The next best knife belt grinder on our list is Grizzley G1015, which is not only a grinder but a sander as well as a buffer that will help you make a complete knife from scratch in this one tool.
The auxiliary arbor is compatible with all types of tools like buffing wheels, sanding drums, and flap wheels and to switch between these options, there is a quick-release mechanism that helps you choose the desired tool effortlessly.
This grander can be used right out of the box and compared with other grinders, this unit has a powerful and larger motor, and as this is a single-speed grinder you can easily adjust as well as reposition effortlessly.
I think this is a high-end grinder that doesn’t cost you a dime and proves itself to be a professional-tier tool for bladesmiths.
The next best belt grinder on our list is the Palmgren Finishing machine that allows the blade to run at 4,400 SFPM. There is a six-inch abrasive disk with a rotational speed of 3,500 rotations per minute.
The best part is that the belt arm has several options like it can not only operate vertically but has enough flexibility to operate horizontally as well.
Don’t underestimate this grinder for use only for basic tasks, it can be used for professional activities as well with higher precision.
This is a great finishing machine that operates quietly and helps you efficiently forge knives while doing small adjustments for improvements.
If you are not a professional, but rather a person doing bladesmithing as a hobby, this tool can be the best option to start with. With this machine, you will be able to start making nice-quality knives and once you have performed enough practice on this tool, you can upgrade later with a powerful tool.
All in all, this is the best budget-friendly 2×72 belt grinder that can help you make knives professionally as well as a side hobby.
Next up on our list is Jet J-4103, a nice belt grinder that is used for high-speed grinding with precision.
Unlike other belt grinders, this unit comes with a unique yoke surface that results in the smoothest and finest grinds.
Moving on, there are serrated coated wheels below the tool allowing you to get rid of the stock from the knife during grinding.
Furthermore, the Jet J-4103 delivers outstanding grinding performance as it is a heavy-duty machine for grinding that features a powerful motor that makes it a considerable option for making knives effortlessly.
The final pick for our list is Grizzley Industrial H6070, which is another versatile belt grinder that can grind as well as sand the knife at the same time.
The motor rotates at 3,450 rotations per minute which means you can experience high speed while sanding the knife.
Furthermore, you can tilt the belt to your desired angle but you can only tilt the disc for about 45 degrees to effortlessly grind the knife as well as remove the unwanted materials from the blade.
You can remove the roller guard from the grinder as well as the belt platen whenever you want.
You will be able to use this machine right out of the box and the assembly of these tools is fairly simple. It will take you 20 minutes to set it up which you can do by reading the manual that is included in the package.
Once the machine is assembled, you will be able to use the machine for detailed sanding and do your general grinding work effortlessly.
Don’t underestimate this grinder by the looks, it is one of the best belt grinders out there that money can buy and it is also a super budget-friendly and inexpensive option compared with other options on our list.
Happybuy 2HP Belt Grinder
The next best 2×72 belt grinder for knife making on our list is the HappyBuy grinder which is also a sander and rotates at 2800 RPM.
This grinder features three different grinding wheels and there is a quick-release mechanism to switch between the blades effortlessly.
The whole frame of the grinder is made up of steel that makes it sturdy and powerful enough to withstand strong vibrations.
The tool is super easy to assemble right out of the box and you can start using it straight away for knife sanding and grinding so that you can achieve detailed work and general grinding.
All in all, this is a great grinder that delivers precision and is a must to have tool in any workshop.
Easily, the Jet J-41002 is our favorite belt grinder for knife making that comes with a deluxe miter gauge that can turn from the same angle as well as a lock from the same angle.
The Jet J-41002 is a heavy-duty machine that is used by professionals for knife making and it comes with a steel base, rubber feet for smooth maneuvering, and cast iron construction that prevents it from rusting over time.
Moving on, then this is a fully-equipped belt grinder with all important features that can not only grind but can sand as well delivering glossy finishes.
This is the only belt grinder that is capable to perform on curves and odd shapes or knives.
Furthermore, this three-in-one machine can do the work of a jigsaw, coping saw, and hand file that ultimately helps you to get rid of unwanted materials from the blades resulting in the sharpest edges with an improved finish.
The Palmgren 2×42 is an impressively powerful tool that can help a bladesmith with knife forging without breaking the bank.
