How polished is polished?

C

Charles Gallo

Joined
Oct 13, 2000
Messages
549
Ok,
Dumb questions from someone making his first semi serious knife.

How polished IS "Mirror Polished". I can't see any scratches, and it sure does shine, but if I take out a loop, I can see VERY fine scratches. Right now, things like oil from fingerprints are the thing that dulls the blade the most

The other question - I got my grinder for my birthday, and one of the belts I ordered was a cork belt. This thing LOOKS like a bunch of rocks, and (at least in unharded O1) gives a worse finish than a 600 grit belt. Is this the way it's supposed to be?


 
If you're gonna do a mirror polish, you need to do it after heat-treat. As well as the cork belt. I don't have a use for them. I go from either a really worn belt, or a fine trizact belt to the buffer without using cork.

The more you can stay in your hollow or on your flat, the sharper your grind lines will be. The heavy texture of cork seems to inhibit this.

Just what I think
wink.gif


Nick
 
Nick,

I know I have to re-polish after heat treat, but I figure the better I am going IN, the better I'll be on the way OUT. The grind lines are only so-so, but what do you expect for a first knife <g>
 
yes, what george said, as for the cork belt, I have a few and never really got into it, however I know a few people who LOVE them, I think they come with a fairly fine grit on them and have to be used a bit before they become smooth........use it on a half finished knife until it starts getting really smooth. They will eventually get like a worn out 6oo grit belt.

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http://www.mayoknives.com
Jer 33:3
 
<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by george tichbourne:
In the metal polishing trade mirror finishes are considered proper if you can read a newspaper clearly in the reflection. <snip>
</font>
Click to expand...

OK, Reading the paper - No problem. When I talk about FINE haze under magnification, I'm talking the kind of haze that telescope makers worry about. Let's face it, they worry about 1/10 wavelenght

Charlie


 
Hello,

Actually you can mirror polish before heat treat but you have to harden in an Argon filled retort chamber inside the oven,, come out as clean as when they go in.

Other than that, it just takes the right combination of buffs, sewn,loose,,,ect.. for the degree of mirror you wish to achive, but remember all mirrored knives will show fine hairline swirls when highly examined just because of wiping them down and geting fine abrasions from dusts, ect in the air.

I prefer a Hand rubbed finish myself and you might try that finish instead, in my opinion a well done hand rubbed finish has loads more class and definition than mirror.

my .02

allen

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Allen Blade
Spokane,WA USA

" You can make great knives and sell a few, Or make Great AFFORDABLE knives and sell many"
WEB SITE : http://www.geocities.com/bladecutlery/blade_cutlery_site001.htm
 
Charles, Try tilting your blade at about 20 degrees (while staying in your bevel) on each new grit. When you can not see any of the previous grit marks, do three more passes and then move on to your next grit. Hope this helps. Good luck and keep with it. It gets easier. Mark Hazen
 
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