Help with Buffing

colu41

colu41

Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Messages
1,598
So I recently purchased a new buffing wheel and some white 1200 grit rouge. I tested it today on a few random practice knives. One of the knives had lacewood on it, and literally a quick buff didn't do anything but burn dark spots of compound into the wood. What am I doing wrong? And also what do you use to get some of that compound off? Especially on the tang and pins...
 
Pics might be helpful but to me it sounds like you put to much compound on the buffing wheel. You only have to touch the compound to the wheel for a second or two.
Are you using the loose white buffing wheels for the handles?
The spots should come off by just wiping them with a rag, and if that doesn't work use acetone on the rag.
 
Was the lacewood stabilized and finish sanded? Its kinda soft so you need to have it stabilized or have a hard finish on it before buffing.
 
I may have been buffing it too hard. And no it wasn't stabilized. I could be the wood because I noticed the grain in lacewood is quite different then any other woods I have used.

I'm using a sewn muslin wheel. Should I be using a loose wheel? I've never understood what each different wheel does.
 
I use a loose wheel and plastic buffing compound from harbor freight. It works on g-10, woods, and just about everything else. For removing excess compound I use wd-40 or acetone whichever is closest. I clean the wheel with an old 40 grit belt.
 
Try to keep buffing to a bare minimum. Sand thru the grits.....say...120, 240, 400, 800 1200, 2500. Then, if needed, a very quick buff. Some think that buffing is an answer to poor finishing....but it is not. I, at times do a quick buff after 600 and it will allow me to see the scratches more clearly. I then continue on with sanding and, in particular the areas where buffing showed poor sanding previously.
 
John L said:
Try to keep buffing to a bare minimum. Sand thru the grits.....say...120, 240, 400, 800 1200, 2500. Then, if needed, a very quick buff. Some think that buffing is an answer to poor finishing....but it is not. I, at times do a quick buff after 600 and it will allow me to see the scratches more clearly. I then continue on with sanding and, in particular the areas where buffing showed poor sanding previously.
Click to expand...

Good point. With that lacewood knife, I didn't even think that I barely put any sanding into it. I think I only went up to 220. I will continue hand sanding to at least 600 before I attempt to do a quick buff. Thanks
 
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