JimCrawford Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Does anyone have a tip or two about getting out micro scratches without resorting to a buffer? -Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 Jim they make wet/dry sandpaper in grits of 1000, 1500 and 2000 these are very effective in getting out very fine scratches. After that you can hand polish with the rough side of a piece of leather and finally with paper towel. Woody Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 6, 2007 Share Posted March 6, 2007 remember to keep your fing grit paper *bagged* seperately so that a stray piece of coarser grit does not end up messing all your work up!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Hale Posted March 9, 2007 Share Posted March 9, 2007 Jim The above items should help you a lot I did a Blueprint a while back that describes how I take a rough ground heat treated blade to a mirror finish and yes the last two steps involve a buffer...BP0235. It should be reposted soon as there are lots of changes going on here. If you want more specific help it would help to know what steel was used, how it was worked, and one of us can maybe help a bit more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandpile Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 JIM- Rich has it right. We need more info on the steel and manner of work. If you don't have a buffer, is one thing, if you are afraid on washing the lines out with a heavy buff, is another thing. There are some steels that do not buff well under a hard buff. D2 and 5160 are two of the most popular that a fellow needs to be careful with. On my blades that I intend to have a mirror finish and still have sharp grind lines, I carry my sanding out to 6 micron. You have to be careful on the fine belts, they will over heat in a heart beat. A light green buff using very little pressure on the blade is the final machine step. I can get almost the same results with hand sanding, using 2400 grit as the last sand paper, then using rouge on a flat leather on a board and finally news paper. Much to much work when it can be done on the sanders.grin chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Richards Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 I just picked up some .5 and .25 micron diamond polish. A little of this goes a long way. Finish to 3000g then micro polish. Chuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete46 Posted February 1, 2008 Share Posted February 1, 2008 A PIECE Of CARDBOARD WORKS WELL TO STROP A BLADE ON! IF, IT WILL DULL IT ,IT WILL SHARPEN IT. I KNOW THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT YA'LL ARE DISCUSS'N! OOPS! TIME FOR MY MEDS!:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quenchcrack Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Look up your local metallurgical supply company. Leco and Beuhler sell diamond polish suspended in a light oil or water base. It comes in a spray bottle and a little goes a long way. Not cheap but very effective. They also sell very fine grade grinding papers and polishing cloths. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdCaffreyMS Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 My answer is GOOD lighting, and taking your time to visually inspect the blade as your grinding or hand sanding. Most of the time previous grit scratches do not become evident until you've gone to the next finer grit. When this occurs your generally forced to go back to the last grit used in order to remove the scratches, and then move forward again. This get very frustrating. When I say GOOD lighting, I also mean different types of lighting. Scratches that do not show up under florescent lights, will show up under halogen lights, likewise those that do not show up under halogen, will show up under another type of light such as sodium vapor or incandescent. I learned this hard lesson years ago when I got to a show and was taking my knives out of the case. At that time I had only florescent lights in the shop. The show hall had sodium vapor lighting. I was so embarrassed at some of the things I had missed, that I put three knives back in the case and never offered them for sale. When I returned home, the first thing I did was install several types of lights over the finish bench. It has made a huge difference. Its also a matter of training your eyes. The majority of students who come to my shop get frustrated because when they think their done hand finishing, I will take a sharpie marker and start marking the areas of the blade they need to work on. Most of the time the tell me that they cannot see anything, but by shifting the blade in the light, the "shadow scratches" become evident. Its all about patience, and knowing what to look for. When someone asks me how long hand finishing takes, I tell them "Sand until you think your done.....then sand 10 minutes more." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Richards Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Great Lighting is required over the finishing bench. I use a metal halide light right above my finishing station. I went out and purchased one after I had gone to a show that had them there. I thought my knives looked good until I pulled them out under those lights. I put one back in the case and took it home. Like Ed said it is just a matter of knowing how to look at the blade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted March 23, 2008 Share Posted March 23, 2008 (edited) I had a nice show last fall 30 small blades on display in the glass case, nice cool morning at the Ren Faire, then the SUN came out, when that light hit them in the case, I had to put 8 blades back in the transport case. When the lunch crowd thinned out I went into the pavillion and started hand polishing the 'clouds' that appreared on my blades. lucky for me I do carry rouge and felt cloth in addition to oil and windex. dont forget the sun light too. it can show some strange things. I was very embarrased Edited March 31, 2009 by steve sells typo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plain ol Bill Posted April 1, 2008 Share Posted April 1, 2008 Ed is right on about lighting. I have standard incandescent, halogen, and fluoresent all over my finishing area and each will show things the others don't. That said 99% of my work is damascus and I just go to a 600 grit finish on it before etching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry harley Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 after my oldest son had completed his first few knives i asked him what was the hardest part he said finishing i asked why he said "because theres so much rubbing" harley sand paper possum Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfy9005 Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 I agree that a sander/buffer is faster and easier, but 1 little laps in concentration and you can potentially ruin a few week(or months) work. Just stick with the sand paper and leather/newspaper approach. You can always use a low speed drill with a buffing wheel attached and just control the amount you push down. You can always finish with the leather/newspaper step if you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Mayo Posted June 29, 2008 Share Posted June 29, 2008 Sunlight sure has a way of making things show up. When i think i'm done sanding i will walk out of the shop into the sun and take a close look at the blade i can always find some more scraches that you cannot see in the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourofarm Posted December 15, 2008 Share Posted December 15, 2008 I'm kind of new at this but i had someone tell me that baby powder works very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new guy Posted March 31, 2009 Share Posted March 31, 2009 i like to polish my knives with a piece of heavy shoe leather (pass the leather over 420 grit to smooth it out first) and use that like sand paper and it helps remove fine scratches and polsihes really well. plus you can use it like a strop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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