Buffing questions

[Milt]

What is the preferred buffing routine? I have been starting out with a sisal wheel and Jackson LEA compound. Then I go to a white compound on a spiral, and finish with Polish O Ray 555 from Brownells on a loose wheel. I just can't get a mirror finish and some scratches just don't seem to go away. Are there any good sources for buffing instruction?

Milt

 

[flipit]

Try mothers mag polish super shiny go easy it removes mitral fast.

 

[Jack O'Neill]

check out CASWELL PLATING on the net. Good source for some info and supplies .
What belt grit are you going down to ? I go down to a 15 micron ( some folks only need to go to a 600 grit ) then on a sewn spiral wheel with black compound , if there is still a scratch then back to the 15 micron . Then the green chrome compound on a sewn spiral wheel , the green cuts still but removes the cloud left from the black . The final is the green on a loose buff . Sometimes white, sometimes not.

 

[Jack O'Neill]

check out CASWELL PLATING on the net. Good source for some info and supplies .
What belt grit are you going down to ? I go down to a 15 micron ( some folks only need to go to a 600 grit ) then on a sewn spiral wheel with black compound , if there is still a scratch then back to the 15 micron . Then the green chrome compound on a sewn spiral wheel , the green cuts still but removes the cloud left from the black . The final is the green on a loose buff . Sometimes white, sometimes not.

 

[Ed Caffrey]

Not sure where your starting your buffing procedure at (as far as how fine you have sanded to), but getting a "good" mirror finish is an exercise in time and patience. Although I don't often mirror finish now a days, when I do, I come off the grinder at a 1200 grit, then hand finish with 1200, 1500, and 2000 before I ever get near the buffer. If your working a stainless steel, a medium hardness felt wheel with green chrome compound does an exceptional job.......with carbon steels I like Pink No-Scratch compound, on a medium hard felt wheel.

My opinion is that you will never achieve a decent mirror finish without taking the time to do the fine hand finishing. This is one area where there just are no short cuts IF you want a true mirror finish.

 

[69_knives]

Stainless steel is very difficult to remove all of the scratches but it can be done with a specific method.

I used to polish stainless for show quality concours restored vehicles and been in the business for 20 years, I just work in the office now.

You cannot skip any steps in the gradual increase of grits. the final belt we used was 150, then onto greaseless compound wheels, 200, then 240, then 300, then a soft, worn 300 wheel with a green grease compound applied to lessen the cut of the 300, then green grease on the buffing wheel, then white grease on the buffer.

The white grease doesn't do much in the way of cutting, it is just the 'finish' once the piece os buffed out with the green.

If you want to cut more on the buff than the green compound, get the black grease with the emery in it.

You must cross cut each increase in grit so that you can see the previous grit lines and watch them as they are cut out.

When buffing, it's important to remember that the grease is what does the cutting and it doesn't last long on the wheel, so apply regularly.

 

[AcridSaint]

Hi - I've had good success with a slightly modified version Steve Johson's method. I take my blades to 400 grit, run a cork belt full of green chrome rouge on them, go to a 600, 800 and then cork belt again. I then buff with a stiff wheel and green chrome rouge and finish with a stiff wheel and white rouge. I buff across the blade, down the blade and at 45 degree angles, if you only buff in one direction it will highlight sanding marks instead of removing them.

I'm not Steve, but it seems to be working well for me.

I should also mention that I do this with hollow grinds - the cork belt acts funny on my flat grinds and I prefer to just hand sand them.