Buffer setup

M

Marko Veselinovic

Joined
Aug 3, 2020
Messages
32
Hi, I would like to hear advice on a buffer setup for polishing high wear resistant steels like M390 etc.

Grinding and prep work is not something I am interested in talking, but I just need to mention it, obviously it is VERY important.
It is not a problem for me to get these steels to a A16 finish on a grinder, and to P2000 with hand sanding.
And I have mirror polished steel before, but stuff like MagnaCut, M390 I struggle with. My current buffer setup can't polish these steels.

If someone is kind enough to share some knowledge it would be greatly appreciated!
I have used many kinds of cotton and felt wheels of different hardness, and many different compounds. It seems like I can not find a good combination.

What power and RPM buffer to get ?(I have a decent size buffer that spins at 2800RPM)
What wheel size and material to get and what combination wheels? (pre polishing, final polishing etc)
What compounds to use? (as far I can tell diamond compounds are an only way for these steels?)

I did already find a lot of info on the forum about this, but it seems that talk is usually of finishing before polishing, and polishing in "home" conditions using diamond film sandpaper and similar methods.
I am also aware of cross contamination of grit etc...
 
For a hard steel that you want to take to a mirror polish:
12" stitched muslin wheels with 4" steel collars
1HP motor, 1800RPM
long shaft buffer ... 24"-30" end to end

Use separate wheels for each buffing compound. Store them in 14X20" wide large zip-lock bags (2-gallon size). with the polish used on them.

Read every past thread about buffer safety. The fact tat you are asking indicated you are not yet trained on buffers. They can maim and kill. Seriously, read them all!!!
 
Thanks for the info.

This is a MagnaCut blade at 62HRC, hollow ground
I got it to P2500 before buffing, for buffing I used a hard felt wheel and diamond compound.
Not truly perfect at the moment, but before I could not get near this. Need to get a few more diamond compounds at different micron levels, and need to try stitched muslin wheel as Stacy said. This hard felt works very good, but tends to leave a slight splotchy finis, couldn't really picture that, you can see it under good lighting and specific angles.

https://imgur.com/2ByO9hS

https://imgur.com/c6gpcuw

https://imgur.com/VMTzSL3
 
I would be interested on which belts you use to finish those steels before buffing?
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
For a hard steel that you want to take to a mirror polish:
12" stitched muslin wheels with 4" steel collars
1HP motor, 1800RPM
long shaft buffer ... 24"-30" end to end

Use separate wheels for each buffing compound. Store them in 14X20" wide large zip-lock bags (2-gallon size). with the polish used on them.

Read every past thread about buffer safety. The fact tat you are asking indicated you are not yet trained on buffers. They can maim and kill. Seriously, read them all!!!
Click to expand...
Exactly! I’ve always respected my buffer….it was the very first lesson my mentor taught me….its easily the most dangerous machine in the shop. That being said, Murphy’s Law jumped up and bit me on my butt one day years ago. It grabbed a blade I was polishing and slung the blade downward through my shoe, into my foot. I had to pull it out to be able to remove my shoe. Blood everywhere. Off to the hospital for x-rays and stitches. Wife was about sick driving me to the hospital….one of our “good” towels wrapped around my foot, ruined.

Afterwards, I took that little hospital ID bracelet they give you and taped it to the top of the buffer’s horse and a half motor so I’d never forget that day.
 
I can only chip in a little with recommending ceramic Trizact instead of normal to cut down some time until polishing.
 
FredyCro said:
I would be interested on which belts you use to finish those steels before buffing?
Click to expand...
Norton Ceramic belt to 120 grit, then I go 3M Gator A100, A65, A45 and A30, start hand sanding at P800-1200-1500-2500 I like Norton Black Ice sandpaper, Indasa is good, but it is not SIC for the finer grits, but Norton is.

And yeah buffer safety is important, thanks God never had injury, but came close once. I sharpened a butchers knife, it grabbed it, next thing I know there is a handle in my hand, but blade broke off. I follow some basic rules when using a buffer, so I wasn't in line of that blade, and just found it on the floor. Took me a minute to realize what happened tho :)
 
Yup, a dangerous machine.
I polished things for a living for over 40 years as a jeweler. I have buffed knives for 30 years. I have many buffing machines up to 12" wheels. I consider myself a professional, but every now and then Murphy grabs a blade out of my hand. I have had a few close calls, but no serious injuries on te buffer. I still think about what I am going to do and check the area around the buffer before turning it on.
The most important thing I can say to anyone who will buff a knife is -
"NEVER let the tip or edge meet the wheel directly. It will grab the knife out of your hands before you even know it happened.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
Yup, a dangerous machine.
I polished things for a living for over 40 years as a jeweler. I have buffed knives for 30 years. I have many buffing machines up to 12" wheels. I consider myself a professional, but every now and then Murphy grabs a blade out of my hand. I have had a few close calls, but no serious injuries on te buffer. I still think about what I am going to do and check the area around the buffer before turning it on.
The most important thing I can say to anyone who will buff a knife is -
"NEVER let the tip or edge meet the wheel directly. It will grab the knife out of your hands before you even know it happened.
Click to expand...
Had that one friend we all have that when he visits your shop, he has to tinker with your equipment. My friend Richard took a fancy to a piece of desert ironwood I had laid out for a future handle and turned on my big buffer. I turned around and said “Richard! Nooooo! “ too late….it tore it out of his hand and sent it 25 or so feet away into a wall at about 325 mph. 😆 Scared the crap out of him.
 
Marko mentions a slightly “splotch finish” on Magnacut after using diamond compound. Is that the result of the polishing process, or the nature of the steel?
 
Polishing process for sure, I have managed with different buffing wheel to get it without it being splotchy. Hard felt wheel kinda leaves marks same as you would on a grinder if you do not hit the angle and you create facets, just this is much more subtle. But a hard felt wheel polishes much faster and I think it shows less of carbide structure. So I just did a couple passes on a softer buffing wheel to "blend" everything and that worked very good.
 
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