the bearing. The worktable can be adjusted to any angle you desire for a comfortable position while working. You can grind metal-based items, wooden, or acrylic materials and this tiny machine does not produce loud sounds that can be intolerable to the workers.
Considerations for the Best Knife Grinder for Beginners
To help newbies easily select a knife grinder from multiple models available on the market, we have mentioned some key features like sander and belt size, power, and speed that need to be considered according to your requirements.
Size
- Sander must be easy to install and move. Portables are the best if you do not regularly make knives
- For large sanders, you need to consider the belt size 2 x 72 in. to do grinding and sharpening both. Beginners can go for 2 x 42 in. grinders
Speed
- Variable frequency drive grinders are recommended for knife makers as they make the performance precise and easy
- A Single-phase grinder with a speed range of 1725-3600 RPM works well. Any other speed greater than the range can cause errors
Motor
- Small grinders have 1/3 HP while bigger ones have 1 HP motor.
- Small sanders cost less and have variable speed but are not recommended for professionals
- Big sanders perform better in grinding and sharpening but cost more
Point of Contact
- Sanders that can tilt the contacting point to 45 degrees is recommended because you can sharpen the knife
Dust Collector
- Sanders with a dust port connect them to the vacuum keeping your working area clean. Some sanders have a dust collector so do not even require a vacuum
Ease of Use
- For beginners, easy to use sanders are important but with experience, you will require to change the belt several times to make your knife
Conclusion
By the end of these reviews, you would have got an idea of what makes the best knife grinder. Sticking to the buying guide will help you purchase it for beginner usage. In the excitement of trying out the new baby, make sure that you do not forget to use the protective gear. To keep your fingers safe from the heated blades, you must wear gloves, and to cool down the blades so that your sander does not burn, you can use cold water. The knife you are grinding and shaping can also be thrown in cold water if it becomes too hot.
For beginners, small and compact equipment that does not require many adjustments will work well, and then as you gain experience, you can get the pro machines. To read more, you can visit knife making for beginners.
FAQs
How to build a belt sander?
You can build a belt sander using scrap material. You can use a 550w hydromassage pump and modify the flange. In the second step, you have to make a base frame and for that, you can use a C profile of 120mm. You can use some metal pieces for sanding and support platen. Then the upper frame is made to support the wheel bearings. Finally, you need to do the part of the wheels.
What is the best belt sander?
The best belt sander on our list is the work sharp knife belt sander that is rated 4.7 stars on Amazon. It is made of sturdy material and grinds and sharps easily and quickly. It is easy to use so beginners would not have a problem while working on it. There are 400-500 tilting for the kitchen and outdoor knives. The motor is quiet and overall it is a good value machine.
Why use a belt grinder for making a knife?
A belt grinder is a machine that can sharpen and smooth different metal objects. They are also stationary and portable ones. If you are a beginner, you can go for a portable grinder. Blacksmithing is the oldest technique to sharpen stones and then knives but to make this process easier and quicker, we have belt grinders.
The people who love making their knives and sharpening their gardening tools like lawn moving blades use these belt grinders.
Is there any difference between a sander and a grinder?
There is a speed difference between a sander and a grinder. A grinder can have a speed as high as 8000 FPM and works well for metal pieces while a sander is not preferred for metals. You can use it for wood, acrylic, or other things.
What are the tips for using a belt sander/grinder?
While working the machine blade gets heated so to protect yourself you should wear protective equipment. The machine can also burn from heated blades so to avoid that you can put cold water. Also, to cool down your knife, you can throw it in cold water. Use your body also other than your hands to sharpen the knife which will give you more control and perfect lines.
How to buy the best knife grinder?
For beginners, the first thing to consider is the machine size which should be small and portable. The recommended belt size is 2” x 42”. The speed should be variable to control for precision and the recommended range is 1725-3600 RPM. The power is 1/3 HP for small machines and 1 HP for bigger ones.
Why do you need a belt grinder?
For a great quality knife, you require a good grinder. The best knife grinder is easy to use and fast so you do not need to work hard for achieving a smooth finish. Full control is required for better results. The metal pieces can have paint stains or residue that are removed while working on them.
What is a cost-effective belt grinder?
WEN 1565T is the cost-effective belt grinder on the list. It smoothly removes residual material from wood pieces. It has a 2.3-amp motor with 3160 belt RPM and 3450 disc RPM. The sturdy base and table provide support to comfortably work. It has a compact design that allows you to install and move it easily. The tilting angle option makes it easy for angled pieces and the dust port is included to keep the workplace clean. This $83 knife grinder comes with a 2-year warranty.
