DIY Buff Compounds

AdamSmith

AdamSmith

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Jan 21, 2023
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16
Recently I've been making up my own buff compounds. One has been pretty spectacularly successful, two others made similarly are ok but not great. Has anybody got notions of the usual ratios of the non-abrasive ingredients (waxes, lards etc), and of binder to abrasive?

Would really love to hear others experiences.
 
Never bothered to. Most are a mix of tallows and waxes with well graded silicon carbide or other abrasives. Steric acid and beeswax are the most common ingredient added to the abrasives.
 
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I'm interested in this too... I want to make some diamond buffing compound which you can't get currently.
 
REK Knives said:
I'm interested in this too... I want to make some diamond buffing compound which you can't get currently.
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It is diamond compounds that I've made up. They've made a tremendous difference in finishing high vanadium grades (CPM-10V, S90V, CPM-M4 and Magnacut, so far)
 
AdamSmith said:
It is diamond compounds that I've made up. They've made a tremendous difference in finishing high vanadium grades (CPM-10V, S90V, CPM-M4 and Magnacut, so far)
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That's exactly why I wanted it! That's awesome.

This is the only video I've found on it but haven't tried it yet

 
I watched that before I made the first one. It was helpful in showing it is possible, but for ideal binder formulation, not very.

I've done the same thing he did so far: just use beeswax. My first bar of 7 micron diamond was great. The next two of 400 grit and of 1 micron, are too sticky: too much beeswax for not enough abrasive. Still useful, but I'm going to recast them to adjust proportions.

I'm going to try adding some tallow to the next bars, and keep track of measurements this time (the first three I don't have weights of ingredients). I'll post results.

I'm going to go on looking for more information on normal practice for commercial compounds, on binder formulation.
 
I have seen that video and the info seems OK.
Diamond powder can be bought in 1000 carat/200gm lots for about $1.00 a gram. That would make up a good size batch of buffing compound.

An FYI to those not familiar ... White Diamond buffing compound has no diamond in it. It is white rouge, which is a fast cutting polish below red rouge in fineness. It is good to remove fine scratches. Actually, while it is called white rouge, it is not a rouge (iron oxide), but is aluminum oxide.
 
AdamSmith said:
I watched that before I made the first one. It was helpful in showing it is possible, but for ideal binder formulation, not very.

I've done the same thing he did so far: just use beeswax. My first bar of 7 micron diamond was great. The next two of 400 grit and of 1 micron, are too sticky: too much beeswax for not enough abrasive. Still useful, but I'm going to recast them to adjust proportions.

I'm going to try adding some tallow to the next bars, and keep track of measurements this time (the first three I don't have weights of ingredients). I'll post results.

I'm going to go on looking for more information on normal practice for commercial compounds, on binder formulation.
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Yeah I tried researching what the regular industrial bars of compound use for a binder but couldn't find anything.

You can make wax softer by mixing mineral oil with it fwiw
 
Interesting regarding the steric acid. I may try "adding some to taste". I know what I'm aiming for in terms of behavior. The 100% beeswax just makes things a bit too sticky, provides a bit of a barrier between the abrasive and the steel if there is too much of it. I definitely need to dial back the binder to abrasive ratio, but I think something soft and non-tacky like the steric might make a big difference as well.

I definitely will be tracking weights with the next round. I can work out the what the ratios were for the last two, but I really don't know what it was for the first one (which is the one that is working really well, of course).
 
With diamond powder, I would think the minimum binder tat will work is what you want. I would also make it firmer/dryer. Perhaps adding some very fine AO or SC in the mix will make it solider and dryer. The extra polishing abrasive won't hurt either.

I have to look in my lapidary supplies. IIRC, I had a jar of 5 micron diamond. Might be a fun experiment.
 
AdamSmith said:
Interesting regarding the steric acid. I may try "adding some to taste". I know what I'm aiming for in terms of behavior. The 100% beeswax just makes things a bit too sticky, provides a bit of a barrier between the abrasive and the steel if there is too much of it. I definitely need to dial back the binder to abrasive ratio, but I think something soft and non-tacky like the steric might make a big difference as well.

I definitely will be tracking weights with the next round. I can work out the what the ratios were for the last two, but I really don't know what it was for the first one (which is the one that is working really well, of course).
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You made any progress on this Adam?
 
I use the Venev Diamond Stropping pastes on strops. I wonder if they would work on a buffing wheel....something to try this week! They are a waxy paste that soaks into leather when heated up with the heat gun.
 
I have some hard felt 3" buffing wheels I got for my generic foredom; I will try the diamond paste on them this week. Black Magic on a worn cork belt works really nicely on simple steels, but I haven't tried it on S90V, Magnacut, etc yet. Hopefully later this week too!
 
Taz said:
I have some hard felt 3" buffing wheels I got for my generic foredom; I will try the diamond paste on them this week. Black Magic on a worn cork belt works really nicely on simple steels, but I haven't tried it on S90V, Magnacut, etc yet. Hopefully later this week too!
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That's more of a paste though right? I'm wanting a diamond compound in bar form for buffing wheels... I have paste but it's a pain to apply to buffing wheels haha
 
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