Knife Sharpening Made Easy
Knife Sharpening Information and Equipment
$275 plus shipping
$299.95 with optional 1/3 hp motor
This machine will sharpen almost anything - knives, chisels,
planes irons, garden tools, scissors, etc.
This is the only belt sander we have found that can be used
vertically or horizontally without modification.
Heavy Duty construction of steel and aluminum (no plastic).
Includes 1/4 or 1/3 HP, 1750 rpm motor,
power cord and switch.
- 4" x 6-1/2" table
- Takes standard 1" x 42" abrasive belts
- Automatic belt tension
- Two year guarantee
Allow 2 to 4 weeks for delivery
$154 plus shipping
As above, but you supply the motor. We recommend a 1/4 or 1/3 HP, 1750 rpm motor. These are commonly used as furnace blower motors. No belts included.
Viel S5 sander grinder with 3 3/4" pulley, bored to 15 mm to fit PSI variable speed motor.
(Requires PSI variable speed motor available from Penn State Industries. 1-800-377-7297)
3/4 hp imotor is now available ZTCLC10VMO $80
ZTCLVS-70 1/2 hp motor $50
ZTCL4MCB CONTROLLER $45
The 3/4 hp motor and controller can also be purchased as TCLVSKIT2 Lathe conversion Kit $170
Max RPM is 1700. Coupled with a 3 3/4 " pulley this gives a max belt speed of 1668 feet per minute. Stock Viel sander is 2747 fpm
Viel 3 3/4" Pulley bored for PSI 15mm arbor can be ordered directly from Vieltools,com
$137.50 plus shipping Vieltools.com
This will allow you to use all the accessories from the S-5 and S5-M
except the S-23.
- Fits on most 6" bench grinder with 1/2" shaft
- Includes a 1" x 30" gr. 120 belt
Accessories:
These attachments fit Viel Sander-Grinder S-5, S-5-M and S-5-B
NEW AND IMPROVED!
- New holder! More precise and stronger, great for smaller scissors
- New articulated arms now with sealed ball bearings
- Sharpens any kind of scissors: barber, tailor, surgical, grass, etc.
- Easy to follow instructions.
- 2 years guarantee.
Drill grinding attachment S-12 for Viel sander-grinder.
Sharpen your drill bits in less than 30 seconds! This drill grinding
attachment is the fastest, the most precise and the easiest to use on
the market. This industrial quality tool has a capacity of 1/16" up to
3/4" with a precise concentricity within 0.001". It aligns the drill
bit automatically, you just have to:
1-Insert the drill bit into the holder
2-Sharpen one lip
3-Sharpen the other lip
Handwheel with screw included.
The perfect accessory for fine sharpening of all kind of planer
knifes up to 6" long.
Precision hand wheel included.
Accessories are shipped free if ordered with the sander. Your
order may show additional shipping which we will refund when we
receive your order.
USING BELT SANDERS
There are several good reasons for a knife sharpener to use a belt
sander even if you do not it to sharpen knives. This description
is for a Viel Tools S-5 sander/grinder but can be adapted to any belt
sander:
1. Reduce the bolster of a chefs knife that has been sharpened in a
pull through sharpener and developed a swale or low spot.
Lay the sander down so the belt is horizontal and moving away from
you. Hold the blade across the belt just as if you were sharpening,
but only grind the bolster. You can improve the appearance by rocking
the blade from about 20 to about 50 degrees, or by using the short
slack belt section between the platen and the idler wheel. Grind until
the bolster is no longer higher than the edge.
2. Reshape a chopping knife with a swale or low spot so it racks
against the cutting board. (Santoku, unbolstered chefs knife or
bolstered chefs knife after the above operation)
Lay sander horizontal as above. Hold the blade parallel to the belt,
spine up, edge down. Rock the cutting edge on a belt until the swale
is gone. This requires a platen as long as the blade. Of course you
dull the edge in the process, but you CANNOT create negative curvature
against a flat platen. If you hold the blade about 45 deg. to either
side for the last two passes you start the resharpening process.
3. Grind a strong convex edge on a chopping tool. (Axe or camp knife)
Lay sander horizontal as above, edge across the belt. Sharpen the edge
on the short slack section between the platen and the idler wheel.
Angle will control how far up the side of the blade you sharpen.
