I need a belt sander... any recommendations?

For the money, the Central Machinery 1" x 30" from Harbor Freight is not bad. Be sure and get some quality belts from Lee Valley or elsewhere and practice on cheap machetes or knives first. Read the numerous tutorials available. . If you're going to be doing a lot of grinding, you might want a more expensive model, but my CM has already outlasted more expensive models and has done some fine work. It's not like you have to regrind blades very often.

Good advice... I really appreciate it.

There's a video on youtube.com where a guy uses like a 220 grit belt and then a leather belt to finish his knives...

What do you use?

Read the many posts and tutorials on the subject.

Ah my post was jacked! Horn Dog, if am looking to add a diamond hone to my standard lansky sharpening system should I go with a diamond hone in coarse, medium, or fine. I am only to buy one at a time for now. Should I start with the diamond or finish with one?

This is for reprofiling a more acute edge on the SOD, right? I would go with the coarse or medium diamond to set the new angle (20 degrees or so. Once you get the two new angles to meet, you will get a rough looking wire edge. Then go to your finer stones to smooth it out.