Is it only me?

Ivan Campos

Ivan Campos

Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
Joined
Apr 4, 1999
Messages
2,509
Rant mode on

I spend way more time finishing my large knives than on the rest of then, when I am hand rubbing the blades. There is always some nasty last scratch that take a week to be removed, then you switch sides and find out that the blade rusted on the choil and it is hard to clean up and when you are done cleaning up the choil you got the blade scratched again and on and on...

Rant mode off
 
Yes,you are the only one who sees that scratch or forge spot while rubbing with 1500 except of course the next customer.;) He's the tree guy that will take you blade and drive it into an oak with a hammer and complain about the dings while asking for two more.
 
thats what made me stop handrubbing after the first 4 hrs!!!!
I try to do all the work on the grinder...and that gets pissy too!!! :)
 
If you are using water with your stones or paper, you might want to try using WD40. I have found that this helps to keep the rust problem down and if you are using stones it will also help in keeping the stone from loading up. After I have finished one side of the blade, I place the finished side on a piece of clean rubber sheating. As I switch to different grades of stones, I clean the blade completly before I clamp it back down while proceeding to get my finish. You may want to try this.
 
Nope, your not the only one. If your using water try a little Ballistol lube mixed with the water or else use wd40. This after noon I decided to regrind and experiment with a S30V kitchen knife that I had broken at the gaurd and it had a very nice hand rubed finish. Since it's sat on my bench for the past 6 months it has collected a few scratches. After a couple hours of hand rubing I'm thinking about just scotch briting the sucker! It's always that one last scratch isn't it?
 
Thanks you for your input, gentlemen.
I have done many hand rubbed blades and this seems not to be a problem with the smaller ones and I can eliminate most of the scratches on a big, say 10", blade in only a couple hours but, as Will said, it is the last one and all the hassle involved in removig it that pisses me off.
I like hand rubbed finishes and when I am happy with a project - like the chopper I am now working on that I have shown in another thread - I always think it deserves a hand rubbed finish - and always end up frustrated in the middle of the the job. :(
I hear you, Trace, I really hear you cristal clear. As a matter of fact, I am seriouslt thinking about switching back to a satin finish for this one.
 
I hate hand-rubbing, but its the only way to get the finish I want. :thumbup:

Those of you using WD-40 should consider using a water-based cutting lubricant, like Syn-Kool or Rustlick or the equivalent. WD-40 has a lot of volatile organic compounds that take a huge toll on your lungs after exposure to it a while. Hand-rubbing on big blades will take quite a while, leaving you with a lot of that crap built up in your lungs and saturating your bloodstream. The water-soluable fluids are typically anti-rust, and they work extremely well. Also, one last thing about the water-based stuff: It makes a lot for very little money. You can afford to use a lot of it, and really wash away the expended grit and metal particles. ;)
 
Thanks, Jeff
I have been using the water soluable anti rust. It is what I have been using for a coolant on my surface grinder. I have also used it to quench my blades in when grinding, they don't rust. I hadn't thought of using it for the stones. Makes sense to me. :) The stones also take a lot of time off as you can work on the scratch and blend it in with the stones. I also have several different sanding sticks to use with a use for them all.
I clamp the tang on a board to hand rub it. After I finish and turn it over, I always put a clean paper towel under it. I keep a roll handy for all my cleaning. It keeps you from using dirty or contaminated cleaning rags to put more scratches back on the blade. I buy the rolls that have the short sections to it.
 
Yes Ivan you're the only one:p

No, not really. On my large blades I've started putting the finish grind on with point down and the tang up on a flat platen that extends out in front of the wheels with a piece of leather on it. With this I can get all my scratches running length wise, all except right at the plunge cut, that I do by hand and then blend the rest and finish by hand, it really cuts down on the frustration and time when you start the hand rubbing (the knife, not the wife:p ) This way you can get rid of all the edge to spine scratches (except about 3/4'' at the plunge cut) with your belt grinder, it works good for me.
 
When I get one side of a blade rubbed out I put 2 thicknesses of masking tape on that side then turn it over to rub out the other side.Now if I have to stop for a night I will take the tape off the finished side and oil the blade and hang on a nail that keep the blade hanging in the air over the bench infront of a shelf over the bench.This keeps the rust and scratch problem down for me.

Bruce
 
I recently got a Green blade suport from Uncle Al and it has made a world of differance hand rubing. I wouldn't have believed it at first but it has virtualy eleminated scrathing up the opisite side of the blade. Mainly it holds the knife securly and doesn't let it move one bit. Of course if I'd had a chance to look at one up close I'd just have made my own. I used to clamp to a hickory board in a vise but it just wasn't as solid as the green suport.

What seems to be working for me is to start on one side, flip, make the other side match, go up to a finner grit, flip, repeat repeat repeat. On the blade suport I put a small piece of cardboard under the point screw, and a strip of masking tape over it all. When I flip the blade over I either wipe the masking tape off or put a new strip. When getting down to the last few grits I put a strip on the side I just finished.
 
So I woke up today with the worst hang over I ever had this week and she is there, staring at me with a challenging look... and the only thing I can think about is: wait until my new belts get here and you will see what I am going to do!
Thanks for all the tips, buddies I am sure I´ll remember them next time I try to hand rub a blade, but this one will have a smooth satin finish.
 
raker said:
Thanks, Jeff
I have been using the water soluable anti rust. It is what I have been using for a coolant on my surface grinder. I have also used it to quench my blades in when grinding, they don't rust. I hadn't thought of using it for the stones. Makes sense to me. :) The stones also take a lot of time off as you can work on the scratch and blend it in with the stones. I also have several different sanding sticks to use with a use for them all.
I clamp the tang on a board to hand rub it. After I finish and turn it over, I always put a clean paper towel under it. I keep a roll handy for all my cleaning. It keeps you from using dirty or contaminated cleaning rags to put more scratches back on the blade. I buy the rolls that have the short sections to it.
Click to expand...

What is that water soluable anti rust product called?

Alex
 
Alexmin,
The 5 gallon container has a big Q with the reg. trade mark and under that is Industrial Quality. It is a Sawing and Cutting Fluid part no. 4408-85005. It looks like anti freeze and mixes about 20 to 1. I usually put about 6 ounces to about 4 gallons.
I do know that it is biogradable, non toxic, and a rust inhibitor. The quench bucket is mixed at a leaner ratio than the surface grinder. I really don't know who made it and have been on the net looking for it. I did find some stuff from doall that would probably work. The best advice I can give is to go to a machine tool supply and tell them what you want and what you want to use it for. They will know what fits the bill.
 
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