Does polishing effect HT?

[Anttheknee]

Hey everyone,

I read somewhere that the process used to highly polish a blade with power tools may adversly effect the Heat Treat and reduce the edge's hardness. Should this be a genuine concern when buying a polished blade or is this more so something that has an effect to negligible to make much of a difference. Perhaps buying a raw blade is a safer bet. Ideas?

Thanks,

Anthony

 

[Karda]

Hey everyone,

I read somewhere that the process used to highly polish a blade with power tools may adversly effect the Heat Treat and reduce the edge's hardness. Should this be a genuine concern when buying a polished blade or is this more so something that has an effect to negligible to make much of a difference. Perhaps buying a raw blade is a safer bet. Ideas?

Thanks,

Anthony

At times the polishing process on highly finished blades will cause a skin of annealed metal to form. A sharpening or two and it is usually good to go. Most of my blades are polished and i've never had a problem with it.

 

[Anttheknee]

Thanks Karda. So It is really just a negligible amount. As long as it dosn't undermine the working edge.

 

[BFH44]

i think the only time it could cause a problem with useing power tools is spending to much time in one spot or alowing the blade or a part of it to get really hot -- as long as you take your time and do not let it get hot everything should be fine -- but i might be wrong -- i use cloth wheels and buffing compound on a vareible speed bench grinder with no trouble at all

Eric

 

[hollowdweller]

Hey everyone,

I read somewhere that the process used to highly polish a blade with power tools may adversly effect the Heat Treat and reduce the edge's hardness. Should this be a genuine concern when buying a polished blade or is this more so something that has an effect to negligible to make much of a difference. Perhaps buying a raw blade is a safer bet. Ideas?

Thanks,

Anthony

I think it can reduce a blades hardness but not to the point of dysfunction.

 

[beammeupscotty]

I am something of a blacksmith and I am pretty certain that the ONLY way polishing can affect the heat treatment is if you heat the blade up enough to destroy the temper. You would have to heat it above something above 400 degrees. At those temperatures, the blade itself would begin to discolor and you would see the sort of colored oxide form that appears when you, for instance, grind a tool too hard and fast and the edge turns blue. That blue color is an indication of the temperature the metal has reached, in the case of blue it indicates about 590 degrees. With the equipment that the Kamis are working with, I think it would be nearly impossible to overheat a massive blade like a Kuk.