Position closer to the platen for stronger edges (axes) and a little
further back for a sharper edge (knives)
4. Garden tools that do not open 90 degrees (anvil pruners and grass
shears).
Set the sander up so the belt is vertical. Work on the long slack
section on the back opposite the platen. Bring the belt between the
blades (or blade and anvil) at the sharpening angle. Practice with the
sander off to see how it fits and if you can move it the full length
of the blade. Careful, the belt is moving UP.
This is a relatively safe operation if the blade and the anvil form a
V with a flat bottom (pruner) and relatively dangerous if the blades
form a V with a sharp bottom (grass shears). The sharp V will pinch
the belt, shred it ($5 gone) and possibly throw the tool. If anyone
asks, I do not recommend this. Do as I say and not as I do. Be
careful and WEAR YOUR SAFETY GLASSES!
We
recommend these belts from Lee Valley Tools
BZ 120 belts are perfect for sharpening scissors and garden tools and for knife repairs.
Sharpening/Sanding Belts |
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A.
15µ (Micron) Silicon Carbide
These have electrostatically oriented particles (on a mylar backing) that cut quickly, but leave a near mirror finish. The belts become finer in use as the silicon carbide particles are reduced in size through fracturing. Very controllable, they are ideal for carving tools, but are equally usable on straight-edged tools like chisels. 15 micron is the equivalent of 1000x in Japanese water stones. Made in USA. B. Blue Zirconia C. Aluminum Oxide D. Grinding Belts E. Leather Honing |
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A. 15µ (Micron) Silicon Carbide
Sharpening Belts
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Size
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1+
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10+
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54K98.02
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1" x 30"
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$4.30
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$3.85
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54K98.01
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1" x 42"
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$5.40
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$4.85
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B. Blue Zirconia Sharpening Belts
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Grit
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Size
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1+
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5+
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68Z230.04
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40x
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1" x 30"
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$3.50
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$3.15
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68Z230.08
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80x
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1" x 30"
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$3.50
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$3.15
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68Z230.12
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120x
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1" x 30"
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$3.50
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$3.15
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68Z242.04
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40x
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1" x 42"
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$4.00
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$3.60
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68Z242.08
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80x
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1" x 42"
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$4.00
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$3.60
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68Z242.12
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120x
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1" x 42"
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$4.00
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$3.60
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C. Aluminum Oxide Sanding Belts
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Grit
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Size
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1+
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10+
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30+
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68Z130.08
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80x
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1" x 30"
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$2.30
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$1.95
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$1.70
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68Z130.12
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120x
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1" x 30"
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$2.30
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$1.95
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$1.70
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68Z130.15
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150x
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1" x 30"
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$2.30
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$1.95
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$1.70
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68Z130.22
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220x
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1" x 30"
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$2.30
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$1.95
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$1.70
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68Z130.32
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320x
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1" x 30"
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$2.30
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$1.95
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$1.70
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68Z142.08
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80x
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1" x 42"
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$3.10
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$2.60
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$2.30
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68Z142.12
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120x
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1" x 42"
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$3.10
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$2.60
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$2.30
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68Z142.15
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150x
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1" x 42"
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$3.10
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$2.60
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$2.30
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68Z142.22
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220x
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1" x 42"
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$3.10
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$2.60
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$2.30
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68Z142.32
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320x
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1" x 42"
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$3.10
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$2.60
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$2.30
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D. Aluminum Oxide Grinding Belts
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Grit
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Size
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1+
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5+
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05M30.30
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180x
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1" x 30"
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$4.40
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$3.95
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05M30.31
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320x
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1" x 30"
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$4.40
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$3.95
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05M30.32
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500x
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1" x 30"
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$4.40
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$3.95
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05M30.33
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1200x
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1" x 30"
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$4.40
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$3.95
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54K98.10
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180x
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1" x 42"
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$5.00
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$4.50
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54K98.11
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320x
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1" x 42"
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$5.20
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$4.65
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N/A
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54K98.12
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500x
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1" x 42"
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$5.20
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$4.65
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N/A
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54K98.13
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1200x
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1" x 42"
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$5.00
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$4.50
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E. Leather Honing Belts
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Size
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68Z80.01
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1" x 30"
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$28.90
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68Z80.02
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1" x 42"
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$30.90
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If you need to save some money and are able to build your own belt
sharpener, go to this page.
Updated October 15, 2023
e-mail steve at bottorff dot com