It depends. I am getting ready for a show so I cant be caught short handed on supplies. So I just received a shipment of belts and a few other things just to have them on hand. I'm still working from old stock but have it ready. I will order in bundles of 10 nearly always. 36 comes in a 5 pack I think. Some grits that I use a lot get doubled or tripled. It adds up to a lot of money, yes. Last order was nearly $500. But unless I specifically need a dull/slick belt I want a fresh one. They cut cooler, quicker, and flatter. Time is money.

Thanks Lin, that's about what I was expecting to hear. I still milk my belts a lot and I don't produce that many knives per year. Just curious how other makers ordered them.

Jared,

Some of the suppliers give a volume discount on belt orders. I usually order belts only two or three times a year, to take advantage of these discounts.

I feel I need to make a comment on belts in general. And knife making in general.

It probably goes without saying, that we all want to save a buck wherever and whenever we can.

So often, I have balked at coughing up the $ for the 8-9-even-10 dollar belts. Instead, over the years, it seems I have chosen to pick up the "discount" belts where I can.

Even up until just recently, I found myself buying in bulk some of the latest and greatest belts at the discount price.

And what I got was discount quality.

The belts cut and had some decent life.

But each and every one of them lacked the ability to track well. And the cut edges were irregular.

And I had to admit something.

I had to ask myself if I was willing to try to save 2 or 3 dollars on a belt that I was using to make a 4-5-or-6 hundred dollar knife and risk doing a good job just to save a couple bucks.

So, I went ahead and ordered some top end belts from Pop's. From the instant I put them on the grinder, they just tracked like lasers. They were darned near perfect.

I felt a bit foolish. I felt foolish for trying to save a couple bucks at the risk of making a good knife.

This is a tad off topic, but it does have to do with grinding and belt usage.

In Tim Hancock's grinding video, he uses a technique which I have adopted. It is amazing. Truly.

So many guys brag and swagger about free-hand grinding and how you have to grind free-hand in order to call yourself a knife maker.

I find that sort of unrealistic.

Here we are in shops with every possible shop tool from variable speed grinders, lathes, mills, power hammer, presses, surface grinders, etc.

And to then suggest that if we don't grind free-hand we're not real knife makers?

Balderdash.

In Tim's video he grinds with a tool rest. And he makes a comment that is still echoing in my head.

He poses the question, "Don't we owe it to our customers to give them the best knife we can possibly make?"

That question changed the way I do things.

I no longer will buy discount belts at the cost of making a "discount" knife.

My customers expect a certain level of competence from Andersen Forge.

And yours expect the same from you.

That's what I'm going to give them.

Thanks guys,

Steve:

I didn't know that about getting a discount on some belts. I think I may have turned out maybe 12 knives last year including 3 test knives with the job and all so I won't be ordering a massive order anytime soon but it is good to know.

Karl:

Yes I also use a rest after lots of headache with trying to freehand. Because of my lack of skill in my grinding I do a lot of hand work also though. I did get a mini mill on your advice though and it has helped quite a lot.

im going to chime in on this one.

abrasives are my number one expense. I usually order every month in the 500.00 dollar range and i keep track of how many knives i get out of each belt. dont go cheep spend the money on the higher end belts. if i cant grind 10 knives on one belt im not going to waist the money on that belt again. for example i can usually finish grind 40 knives on the bora7 120 grit belt then i start polish grinding with A/O

im currently testing the cubitronII 36 grit belts they seem to eat soft carbon steel best out of everything ive tried yet and the bora 7 in the 120 grit likes hard carbon steel best

keep in mind these belts are designed to eat a specific material at a specific Rockwell hardness you just need to find the right combination that works for your process

my 2 cents