Bucktool Belt Disc Sander 1x30" Belt and 6" Disc

I bought the low speed 1x30 sanding combo for sharpening knives. I have only used it on one streak knife so far, but it was impressive. I put a 400 grit paper on it as well as a leather strop wheel on the grinder side. It cut paper like the U-tube videos after about a minute no problem. My father was a tool and die maker and he told me when I was growing up to not let the metal get too hot, and this unit does that without any problems.

Perfect unit combines the belt and grind stone. tested the low speed is great for my wood working projects. Well built.

Great sander for metal and also glass, due to the slower speed. Great value for the price!

The fact this sander operates at 1750 rpm as opposed to 34-3500 rpm is a real benefit for several applications. I really like the belt tensioning system as well as ease with which belts can be changed. I bought this unit for knife sharpening.

This assembly was purchased solely to sharpen our many home knives quickly. I'm pretty good with a sharpening stone, but don't care for that volume of work anymore. My issue: I did not realize that the belt only goes down, which is a bit awkward for me. I would also like a consistent angle that doesn't require a lot of practice to attain. Therefore if you need belt direction to go away from the leading edge, this machine is probably not for you. It can't be reversed. Maybe it can be leaned on it's back? If you are comfortable with the belt grinding into the leading edge, it will work, especially if you're able to hand set the blade angle accurately and consistently. If you're not comfortable with that, I suggest watching this video on YT: "How to get more precision sharpening from you 1x30". There the author demonstrates how to sharpen into the belt using an inexpensive angle setting tool. He also shows how to correct/modify the angle tool so it functions better, allowing the knife bolster to get close to the belt. I'm still setting that up and will modify this review once that's finished and I have some experience with it. I have some concerns about sharpening small pocket knives with this machine, but I won't try it until I've finished the setup above. Ignoring the direction issue, the tool seems robust and well made. It was very easy to assemble and has worked well. I will soon replace the 6" 80 grit grinding wheel with a homemade MDF honing wheel to speed up honing and routine sharpening.