Buffing Advise.

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What buffing wheels do you guys use? And where do you get them.

I'm begrudgingly putting a buffer in my shop. I've avoided it purposefully because of fear of this tool. But I have an extra motor, and my FIL has bought a mandrel. So here I go.

Any tips or advise you guys have about buffing would be greatly appreciated.
 
Andy, so far I've gotten most of my wheels/compounds and such from Jantz.

As for the fear of the buffer, keep the fear! Always treat it as if it's a rattlesnake because the moment you get comfortable with it, it'll bite you! Some other members here have posted some good tips on using them, though, such as always keeping the edge down, buffing as slowly as possible, etc.

Good luck with it! It's more dangerous than other tools, but it is still a very useful tool.
 
So you use cotton wheels, or sisal wheels, or felt wheels?
 
Andy, one of the best pieces of advice I ever received on using a buffer/wire wheel came from my father. He told me to keep the piece below the center of the wheel (arbor hole) while buffing. If you go above that point, there are greater chances of a part getting snatched out of your hand and quickly being deposited in places you don't want it. I generally use the spiral sewn cotton/muslin buffs. -Matt-
 
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I'm pretty sure it's a concentric 10" contrentric sewn cotton wheel from Jantz. double stocked for wider surface area!
 
Go buy a used 1/3 or 1/4 horsepower motor and use that. If you can't push the blade into the buffer and stop the wheel from turning; it is too powerful. Good luck!
 
I guess it depends on what you want to do with it. I would call Pop and ask him to help you decide based on your intentions, he'll get you the right wheels, the right compound and the right price.
 
Thats another thing. I don't see myself selling mirror polished knives. The motor is a used one that wasn't running my large sander well. It bogged down all the time. Who knows it may not last a week. But it is a 1 HP motor.
 
if you use common sense when it comes to buffing it lessens the danger. a small board with a step for handle clearance about 1/2" wider than the blade to attach the knife to can be a big help when buffing with a soft cotton buff on a small knife. the board keeps either edge from catching. i have a rock hard cotton buff that i have running fairly fast (20-30.000 rpm) that wont catch the blade like a soft buff will. i dull the edge of a knife slightly to make things a little safer if the knife is sharp. buff half the blade at a time being careful around the tip. keep a bucket of cold water handy to cool the blade in.
sisal wheels work best for giving a stainless blade a mirror finish from what i have seen of art summers work. some sears stores sell buffing wheels and compounds so check there.
 
sewn cotton wheels are quite a bit safer to use than loose cotton buffs. These are normally sewn in a spiral 1/4" all the way around except for the last 1/2" or so. Use only one kind of buff compound on a wheel. It's common to stack these so you have 1" thick buff wheels as they often come in 1/2" thicknesses. 8" is most common, followed by 10" for 'serious' shops. You will find 6" buff's on most low end consumer buff machines. Like most things, you'll feel better going bigger/more power.
 
I learned to polish a long time ago on agates. We used felt wheels and I have 2 hard 8" felt wheels on one side of a buffer and I use the coarse black compound on it, then I have another with sets of sewn cloth wheels like everyone uses. Those I use with my green medium and then red fine polish. Thats what I use for metal. For scales I have another buffer with a sewn wheel with white compound and then a loose buff that I use no compound on. Be careful and hang on, keep some water handy these can make things hot.
 
Felt wheels rock! but they are expensive, Brownells sells them. like everyone said dont push hard, respect the machine, and embrace the buff!
 
I use both coil sewn cotton wheels and the loose ones. Always use care around the buffer and pay attention at all times. Do not buff when you are angry or in a hurry. Buffing accidents come fast and hard almost like an explosion. Don't let this scare you off, just be careful and develop a relationship with your machine, buffing is not all that bad once you get the hang of it.

Wear eye protection and ventilate the shop well and use the dust collection system as buffing is probably the dirtiest step in knifemaking.

Use one buff for each compound and keep them separate just as you would with belts. Start by using the coarse compound and work your way up the steps to progressively finer compounds.

If the scratches are not coming out, go back to the grinder and repeat the buffing steps. Don't push and force the wheel as this is both dangerous and will result in the orange peel affect on your finish.
 
Bufford said:
I use both coil sewn cotton wheels and the loose ones. Always use care around the buffer and pay attention at all times. Do not buff when you are angry or in a hurry. Buffing accidents come fast and hard almost like an explosion. Don't let this scare you off, just be careful and develop a relationship with your machine, buffing is not all that bad once you get the hang of it.

Wear eye protection and ventilate the shop well and use the dust collection system as buffing is probably the dirtiest step in knifemaking.

Use one buff for each compound and keep them separate just as you would with belts. Start by using the coarse compound and work your way up the steps to progressively finer compounds.

If the scratches are not coming out, go back to the grinder and repeat the buffing steps. Don't push and force the wheel as this is both dangerous and will result in the orange peel affect on your finish.
Click to expand...

I will second this as well. But I mostly hand rub my blades. I do like buffing around the handle area and down the spine, but just to highlight my filework. But as Bufford stated it is a dangerous part in the knife shop.:thumbup:

I also would like to mention that I prefer the one inch buffing wheels. They cost more but they are worth the money. Be safe out there it is a jungle at times. :)

Terry
 
When not using a buffing wheel keep it in a zip-lock bag to prevent dirt and grit ruining your polish ! Let the wheel and grit do the work.
 
Howdy There.....!
Read your question and agree with all the advice you have received. The buffer is the most dangerous machine in your shop, but if you use you commom sense you will do fine. One piece of advice I would throw in, is to keep the blade that you are buffing below the centerline of the wheel. That is encase you do have the blade grabbed by the wheel it will throw it down and away from you. Just be careful and take your time whenever you are bufffing. I use a two inch sewn wheel and a two inch loose wheel, the loose wheel is the one to watch. Take care...!

"Possum"
 
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