Anyone else having problems with Norton Blaze...

rhinoknives

rhinoknives

Well-Known Member
Hey Guys & Gals!

I have loved and been using Norton Blaze Ceramic 2 x 72 Belts for years and the past 6 months or so I have had a couple of batches of these in 50 Grit and 120 that have been leaving Black crud on the flat platen of my Hardcore Grinder and it has been driving me nuts!

I have talked with my supplier and they have said they had one report of this problem from someone that orders huge belts about 15" across, awhile ago.

But no reports from anyone running Norton blaze 2 x 72's.

It built's up fast! Only about 10-15 min on the grinder and starts messy up my flats. I have to stop and spray with GOOF OFF paint remover spray and chip a few big chunks off with a straight blade or take off the Platen and run it on the 6 x 48 to get the crud off and make it flat again!

It's not Rubber from the contact wheels. I even purchased new 5" & 2" Wheels from hardcore because they are about 12 years old anyway and have a couple of cracks.

Anyone else having this problem? Any ideas? I've just ordered some Norton Hogger's instead, So I will have different Ceramic belts in a couple of days.

I've just always had a great experience with the Norton blaze and want to find out if anyone else is having this problem?

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
 
You get 15 minutes on a belt?

Wow.

Heat cooks the stuff out of some belts.
I have this issue too from time to time.
 
I haven't done enough grinding lately to know, but I haven't heard about this from any of our customers. I note your comment about grinding it off on the 6 x 48 and wonder if maybe the rough platen surface might be giving some friction problems. This might be improved by polishing the platen face - or better yet, by using a ceramic platen. Even if those don't solve the deposit problem, they'll likely lead to cooler grinding.
 
Yes, I have had that problem with a couple of 36 grit, but I assumed it was my fault because I was in a hurry
and trying to hog out a ton of metal in a short time period. I know I was letting it get WAY to hot with no brakes to allow the belt
to cool off so I just figured it was my fault.
 
I've had this issue but like you, I thought it was a mix of rubber and steel dust. Glad to know its not just me. This stuff is pretty annoying as it coats my glass platen and has an odd smell to it even with a mask on. Also, this is on every belt from 36 to 80 grit running about 5 minutes at a time.
 
What you're seeing is the "dry" lubricant that is built into the backing on the Blaze belts. About 7 months ago I noticed the backing looked different than of previous orders of Blaze belts I had purchased. I called Scott at Tru-Grit (where I purchase the majority of my belts) and asked about it. He explained that Norton had for some reason changed the backing composition on the Blaze belts, and for whatever reason changed the manufacturing to include the "dry" lube in the backing.

I have to agree that it is a pain in the backside. I now leave a razor blade scraper hanging by the grinders, and after using a Blaze, "scrape" that goop off the glass platen. It's annoying. It's actually lead me to investigate some other belts. The jury is still out on the "other" belts, but there is one other candidate that I am considering because of having to deal with that "goop" on the platen.
 
The problem I had with the blaze belts is not any black crud building up but one day I looked down and saw a lot of orange specks on the bench below the grinder and realized that the abrasive was coming off the belts. It made me wonder how much of the abrasive grit was laying on the floor with the swarf. I also felt that they were going dull a lot faster than they use to. Norton Blaze belts are way too expensive to put up with short life on the machine so I went to their blue ceramic. I haven't used them much, except in 220 grit, but so far they seem much better at 1/2-2/3 the cost.

Doug
 
Thanks for the feedback guys!
I knew it wasn't just me! I have forwarded this thread to my supplier and he will send it to the Norton Rep!
If this doesn't get fixed I will be finding a new favorite Ceramic heavy grinding belt.

Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
 
Is this problem with the Blaze Plus? I have been using the blaze ever since they first became available and have not experienced this with them, but I do not grind fast and hard. I did have this same problem with some 3M belts a few years ago and will not use them again.
 
Walt2 said:
Is this problem with the Blaze Plus? I have been using the blaze ever since they first became available and have not experienced this with them, but I do not grind fast and hard. I did have this same problem with some 3M belts a few years ago and will not use them again.
Click to expand...

Walt,
it is the Norton Blaze Plus that I am having this problem with. I grind at about 50% of a 1 1/2 hp Variable, with the 36 Grit belts, 35-45% with the 50 Grit, And 30-40% with the 120 grit.
So you can tell me if that's fast & hard?
I've given my contact info to the folks at Norton,
We will see how they respond?

Laurence

www.westsidesharpening.com/
 
Hello Andrew,
As Ed Mccaffrey ABS noted , It started for him about 7 months ago, I started seeing the build up of Crud about the same time frame.
Before that those Ceramic Blaze plus belts would Cut, Cut, Cut for all my heavy grinding with no stops except to change out from the 36G to 50G to a 120 with smooth sailing!

