Corky Gators

[jdm61]

Okay. I have had a little 5.5 inch Moran style "Aviator" blade in Cru Forge V sitting on my bench for a couple of years. It was patterned from an old early 60's Moran that I had years ago and has the kind of Southwestern bowie "swayback" shape to it. It was the first knife that I ever did with a forged finish on the flats and ricasso and it was ground on a 36 inch Nathan platen which was also used to set the curved clip and grind the swedges. One thousand and THREE uses. As some of you know, Cru Forge V at 61-62 is a red royal PITA to hand sand. So, after doing a "belt finish" on my string handle W2 chopper project, I decided to ty it on this little knife. Okay, why have I been trying to hand sand this crap for 8 years? The very subtle hollow grind makes it dead easy to sand the blade. It just locks right in to the curved platen. I went from 80 grit 3M 984 to 120 grit Blaze, then back "down" to 165 Gator, then 65 Gator, 30 Gator and finally 400 grit cork with gray compound. Just like magic. The 400 cork with gray gave me a nice finish without looking like I tried to buff but quit too soon. That has happened using the 1000 girt cork and green chrome. It gets too shiny in spots. I will try to get pics later. My fingers are thanking me. because they don't have to rub on this blade for 12 hours.

 

[Storm W]

Okay. I have had a little 5.5 inch Moran style "Aviator" blade in Cru Forge V sitting on my bench for a couple of years. It was patterned from an old early 60's Moran that I had years ago and has the kind of Southwestern bowie "swayback" shape to it. It was the first knife that I ever did with a forged finish on the flats and ricasso and it was ground on a 36 inch Nathan platen which was also used to set the curved clip and grind the swedges. One thousand and THREE uses. As some of you know, Cru Forge V at 61-62 is a red royal PITA to hand sand. So, after doing a "belt finish" on my string handle W2 chopper project, I decided to ty it on this little knife. Okay, why have I been trying to hand sand this crap for 8 years? The very subtle hollow grind makes it dead easy to sand the blade. It just locks right in to the curved platen. I went from 80 grit 3M 984 to 120 grit Blaze, then back "down" to 165 Gator, then 65 Gator, 30 Gator and finally 400 grit cork with gray compound. Just like magic. The 400 cork with gray gave me a nice finish without looking like I tried to buff but quit too soon. That has happened using the 1000 girt cork and green chrome. It gets too shiny in spots. I will try to get pics later. My fingers are thanking me. because they don't have to rub on this blade for 12 hours.

Have you ever tried this 3m Micro film belts?I used them the other night on a soft platen and keep them wet with a spray bottle. It was about 15 minutes from 220 to 15 microns changing grind angles and everything the whole way. It would have been a clean 1k finish if I hadn't ran out of belts. I broke out my 36" radius platten the same night too. I have to learn it but I think its going to be awesome.

 

[jdm61]

I still have a couple of those micro film belts hanging around. I have had them for probably 7 or 8 years. I cold never figure them out.

Have you ever tried this 3m Micro film belts?I used them the other night on a soft platen and keep them wet with a spray bottle. It was about 15 minutes from 220 to 15 microns changing grind angles and everything the whole way. It would have been a clean 1k finish if I hadn't ran out of belts. I broke out my 36" radius platten the same night too. I have to learn it but I think its going to be awesome.