Buffing

J

Joseph Durham

Joined
Dec 16, 2018
Messages
15
I just recently purchased a 6” benchtop buffer. I am wanting to use it for buffing my Case knives. I am use to using a buffer in my woodshop, but steel is a different story. Could someone please tell me which two compounds would be best to use?

Thank you,

Joseph
 
If you are just going to do clean up/polish with it, ZAM is a great compound. You can find it at jeweler's supply houses like riogrande.
If you need it to be a little more aggressive, just spray WD 40 on the buff.
 
You may want to buy a buffing wheel rake to keep your wheels cleaned. I use either green chromium oxide, pink scratchless, red rouge or ZAM on knives with the green and pink compounds being the most used.
 
Thank you. Green and pink is what seems to be the most common from everything I’ve found in my research.

Great idea on the rake to! Thank you for that!
 
If you're shopping jewelry supply outlets Ill second Rio as suggested above but also add Gesswein and Stuller. Funny in 25 years in the trade Ive never used Zam but am familiar with companies that do. Ive always had pretty good luck starting out with plain old tripoli compound or what is called Fabulustre. Fabulustre is a white compound that is a little finer than Trip but Id still finish with red rouge. Stainless and carbon steels will take a bit of time so just take your time and let the compound do the work. Oh, and it will get hot pretty fast if you try to hurry the process.
 
Fabulustre is good, too. I used it before I discovered Zam.
I have been in the jewelry and metal-finishing business for over 40 years. I do not own, nor have I ever used a buffing wheel rake.
 
Once in a very long while if a buff becomes heavily glazed from buildup or the uninitiated doesn't remove a row of sewing soon enough a rake would come in handy but I too wouldn't bother buying one.
 
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