hand rubbed finishes

J. Neilson

J. Neilson

Joined
Feb 6, 2001
Messages
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What generally is the final grit on hand rubbed blades? I know it will vary to an extent from maker to maker. I'm trying to get past my scotchbrite obsession (nothing wrong with it mind you:D ) and do some hand rubbing. I've got my first 7" Claw at 400 grit. I know alot of makers stop there. Some go to 1500. Thanks for the tutorial Bruce, it helped a ton. Any tips or opinions?
 
Depends on the knife for me. 2000 for the sweet stuff, and 400-600 for tactical.
 
I usually cheat.

After grinding, I work the blade longways at 320 till all the grinding marks are gone. Then in the same direction with 800, till it all looks consistent, then 1200 until I get the look (changing the paper with each pass and not stopping).

I also use the waterstones. Changing direction with each 320, 1000, 2000. Then back to paper with 800, 1200.

A lot of this cheating is because S30V takes sooo long to finish. I gonna try a handrubbed ATS34 here soon and some damascus. I also want to try 2000.

Funny thing, my first hand finishes took 20+ hours. Now it is down to a few hours. Why? I wasn't changing the paper fast enough. If it is going to take a full sheet to do one side, that's what it's going to take. You can try and save paper, but you'll just waste time.

Steve
 
I kinda cheat too. I do the SR Johnson "cork belt polish" then from there work my way from 600x to 1000x for user blades and 2000x for the showier stuff.
 
Will,

About twice a month I try that again and can't get it to work. What type of compound are you using?

Steve
 
Steve,
I'm using the green chrome from Jantz and a very, very beat up cork belt. I think the most important thing is to get all the scratches out with the 400x AO belt. I just keep the cork belt loaded up with the compound and work it, some blades it doesn't take much work, some it takes a lot. If I think I'm spending too much time trying the cork I'll just throw some leather on the platen and work the blade with a 15u Micron belt. I'm working on edge quenched 1084 though, none of that stainless for this ole boy.

I can't find any rhyme or reason why one blade cleans up easier than another :confused: I don't suppose it really matters as long as I get the 400x scratches out because I'm going to hand rub anyways.
 
I've been going all the way to 2000G on nicer knives. Bruce why do you go to 2000 and back to 1500? Is it for a more consistent finish?

Thanks
 
Yeah its a true 1500 finish with no pesky deep scratches left over. Of coarse Im the guy that goes to 2000 before etching damascus too.
 
Apparently, it pays off. I wouldn't knock it.;)

I finished the blade up to 1500 tonight. I'm pretty happy with it. I had a couple rough spots from the way I was trying it out first so I smoothed them out with black compound on the buffer and started at 400 again, basically following Bruce Evans tutorial (400,600,1000, 1500). I'll post a picture when it's done. It actually went pretty quick once I got my head out of my a**. I'm finally doing another Bowie and plan to do the hand-rub Mon. Keepin' my fingers crossed. Thanks for the tips.
 
Sorry I haven't been around much everybody.Been a wild ride around here since the Blade show..But that is a post of it's own.

As for hand rubbing,I now go to 2500 grit and back to 2000 then give a lite buff with pink scratchless compound after the final sharpening.While talking to Alex Daniels he told me that you get a much better looking final finish if you always go up one grit finer than you want the finish at then back to that finish.It is like Mr.Bump said,you get a cleaner and truer finish this way.

Bruce
 
Good to see you Bruce, was beginning to wonder

The few that I've done were cleaned up with a palm sander with a mycarta pad and taken to 1000 grit, then hand rubed from 600-1500, with a light buff with pink compound.


Most of mine get a light etch to show the grain and temper line.
 
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