Blades are back from HT, LET'S TUMBLE!!

G

gixxer

Joined
Sep 21, 2006
Messages
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Some of you know I started a thread inquiring into a tumbled finish. Did some tests, found a media, and now I have blades back from HT. Let's recap one more time. I have about 4lb of 1/8 and 1/4 dia non abrasive ceramic cylinders in my reloading tumbler. Here is the thread for those that want to catch up.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=449951&highlight=tumbled+finish

Here is the blade after Mr Bos graced it with his skill. This one is a beater since I ground the plunge too deep on the spine, and I need to learn how to use a handstamp for my mark. Think back in the day when you got credit card receipts and the imprinter made dupes of the card info. I will check on it in the morning.

afterHT.jpg
 
The hardened steel does take longer to get the same effects from testing, but that was to be expected. 8 hours did not do much.
 
huh, neither did 24 hours. :confused: I think I might something to add a litle more aggressive. Time to experiment again.
 
i was talking with a friend about this same subject. he is a government certified finish inspector for the company he works for. he told me that crushed walnut shells might clean and polish a hardened blade. the company he works for makes aircraft lights and they polish quite a few items in this manner before finishing up the parts on high speed buffers.
 
Crushed walnut rocks for cleaning up brass for ammunition for sure. I already have a whole bunch. I am not going for the polished look, I am going for the subdued finish. Think knives of Alaska.
 
Well, after 36 hours the blade is ...well... polished. To a mirror practically. I might try the ceramic with play sand or something. I need more abrasiveness (is that even a word?) I might buy some steel shot or maybe a light cutting ceramic. I am gonna go ahead and finish the knife to finish the thread. It does look pretty nice, just not quite what I was looking for. Guess I could take a pic.
 
Here it is. I am mounting the walnut burl guards. there is a slight haze on the blade, but I bet a rub with simichrome would get rid of that.

tumble1.jpg
 
I get a nice frosted finish when I use my vibratory tumbler with that non abrasive cermic media on unhardened steel. Never tried it on a hardened blade. Provides a fine edge break and debur on lots of stuff in the shop.

I also use a heavy abrasive media that leaves a dull blasted look on soft steel. I'll bet it would do the trick on hard steel. I'll try it and post it (whenever I can get around to it LOL).
 
Check out the Number 4 lives thread, that is the tumbled finish knife. I have learned a couple things. One. Hardened steel acts differently to media than unhardened. Two. If you sand to 1500, send off to HT, and drop in the non abrasive stuff, it will polish to a hazy mirror. I am going to experiment with the Simichrome to see if htat cleans it up. Might also try a day in ceramic and then a day in walnut. Three. do not forget to use a burnishing liquid. It keeps the ceramic from loading up and keeps the dust down. I used straight simple green. Luquid in the walnut? dunno. That's another experiment.
 
well, using a tumbler to get a matte finnish is totally opposite of what ive been learning how to do in jewelry but why not try some SS shot, you have to be careful in a vibrating tumbler not to over load but you can do it, im not sure how the finnish would look though.

-matt
 
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