bigfootnampa Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 I recently busted the budget to get a real buffer! I hope I did okay! I bought a Baldor model 332B. It's 3/4 hp with 3/4" shaft and double ended at 1800 rpm. I am really wanting that little extra sharpness on my carving and filet blades! It seems like a steep investment but I have worked many years with the cheap stuff and I don't have that many left to enjoy working with something better! I already have it in the garage, so maybe I'm a bit late with this post but I am interested in any advice about buffing blades in general or types of equipment etcetera. I am planning to use 8" muslin wheels on it. I got some loose and some spiral sewn. I seem to have liked the spiral sewn ones best in the past... but I may mount one of each. I'm going to start with just white rouge (white diamond) compound. I will keep an open mind about others you might suggest though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 SAFETY EQUIPMENT!!!!!! Buffers stay awake all night long trying to figure out new ways to maim you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdaleh Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 A buffer and a wire wheel are the two most dangerous toosl in the shop . If you get comfortable running either one you are not giving them enough respect. Mount it on a pedestal not on a bench that way when it gets snatched out of your hand it hopefully hits the floor . On a bench they will bounce back at you . A green compound is a good one to start with . Then a pink compound for final Finnish on steel. White Diamond is more for handles. Go to some of the knife making supplier's and read thru their buffing compounds they have good definitions on what each compound does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 16 hours ago, bigfootnampa said: I recently busted the budget to get a real buffer!...... I am really wanting that little extra sharpness on my carving and filet blades! this makes no sense because buffing has nothing to do with sharpening blades. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 Some people buff rather than strop to remove the wire edge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JHCC Posted November 15, 2016 Share Posted November 15, 2016 19 minutes ago, ThomasPowers said: Some people buff rather than strop to remove the wire edge. Woodworkers especially, often with a hard felt wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted November 16, 2016 Author Share Posted November 16, 2016 Yes I have found that a light buffing will leave me with a slightly sharper edge that also lasts longer than a steeled or stropped edge. Maybe if I really did the stropping properly it would do as well. I am too impatient! We are talking of fineness of edge here that few people ever experience and which takes expertise to even detect... but it is REAL! For such tools as hook knives the difference can become quite important! Heavy buffing will completely round the edge over leaving it quite dull! I recently bought a few filet knives on a clearance sale for a very good price! The knives are by J Martini (of the famous Rapala brand) custom branded and are slightly sharper out of the package than the filet knives that I use regularly. This challenged me as I have a certain rep to uphold!!! On careful inspection I decided that the knives were buff finished and I went whole hog and ordered real pro buffing equipment to ensure that I am not again embarrassed like this! I also have a couple of new hook knives on order and want to carve up a good batch of wooden spoons in the near future! EXTREME, EXTREME sharpness is pretty important for this type of carving! How well I do know the truth of your warnings Thomas! This buffer has a 3/4 hp motor and it is a bit intimidating thinking of it running with 8" or 10" muslin wheels! I must summon my bravest inner warrior to face it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted November 16, 2016 Author Share Posted November 16, 2016 Some knife suppliers recommend white diamond as their best all around compound. I have had very good results with it! I may try some of that no scratch pink one day. It is a delicate balance though, improving an edge that will already shave hair easily! A too fine or too coarse grit or any used with too heavy a hand can make the edge duller instead of sharper! For blades like on scythes a bit of sawtoothed edge is useful! Coarse whetting or hanging in the dew overnight (or both) can be optimal! But for carving fine finishes off the knife... a slightly polished edge is desirable! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 When I worked under the swordmaker he used an underpowered buffer with a belt drive so if anything went wrong he could choke the motor of slip the belt rather than have 3+ feet of sword slung through the shop. Took longer to get the blade finished to a mirror polish; but if you factor in the lack of down time for ER visits and recovery it was a definite plus. OTOH I knew an armour maker who built a massive 3hp buffer to polish armour with. I refused to be in his shop when it was on and asked if I could get insurance on him...it truly was a mankiller waiting for it's chance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzkill Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 I second the belt driven buffer. I use a 1/3 hp motor with a slightly loose drive belt to the shaft and usually only 6 inch wheels. I'm willing to take the trade off in speed of attaining the desired finish to my perception of a safer buffing station. So far I've never had a blade yanked out of my hands but I have stalled the motor or slipped the belt a few times. Even with that setup I'm still wary when buffing and always try to stand off to the side a bit just in case. If I had a chainmail shirt I might even wear that. Another item for the "to do" list ...