03-03-2020, 02:47 PM
I'd recommend the blue ones too. It's not totally necessary to break them in first. They soften up naturally with some use.
Use a light touch until you get used to how they work. Especially when the belts are new it feels and sounds like it's beating the crap out of the edge but surprisingly, when using light pressure it does not. The idea with S-B is not to grind a new edge but just to grab onto the burr and lift it from the bevel. Once that happens it seems to do a good job of grabbing the burr, slicing it up and removing most of it. Once most of the burr is gone I generally switch to leather to clean up any remaining dregs.
Like I've said before deburring with S-B does take parctice and it seems every blade is different. Some are easier to deburr than others.
For learning I'd suggest using a beater blade you don't care about. Sharpen it with pretty heavy pressure (yuck, yikes) so as to create a big old nasty gnarly burr. Then play with the S-B. Experiment with pressure and angle of attack. Use light pressure at sharpening angle, one pass each side and then examine the blade to check the results. Try just barely touching the edge at 45°. Constantly check the progress. Try more pressure at sharpening angle. Play with it and experiment. See what works and what does not. With S-B practice makes perfect. It's just that kind of a thing. You'll get it figured out.
I'd be very interested to hear about your progress.
Use a light touch until you get used to how they work. Especially when the belts are new it feels and sounds like it's beating the crap out of the edge but surprisingly, when using light pressure it does not. The idea with S-B is not to grind a new edge but just to grab onto the burr and lift it from the bevel. Once that happens it seems to do a good job of grabbing the burr, slicing it up and removing most of it. Once most of the burr is gone I generally switch to leather to clean up any remaining dregs.
Like I've said before deburring with S-B does take parctice and it seems every blade is different. Some are easier to deburr than others.
For learning I'd suggest using a beater blade you don't care about. Sharpen it with pretty heavy pressure (yuck, yikes) so as to create a big old nasty gnarly burr. Then play with the S-B. Experiment with pressure and angle of attack. Use light pressure at sharpening angle, one pass each side and then examine the blade to check the results. Try just barely touching the edge at 45°. Constantly check the progress. Try more pressure at sharpening angle. Play with it and experiment. See what works and what does not. With S-B practice makes perfect. It's just that kind of a thing. You'll get it figured out.
I'd be very interested to hear about your progress.