Speaking of belt sanders...
As a brand new hobbyist knifemaking wannabe, I obviously don't have professional grade equipment. I had been working with an angle grinder, hand files and sharpening stones until I went to Harbor Freight and bought a cheap, upright, 3 wheel 1" x 30" sander.
I bought some extra belts, but I think I went with "you get what you pay for" cheap. When I press the workpiece against the belt support/backrest/whatchamacallit, there's an annoying thunk every time the seam runs by. As a result, I've resorted to pressing the workpiece against the part of the sanding belt that's *not* supported from behind.
Is this purely a function of cheap belts? If so, what are y'all's suggestions for good brands for "non thunky" replacement belts?