- Joined
- Sep 23, 1999
- Messages
- 3,831
Howdy all! I thought I'd share something that I found while hand finishing this 7" spear point blade that I am making (for my first repeat customer!!!) The blade looks to me much like a fixed blade version of Terzuola's ATCF folder. There are lots of firsts for me on this blade, but that is material for a later post maybe. I took some 180 grit wet/dry paper and using baby oil, I sanded one of the bevels for 15 minutes. Nothign new there, I've hand sanded nearly all of the dozen or so blades that I have made. I didn't get to remove many scratches before heat treat, so there are some good deep ones to contend with! This past week I picked up a 200 grit waterstone from Lee Valley Tools. You can see the stone here. I decided to scrub the other bevel on this waterstone and see how it compares with using 180 grit wet/dry paper. This was actually the second time I've played with using a stone to polish a blade, but this time I was much more focused on exactly what I wanted to accomplish. I should point out too that I have just started the rough hand finishing, and I have a lot more to go yet! Also, the 200 grit stone was dead flat when I got it, and that is important. Keeping flat bevels flat is most easily done on a flat stone face!
So, the results. The wet/dry paper was used with strokes going lengthwise along the blade. The finish is nice, but there are still some pesky deep scratches in the bevel. What is also significant is where the bevel meets the flat upper section. My knife is a bit over 1 1/4" wide, and the main grind lien gioes up 3/4" of the width of the knife. The line where the bevel meets the flat is rough. By this I mean that the rough scratches in the flat extends into the bevel just a bit the length of that line. I am using the 180 grit paper on a micarta block, but those scratches still extend a hair. I checked thing out with a loupe, by the way. Now the bevel that I polished on the waterstone (still not done) looks quite a bit different. It isn't as fine as the 180 grit wet/dry finish. This is no surprise though, as the 180 grit stuff will grush and fall from the paper but is still rubbed on the blade with oil, so you get a real nice polishing action. Wed/try paper kicks butt! However, there are NO deep scratches on the bevel what was polished on the waterstone. O.k., there are a few, but that is because I am not done yet. I spent the same time on the bevels with the paper and the waterstone. The waterstone took out the deep scratches way faster than the paper can hope of doing. I could go with a rougher grit first in the future I guess, but I thin in the future I'll just be using my 200 grit stone! The other significant difference is in that bevel/flat line. The scratches in the flat DO NOT extend into the bevel!
So the bottom line is that I could remove coarse grinding scratches much faster with a waterstone, and it helps keep the grind lines crisp as well. I have to adjust some of the lines at the tip, especailly on the swedge grinds. But it isn't taking long at all, and the process is quite easy. You really have to feel the bevel on the stone, and I found that I had to concentrate more when using the waterstone than when using the paper. I will be going over the whole blade with the 200 grit waterstone now and when I am happy with the lines and the foundation that I have built, I will switch to wet/dry paper to get a beautiful finish.
I just thought I'd share, and I hope eveyone else's projects are comign along well and giving you much satisfaction in the process!
So, the results. The wet/dry paper was used with strokes going lengthwise along the blade. The finish is nice, but there are still some pesky deep scratches in the bevel. What is also significant is where the bevel meets the flat upper section. My knife is a bit over 1 1/4" wide, and the main grind lien gioes up 3/4" of the width of the knife. The line where the bevel meets the flat is rough. By this I mean that the rough scratches in the flat extends into the bevel just a bit the length of that line. I am using the 180 grit paper on a micarta block, but those scratches still extend a hair. I checked thing out with a loupe, by the way. Now the bevel that I polished on the waterstone (still not done) looks quite a bit different. It isn't as fine as the 180 grit wet/dry finish. This is no surprise though, as the 180 grit stuff will grush and fall from the paper but is still rubbed on the blade with oil, so you get a real nice polishing action. Wed/try paper kicks butt! However, there are NO deep scratches on the bevel what was polished on the waterstone. O.k., there are a few, but that is because I am not done yet. I spent the same time on the bevels with the paper and the waterstone. The waterstone took out the deep scratches way faster than the paper can hope of doing. I could go with a rougher grit first in the future I guess, but I thin in the future I'll just be using my 200 grit stone! The other significant difference is in that bevel/flat line. The scratches in the flat DO NOT extend into the bevel!
So the bottom line is that I could remove coarse grinding scratches much faster with a waterstone, and it helps keep the grind lines crisp as well. I have to adjust some of the lines at the tip, especailly on the swedge grinds. But it isn't taking long at all, and the process is quite easy. You really have to feel the bevel on the stone, and I found that I had to concentrate more when using the waterstone than when using the paper. I will be going over the whole blade with the 200 grit waterstone now and when I am happy with the lines and the foundation that I have built, I will switch to wet/dry paper to get a beautiful finish.
I just thought I'd share, and I hope eveyone else's projects are comign along well and giving you much satisfaction in the process!
hind sight always 20/20.