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kozzy Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 I use a buffer which I have adapted with a VFD for variable speed. In my case, I'm using it with 12" dia "nylox" wheels rather than actual buffing wheels. It produces a really nice finish on some metal parts similar to a very fine bead blasting (I don't use it for knives). In any case, the point I wanted to make was to add another vote to those mentioning the dangers. To properly buff (or wheel in my case), it's not about ploughing the part into the buffer surface. It takes a light touch and you have to let the compound do the work, not the pressure. Because of that light touch, it's easy to get a grab and throw. It's remarkable how much power can instantly be imparted to that part to shoot it past the back-side of the buffer at what seems like 900 miles an hour. It's not unlike a table saw kickback in intensity. I only work the lower quadrant of the wheels so a kickback is insured to go away from my body and toward the floor behind the machine. Never work on the upper quadrant or the part is heading right at you when things go haywire (and you have less control working the upper part of the wheel to begin with). Safety safety safety or there will be a price to pay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Sells Posted November 16, 2016 Share Posted November 16, 2016 I stand corrected, and afraid very afraid of getting a buffer near the edge... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted November 17, 2016 Author Share Posted November 17, 2016 Thanks Kozzy! I hear you! Some years ago I had bought a big timber framing slick chisel. It arrived very coarsely ground and far from sharp. The steel was very good quality and quite hard though. I lacked the good grinding equipment that I have now. I spent a couple of months working its edge up with water stones, a bit at a time. I used a ceramic polishing stone to finish the edge to a mirror polish! Finally it was literally the sharpest tool in the shop! A good friend visiting picked it up and even as I watched in horror he tested the edge with the joint of his thumb!!!! It cut him nearly to the bone before he felt the edge!! I screamed, but too late! Fortunately he did heal without lasting damage! Truly sharp edges often produce very little pain when they cut you!!! Never test edges in such a way! I've always loved a good sharp edge! Steve, IME it is not the edges that are the most dangerous. It's when the buff wraps and grabs the back edge of the blades that all xxxx breaks loose! This can often happen while trying to buff too near the tip of the blade! Especially when buffing smaller or very pointy blades... like many of my carving knives! IMO a real NO NO is to buff with an old bench grinder... as I have done in the past! The wheel guards will work sort of like a rail gun! The blade is forced through the space between the buff and the guard and then fires out of the top of the guard at deer rifle like velocity!!!!!! Unfortunately this aims it right at the operator! This is very rare as I am exceedingly careful... but when it does happen... survival is pure luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 My grandfather taught me to buff rings using a mandrel to prevent the "grab and throw" and I often will buff a blade by mounting it on a piece of wood to prevent the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted November 20, 2016 Author Share Posted November 20, 2016 Good idea Thomas! Thank you! I got the buffer set up temporarily yesterday! I buffed a half dozen blades and sharpened and buffed a couple of new ones! It worked like a dream! Blades are definitely that one fine step SHARPER! It was quick and easy too! I had a new carving blade that came unsharp. In just a couple of minutes I had it really shaving hair easily all along the blade length! It is a very beautiful thing! I am very happy!!! I don't believe that I'll use the loose muslin wheel though. I have ordered a soft felt wheel and I'll try that instead. I managed even my super pointy filet knives by using a very light touch and orienting the blade tips to point nearly in the direction of rotation... so that the buff followed the blade instead of grabbing the back edge! I will try Thomas's suggestion next time for these! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arftist Posted November 21, 2016 Share Posted November 21, 2016 Glad to see the safety aspect finally covered in this thread. Buffers are wonderful tools; I run two machines on one stand so I can progressively polish without having to stop. I am pretty terrified of buffing blades as I have had all manner of less dangerous items rippef from my grasp. I think I would only attempt such with a jig some type whether metal or wood and again for safety sake only use the botton 90° quadrant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfootnampa Posted November 23, 2016 Author Share Posted November 23, 2016 I must also say that the 1,800 rpms seem pretty manageable even with the 10" sewn muslin wheels! My old grinder must have been much faster! This unit is working as well as I hoped! I do find that my wheels are less perfectly trimmed than I might prefer. I don't really know what to do about that. Maybe I could run a belt sander against it for a while? I am open to suggestions. It works pretty well as is but I think that a cleaner trim of the wheels would improve the function. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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