This tool can not only make knives but can also help you with other forging tasks like surfacing, finishing, sanding, polishing, and deburring as well which makes it a versatile Benchtop belt grinder.
Generally, the belt grinders are expensive, but this one is fairly affordable and despite the low price tag, it doesn’t compromise on the functionality and the features.
All in all, this is an impressive belt grinder for knife making that doesn’t cost you a dime and offers great performance for making knives.
The next best belt grinder for knife making on our list is Bucktool which is a highly efficient and reliable belt grinder available at a mid-range price tag.
This belt grinder is made up of steel and cast iron which means the construction of this machine is reliable and suitable for heavy-duty applications.
Moving on, the Bucktool 2600 comes with an induction motor that operates the belt grinder at an impressive speed so that the grinder can be used for grinding as well as sanding at the same time.
There is a great metal sanding belt that results in the smoothest finish for knives and other sharp objects. While the grinder is used for usual grinding work.
The machine has a perfect fitting and features an LED light, an eye shield, and a quick-release tension and tracking mechanism.
All in all, this is a perfect belt grinder for knife making that works at an impressive speed and is an important tool for any workshop.
Next up on our list is Jet JSG-6CS which is a fairly perfect belt grinder for knife making on our list. This belt grinder is not that popular but only professional workshops and bladesmiths use this impressive belt grinder.
This machine has a combination of belt and disc and still manages to stand on its own while doing the sanding and grinding jobs.
The unique technology in this machine is the dual-thumbscrew tracking that keeps the belt on the track which is impossible by other belt grinders as this is a premium feature.
Furthermore, the Jet JSG-6CS is a considerable belt grinder that has plenty of other features as well which means it can efficiently help you with knife making and the compact design takes a lot less space on the workstation.
The next best belt grinder for knife making on our list is WEN 6502T, a perfect two-in-one machine that will help you with knife making effortlessly.
This grinder features a 4×36-inch belt and a 6×6-inch disc. The belt can tilt up to 90 degrees and the base ensures to eliminates the vibrations making the whole operation smooth and noiseless.
Moving on, this tool has excellent capacity for sanding, thanks to the meter gauge and a cast aluminum table onboard.
The best part of this tool is the big-size dust port linked to the dust extractor to efficiently manage the dust and debris that accumulates during the knife-making process.
2×72 Belt Grinder with Motor
If you are looking for the cheapest belt grinder, then this is the best option for you.
This belt grinder is one of the great machines that comes with an ergonomic handle so that you can comfortably hold the handle while making the knife.
Other than that, the machine comes with a 3/8 inch thick steel D-plate that creates some space for the slack belt grinding and it can lean in both directions which helps in grinding the bevels.
This is an impressive belt grinder with powder-coated chassis and also features powerful bungs that make this machine a heavy-duty belt grinder for knife making. The 3/8-inch deep threads at the clamping bolts are suitable for the tracking mechanism.
WKM 2×72 Belt Grinder
The next best 2×72 belt grinder on our list is WKM, which is also known as a high-precision knife maker, thanks to the reliable performance it delivers without any problems.
This grinder comes with a flat platen grinder tooling arm to smoothly work on the platform. It also features a rest table as well.
Not all the belt grinders are equipped with precision belt tracking, but this one features it to keep the belt in control. Plus, there is an adjustable belt tension control that removes the tension from the belt and there is an inverter multi-speed control, to be honest, both of these features of a belt grinder are highly helpful in forging activities.
All in all, this is the most efficient 2×72 belt grinder that you can use for making knives effortlessly without spending a lot of money. The unique feature of this machine is the ability to control the grinding speed which is impressive at this price point.
Jet J-4103 2X72 Belt Grinder
The next belt grinder for making knives on our list is from JET which is a well-known manufacturer that makes powerful belt grinders and this is one of their favorite belt grinding tools that come with platen settings to work at desired angles without reducing the speed resulting in precision grinding and sanding.
Even though the price tag is fairly less, this belt grinder doesn’t compromise on vital features. It comes with refinishing cylindrical shapes that result in the smooth finishing of the knives.
Moving on, this belt grinder features a serrated contact wheel that helps you to remove heavy stuck that occur during the forging and the other use of this wheel is to clean up a weld.
If you are an experienced forger, you can use this serration for snagging a casting as well.