My Rhino Culinary Chop is a tad over 2 3/4" tall at the heel and 6 1/2" in blade length with a full flat vee grind on both sides.
The Blaze belts are the only belt I could use that I got any real mileage with!
I can get 4-6 of my chops out of my three belt progression with them and then still get more profiling work out of the 3 belts.
But now with this stopping to clean Peta "Pain en the A&%"
I am on the market for a new Ceramic heavy duty belt.
I don't remember liking the 3M Ceramic 2 x72's
But it's been at least 5-7 years?

I have some Norton Hogger Ceramic's inbound.
But I am only married to my beautiful wife.
Does anyone have any suggestions for a long lasting heavy duty steel eating belt that would work through a blade and progression like I've described?

Thanks.
Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
 
Lawrence, I do not have variable speed, only the step pulleys. It does not sound like you are grinding that fast. Since I do this part time, I do not use the volume of belts that some others do. I had a pretty good supply of 36 grit and have just recently needed to reorder. I guess I may have some frustration in store for me also. I wish I would have seen this thread before I reordered.
 
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Walt,
Is it to later to change your order? If not, It might not be all of the Blaze 2 x 72"S ?? It has been seen in some 6 x 48"s that I have heard of.
Just keep some Heavy cleaner like Goof Off or at first I was using acetone, Strong fumes!:hang:
and check often, The sooner you clean the better.

I've put my other new Blaze belts aside for the Norton people, When they contact me or get here?
I sure hope my Hogger belts get here today cause I am so tired of cleaning this crud and I have many orders to fill.
Laurence

www.rhinoknives.com/
 
Personally, I would much rather see a preferred manufacturer get their act together first before searching for alternatives.

This is where feedback and good communication are important.
Irregardless of the manufacturer, they need to know what we want and need.
It's also important that the manufacturer specifies which products best satisfy which applications, and that a product is being used as intended.

Laurence is doing the most important thing- he is contacting Norton.
Note that in the first post of this thread that it was stated the supplier had received no reports of problems other than an order of wide belts.

Doug noted that he has had problems with loose abrasive. Has anyone else had those problems?
Excessively loose abrasive can result from improper storage, "old" stock, or perhaps even a bad run from the manufacturer.
We all have different shop conditions to deal with, and we purchase from different suppliers. Different suppliers move their products at different rates. One may move stuff at a slow pace, while another no longer has the original product and can only get the "new" type.

What I'm trying to say is this: It's important to communicate amongst ourselves about problems, but we also need to be vigilant in determining the cause of the problem and allowing the supplier or manufacturer to make it right.
That will only be accomplished through feedback to the supplier/manufacturer. And it's gonna take more than just Laurence and Ed.

With that said, I have not experienced the newfound problem with the new Blaze belts. But as others have said, I have not yet had to replenish my current supply.
Don't get me wrong- I will ask around and see if it's a common problem shared by others.
But rest assured that any time I run into any problem with something I've purchased, I'm in contact with the supplier (or the manufacturer) trying to get things right. (Often it's not the product; it's me and I did not initially know it.)
I call that process protecting an investment, and it does me no good to immediately start searching for an "alternative" to what I've already spent my hard-earned money on.

If this particular problem is due to new belt design (dry lubricant?), then we should be letting the manufacturer know it's not working for us.
Hopefully the manufacturer will make things right.

Rob
 
Yes Lawrence it is too late to have the order changed and I do not know when I will get to try some. Having a small surgical procedure done on my right index finger next week.
 
I have used the blaze orange belts lots with no problems but I would change my platten to glass way easier to clean with a razor blade. kelly
 
Rob,
Yep! I much rather see Norton get it together on this problem and fix it TOO!
I don't want to switch belts! I think the Blaze plus Belts were the best around until now!
I have used those Cubitron 3M belts and to me, They would cut great for a couple of minutes and then they were gone! The Blaze don't give as good a cutting feel at first, But they Cut.. & Cut.. and you get the idea!
So hopefully I will hear back from the folks at Norton?

I got the Norton Hogger belts in today and no more Crud on my platen when heavy grinding!
I've just had the chance to get one blade through 36G to 50G to 120G So I don't have a verdict yet if these cut as well? I'm not stopping every 5-10 to de-crud the platen so I working much more economically again already!.



Kelly,
I had a ceramic glass on my Platen and the reason I took it off was all the cleaning & scraping messed up the face of it!

Anyone else have their 2 cents?

Thanks .
Laurence

www.westsidesharpening.com/
 
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