dodo knives Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 hey guys so I have been trying to mirror finish this blade and I am having some problems that I never had before. the finish kind of looks like ripples in water. in a way it almost looks like I went to the buffer pre maturely with large scratches in the blade and they got dulled down and shiny. that's what it looks like but that is not what it is I went to 3000 grit before touching the buffer and I am very carefull to make sure to get out all previous scratches on the next belt all the way up and I did check and there was no big scratches when I got done at the grinder and deffinitly not enough to make this pattern. is there anything I could have overlooked that would cause this un even surface?? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 I can not see anything wrong from here, are you sure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frosty Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Got pictures? From here it looks like blank screen under your text. Frosty The Lucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodo knives Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 your right sorry guys...I wont be able to get pics up until tomorrow morning I don't have my camera with me right now but I will make sure to put the up as soon as I can in the morning...however I don't know how good this is going to show up in a camera but I got a light box for pics I will do my best Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daswulf Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 If I ever buffed anything for a smooth mirror finish I hand sanded it with a rigid sanding block going through the grits. Sometimes even wet sanding it. Being an autobody guy I guess that's just natural to do it that way for a smooth flat finish on metal or body/ paint work. I don't have a belt grinder so I don't know if there could be a cause from that. Maybe the backing plate is rough leaving the ripples in the blade? Just an idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Did you dress your buffing wheel? I have seen similar to what you describe happen on plastics and at least partially, it can be caused by a very slightly unbalanced wheel. There are other things which can impart resonant frequencies into sanding and buffing also--even motor windings. One trick that lapidary people use is to do the final pass with each grit (and buff) in one direction at an angle to the last grit. If lines show up, you can see by the angle whether they are caused by an earlier grit or the current process so it can be a bit easier to back step and correct the problem. A buffing wheel dresser looks like this for those unfamiliar with them--when used right it does a similar job on buffing wheels that is done when you dress a grinding wheel. They also tend to knock out old or stray grit and "lumps" of buffing compound that might be in your wheel. It's a good idea to keep buffing wheels protected when not in use--remove and store in a big ziplock or at least put a towel over them because grit and dust larger than the buffing compound are always flying all over the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Evans Posted September 9, 2016 Share Posted September 9, 2016 Plus one on Kozzy's suggestions. I have always known that as a wheel "rake" rather than a wheel dresser. I have always used an ordinary 5 or 6 row wire brush to "dress" buffing wheels. The dedicated dressers have two handles similar to the rake, but I have managed without....You could always try an ordinary wire brush while you are waiting for the bespoke tool to arrive. For a mirror finish you might also try using Menzerna P175 Yellow Super Finish compound...price is about 5 times any other, but it is easily 10 times better. Cut factor 1, Gloss factor 9.5 And also Vienna Lime to wipe over in between compound grades and after the process to remove any remaining traces of the preceding wax/compound. It works like magic, I am always surprised how effective it is each time I use it. Alan "Vienna Lime Powder...Cleaning powder for polished items.Very fine grade. Pure white in colour.Its not actually a lime powder but a Precipitated Calcium Carbonate powder. Harmless refined chalk power." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodo knives Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 hey guys sorry I didn't get a pic up I still don't have my camera,,however this morning I got so frustrated I went back to the grinder (my platen is glass I don't think that would me it) I re raked and buffed (just as I did before) and it came out ALOT better there are still 3 small area with this but its much much harder to see. I don't know what its from never had this happen before the worst thing besides this is I have had a lil orange peel show up am I right that that is from letting the blade get slightly to hot and is only on the surface? any way I am not going to spend any more time on this as I said you REALLY have to look for it to see it much much better than it was and this blade is for a family member that is only paying cost so I aint going to continue messing with it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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