Buffer Gook

WinDancer

WinDancer

Joined
May 15, 1999
Messages
720
I have a couple of double-ended light duty buffers set up for wood working and knife clean up. One has two loose buffing pad wheels, the other has the heavier solid sewn wheels.

I usually use the loose set up for cleaning and polishing blades and handles. One is used with white polishing stick and the other is used with brown polishing stick. It works well, but is getting REALLY dirty, and is losing the ability to produce a clean blade/handle. Is there a way to clean the loose buffing wheels?

The hard pads are used with light polish compound on one wheel and Carnuba wax on the other. These wheels don't gum up as badly, but thay don't polish nearly as well.

A little experienced guidance, please?

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Regards, Dave

WinDancer@OlyWa.net

www.olywa.net/windancer/webknives.htm
 
There are wheel rakes that are use to clean cloth wheels (sort of like metal combs) A hacksaw blade works fairly well. Hold the teeth to the spinning wheel.
 
Wheel rakes can be made by simply driving about ten nails through a 2X4 leaving the tips of the nails exposed on the other side.
I use 2X4 pieces about 18" long, drive the nails through in a clump in the center section and hold the board by both ends at once when using it. This gives me more control.

I never use the loose wheels on small parts such as knives they are too grabby and tend to wrap around small parts and pull them out of your hands. This can be deadly with knives in particular.

I use circular sewn wheels exclusively. These are wheels with the stitching running in concentric rings aroung the center of the wheel. Wheels with about 1/2" spacing between the rows of stitching work best. The 1/2" spacing allows the cloth to fray a little to give a high buff but not enough to catch on a knife blade. Tighter spacing between the rows of stitching gives a more rigid wheel but this wheeel tends to glaze over and stops cutting very quickly. If you are using one of these you will have to rake it frequently.

The brown compound that you describe sounds like one that I use for polishing aluminum and titanium. The grease is absolutely necessary to polish these metals properly and you can't do with out it. On stainless, brass and steel a dryer green compound is what I use, not nearly as dirty.

You might consider separate wheels for the brown, green, and white compounds as they are difficult to rake out completely. I also reserve one wheel specifically for buffing handle materials such as wood.

If you have any questions please call me, I am a professional metal polisher by trade.

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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 
I have found that buffing the backbone of the knives cleans the buffs out very well ... no need for fancy toys like wheel rakes. Just grab a blade (unsharpened!!) you are working on and buff down the back of the blade, this cleans the wheel and polishes that blade too.

I use the unsewn buffs on all my machines and have no problem with them being grabby, you just need the high quality buff pads like the ones that Matchless Metal Polish Co. makes, they have a thread count of 80/80 which is a very dense material and still gives that mirror finish shine with out killing or damaging your help or yourself.

Just my thoughts .... how ever random they may be.
smile.gif


Jim
 
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