All in all, this is a versatile machine that is super easy to operate but the grind cannot reach some diameters which means limited coverage.
Choosing the right belter grinder
There are different types of belt grinders that you can choose from. This guide will help you to learn about the types of belt grinders as well as the features that you should look for in a belt grinder.
One thing is clear a decent belt grinder will help you make a sleek and beautiful blade. All you need to do is go through the better-suited certain knife-making processes to make the right knife.
2×72 Belt Grinder
If you are a professional bladesmith, then you need to buy yourself 2×72 belt grinders because these are high-end belt grinders designed for industrial use. These belt grinders are fairly bigger but they have plenty of options available to pick from.
These belt grinders are equipped with fairly larger wheels for fullering, hollow grinds, and other types of needs.
Furthermore, these grinders have flat surfaces and that makes them easy to clean as well.
Similarly, these grinders are equipped with rotary platens to meditate the bumps in the steel or blade.
The bigger size of the belt means it will tolerate more heat and won’t wear out quickly which will ultimately help you in the creation of outstanding blades. So, with this blade you will be able to do the blade development from different stages like sanding, sharpening, and polishing the edges.
There are also smaller belt grinders available with these belt settings but they are not worth the money.
The only issue with these big belt grinders is the higher cost attached to them because being a hobbyist, you cannot spend thousands of dollars on a belt grinder, rather you would much appreciate spending money on a little belt grinder to do your beginning practice.
1×30 Belt Grinders
If you are not a professional and looking for a smaller belt grinder, then you should go with 1×30 belt grinders as they can help you do the same work on a smaller scale without a lot of investment. The 1-inch belt is smaller and flattening larger knives requires a larger belt, so you can work on smaller knives. Furthermore, these belt grinders are underpowered which means you won’t get the best performance for thicker performance.
An opinion for hobbyists is to get a quality abrasive if you desire to use the grinder for more productive use like honing, sharpening, and polishing the blades.
1×42 Belt Grinder
If you are not a hobbyist, but a beginner who has already used the 1×30 belt grinder for practice and now looking for one step up upgrade, the 1×42 belt grinder is the best option for you as it offers a slightly higher surface area while there is barely a difference in price tags and that’s why this is the most commonly used belt grinder by beginners and even some professionals.
This belt grinder does an efficient job of blade detailing and it can also be used for bevel grinding, profiling, and other areas of knife development. But the advantage of such a smaller belt grinder that has a powerful motor is that you can produce knives at a faster pace.
2×42 Belt Grinders
These types of belt grinders are generally used for woodworking as well as knifemaking. They fall under the category of entry-level grinders and can be useful to handle smaller size tasks but you can also produce knives with these grinders at scale.
2×48 Belt Grinder
If you don’t have a budget to spend on a 2×72 grinder, then the ideal option for you would be to invest in a 2×48 grinder because these are the powerful grinders equipped with the bigger motor but are much cheaper than 2×72 grinders and the best part is that the smaller size of these machines makes them compact enough to store easily in your workshop.
4×36 Belt Grinders
These are the commonly used grinders in the market for knife making and they are also easily available in any hardware store. You can not only use these grinders for knife making but other activities as well like woodworking, and so on.
Motor Size
The most important part of any knife grinder is the motor size that will determine the quality of grind you can get. So, to get next-level grinding power, go with a machine that has a powerful motor so that you can get high pressure and power on the belt.
If a motor is 1HP ( Horsepower ) you can get a fairly powerful speed but if you get a 2HP or 1.5 HP motor, you can experience much more power while grinding.
Belt Speed
Belt speed is measured in SFPM, and it ranges from 4,000 to 7,000 and the faster the belt rotates, the mower stock removal rate will be from the steel.
Variable speed
Having a grinder with variable speed allows you to do steel hogging at full speed and handle sanding at lower speed allowing you to precisely control the quality of knives you craft.
Robert Smith is a technology lover and loves to write about laptops, monitors, printers, tablets, Apple products and anything that's related to computers and games. He is passionate enough that he maintains this blog regarding tech updates on a daily basis.
Robert Smith is a technology lover and loves to write about laptops, monitors, printers, tablets, Apple products and anything that's related to computers and games. He is passionate enough that he maintains this blog regarding tech updates on a daily basis.
