Dirty buffer wheels help needed

Patrice Lemée

Patrice Lemée

Joined
Aug 13, 2002
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Even when just using the wheels to buff wood that has been cleaned with acetone, they get dirty and dark. Then it darkens the handle material a bit. Not very much but still not as clean as you would get with a finish like CA. That is using either green chrome or pink scratchless.

How do you guys do it?
 
Do you have a wheel rake Patrice? I rake my wheels before I use them- EVERY time.

I know a fella that runs buffers about 5-6 hours a day... they make badges where he works. He insists they clean the wheels with a chunk of cinder block when they get really dirty, and then rake them to make sure the buff doesn't have any concrete held in its fibers. I know I read that in a knife book somewhere as well.

I've never tried it... I always figured I'd be the one guy who had a piece of concrete in there that would scratch the hell out of something. LOL

I use the heck out of the wheel rake though. :)
 
I have white buffing compound but actually never tried it. :o

Nick, I never raked the wheels. :o I will start doing that. I'll also give the concrete trick a try on a real dirty wheel and see if grits does stay in there. I'll post results.

Thanks guys.
 
Just a thought Pat.................

and if you're already doing this ignore me.

I assume you're using a different buff for each color compound and storing those away ( in ziplock/plastic bags ) or covering them up when you're done with them.

Just my 2 cents here.

Syn
 
Yes Corey (it's Corey right?) I already do this. I still appreciate the advice. I thought at first that it would be enough but obviously I need something else like Nick's raking trick.
 
Patrice, I made my own rake out of a piece of 3/4" oak 3" wide 10" long with the ends narrowed for handles. I drilled holes to receive a dozen 1 1/4" roofing nails. I then screwed a brass plate over the nail heads to keep them from pushing out. It cleans deep and better than conventional rakes.
 
Patrice I have gone to using brand new buffs on light color woods. They're pretty cheap when ya consider all the work you've already done up to that point. Some, like olive, I just buff by hand. Olive seems to be a grunge magnet for me. Raking has never worked well for me I might have to try the concrete trick though and then raking. Hadn't heard of that.
 
Thanks William, I am gonna build one of those as soon as I can and give it a try.

Horsewright, I had thought about that and may end up doing just that if I am not satisfied with the results. With the number of knives I make, that would not be a small cost.

Thanks again guys, I really appreciate the help.
 
Another thing that you could try, after cleaning your buffs, is to apply less polishing compound to your buffs. Polishing compounds are made up of the abrasive and a 'binder' to hold everything together. When buffing, the binder will break down leaving a black residue on the piece, which is usually hard to remove. Too much pressure when buffing builds up heat which melts the binder. It is the 'tips' of the buff that do the work. Pressing hard on a buff causes the tips of the buff to get bent sideways resulting in more heat and residue. Try applying less compound, more often. I swipe the compound across the buff lightly one time in order not to load up the buff with compound. Hope this helps. ...Teddy
 
I use an old hacksaw blade, the ones that are about a foot long and 2 inches wide with coarse teeth as a rake. I use it before buffing, turn on buffer and gently draw it across the wheel a few times , then load on buffing compound and go to work. Make sure your dust collection system is on and wear eye and body protection as the crap flies off the wheel in all directions when 'raking' the wheel.
 
William- that's a great idea for a wheel rake! :thumbup: My "store-bought" rake works really well, but it was like $6 in 1996. They're about $20-25 now. :rolleyes:

Teddy brought up excellent points. I've seen a lot of guys buff like they were standing at the grinder... IMHO that's a surefire way to round over/blur crisp transitions, get the part ripped from your hands, and will definitely cause the black sludge. :thumbdn: Not directing that at you Patrice, just pointing it out.

I really think your main issue is the buffing wheels needing to be raked.

But the compounds probably aren't helping either. I try to avoid getting any kind of green chrome/green rouge on handle material like it's the plague. It will find its way deep into handle material--- I nearly ruined an exhibition piece of Curly Mahogany a couple years ago because I was mirror polishing the inside guard lugs and got some green under the tape and INTO the wood.

For the way I work, the best process is to hand sand whatever it is to at least 1200X, then go to a spiral sewn wheel with white rouge--- very quick and very light. If it is one of those materials that will really pop with an even finer step... then I'll go to a super light pass with "pink no-scratch" on either a loose or spiral sewn wheel (depends on handle material and shape).


FWIW- My Baldor buffer is one of my most expensive tools relative to the amount of use it gets.
 
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Usually once i get a really gummed up wheel i throw it in the washer when the boss isnt looking and it comes out nice and fresh. i do it with a load of my knife working cloths and add some shavings from a lava bar soap with them.
 
I have no experience on knife handles, but i have finished my share of gun stocks. when I want to buff a stock I use car polish on a wheel. I just drizzle it on the stock and let that go into the wheel. It doesn't turn black like the rouge so it works well on light colored wood. Ive only begun to make knives so I cant tell you it will work on a handle, but it does work well on stocks.
 
For the way I work, the best process is to hand sand whatever it is to at least 1200X, then go to a spiral sewn wheel with white rouge--- very quick and very light. If it is one of those materials that will really pop with an even finer step... then I'll go to a super light pass with "pink no-scratch" on either a loose or spiral sewn wheel (depends on handle material and shape).
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+1 to Nick there. Hand sanding to a fine finish results in scratches to fine to catch and hold buffing dope, as well as only needing a light buff to shine. I use a pretty loose wheel to buff natural woods- the buff conforms to the handle contour and less passes are needed, with less smearing.
Another trick I use beyond fine sanding prep (a must) for white micarta, is to lightly oil the hanlde before buffing. The dope won't stick nearly as much to the handle, and I clean off what does with more oil. (WD40 works.)
 
I also don't use a buffing compound on the final buff, sand to 1500 apply wax (lightly) and buff, rake takes off the old stuff. I have one wheel for the final buff don't ever touch to anything else.
 
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