Buffing Wood Handles

S

SLC_Blades

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Aug 20, 2018
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Hey everyone! Hope you’re all having a great day

My question is about buffing/polishing wood handles to get a nice shine.

I’ve spent a lot of time researching this topic and it seems that everyone does it differently so it’s very difficult to get a straight answer.

I’m already aware of hand sanding up to 2000+ grit, but after that is where it gets hazy. I’m not sure of the best product to use on the wood if getting a shine is what I’m after, or if this product should still be used in conjunction with tung/boiled linseed oil for the best protection.

Finally, buffing wheels. What kind of wheels would work the best, and what compounds (if any)?

Thanks!
 
There is no reason to sand most woods to 2000 grit. The wood grain is much bigger than that.
I generally sand to 400-600 grit, buff lightly with 0000 steel wool, and buff with green compound on a sewn muslin wheel.
Then, I apply a coat of paste wax.
 
What bill said. 2k is ridiculous for most any wood. I generally do a wetsand with danish oil, somewhere between 400-1k then follow with tripoli, white diamond and carnauba in order.
 
I’ve taken woods that have been heavily stabilized to high grits as they respond more like plastics and will take a good polish with no finish required.
 
Like Bill said, 600 grit and then buff although I use pink scratchless instead of green. I will take ironwood to higher grits as thats when the grain seems to "pop" but everything else 600 grit, buff and then wax. These are woods that don't need a finish, cocobolo, rosewoods, bocote etc. Woods that do need finishing are whole nuther deal.
 
I disagree on the high grits.
If you use a finish that you apply you don't need to go to high but if you will hand sand only it does make a difference.
I recently finished ebony and bocote to 12.000 gritt and it looks different then at 400 or 2000 gritt.
I go up to 2500 then micromesh.

If you make a knife that you want to look good, put in the extra effort. If you make work horses, go up to 400
 
Hengelo_77 said:
I disagree on the high grits.
If you use a finish that you apply you don't need to go to high but if you will hand sand only it does make a difference.
I recently finished ebony and bocote to 12.000 gritt and it looks different then at 400 or 2000 gritt.
I go up to 2500 then micromesh.

If you make a knife that you want to look good, put in the extra effort. If you make work horses, go up to 400
Click to expand...
The diference you see between 2k and 15k is from burnishing, not sanding. And it depends entirely on the wood. As Dave mentioned, Ironwood will take a good sheen, some others will as well. Maple or walnut just isn't gonna get to the same place.
 
Bill DeShivs said:
There is no reason to sand most woods to 2000 grit. The wood grain is much bigger than that.
I generally sand to 400-600 grit, buff lightly with 0000 steel wool, and buff with green compound on a sewn muslin wheel.
Then, I apply a coat of paste wax.
Click to expand...

Horsewright said:
Like Bill said, 600 grit and then buff although I use pink scratchless instead of green. I will take ironwood to higher grits as thats when the grain seems to "pop" but everything else 600 grit, buff and then wax. These are woods that don't need a finish, cocobolo, rosewoods, bocote etc. Woods that do need finishing are whole nuther deal.
Click to expand...

Gentlemen, at what grit if any would you sand across the grain(shoe shine style)?
I’m working on two hidden tang knives one in cocobolo and another in ironwood. I’ve sanded on my grinder up to 400 grit with the grain then hand sanded with the grain at 400 as well. Just trying to figure out how to finish these up.
Thank you
 
i do not think the direction would matter much in the choice of grit. personally i think with your two choices of woods, going higher in grit will be worth the effort. as a gentleman said earlier, going that high with maple wont reap much visual benefit and i agree with that. in my opinion, the higher in grit i sand, the less i have to buff. the less i have to buff, the flatter everything stays. sure, i can sand my handle to 400 grit and buff, but by the time i have buffed the scratches out of my handle bolts or pins, i can run my fingernail over the pin and feel the wood is lower than the pin, kind of like a pimple, because the wood buffed away faster than the pin. i find the same is true with the handle material/guard junction.
 
I dont use finishes, so sanding to 600 or 800, then pink scratchless on a sewn wheel.
This is what works in my shop.
Stabilized woods, dense oily woods and micarta all get the same treatment.
 
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