Just Bought My First Busse! / Question About Stripping

[MustardMan]

Sounds kind of stressful 230,

I was sweating bullets when I sharpened my killa zilla on my harbor freight grinder. $800 of satin INFI and I'm praying I won't slip


When I got finished and it shaved hair from tip to guard, I breathed one huge sigh of relief.

 

[Ankerson]

I was sweating bullets when I sharpened my killa zilla on my harbor freight grinder. $800 of satin INFI and I'm praying I won't slip


When I got finished and it shaved hair from tip to guard, I breathed one huge sigh of relief.

Yeah if you slip and hog out a huge part of the blade.........

I think I would let Garth deal with it.

 

[MustardMan]

Now in all fairness, I was using a fine enough grit that I wouldn't remove massive amounts of steel if I slipped, but I could definitely bugger up the finish, and on a knife that expensive you'd hate to do that.


I don't send my knives to other people to do something as simple as sharpening. In fact, I'm thinking of replacing the handles on a few of mine, and after finding out how much it'd cost to get the mods I want done, I think I might do those myself too.

 

[Jack Shen]

does the stripping chemicals damage the epoxy that is used for the micarta/g-10 handles? Like has anyone ever tried it and just had the slabs disintergrate?

and how does one get the handle slabs off to replace?

I know, I'm 3 steps behind in the convo and an extra noob

but thanks for all your patience and help that all of you have provided me.

 

[Ankerson]

Now in all fairness, I was using a fine enough grit that I wouldn't remove massive amounts of steel if I slipped, but I could definitely bugger up the finish, and on a knife that expensive you'd hate to do that.


I don't send my knives to other people to do something as simple as sharpening. In fact, I'm thinking of replacing the handles on a few of mine, and after finding out how much it'd cost to get the mods I want done, I think I might do those myself too.

Sharpening would be fine, but I like to do things by hand, hey I am old and set in my ways.

 

[hero5211314]

I personally just trip the blade with the mircata handle on it. It went well and t he handle seemed fine. But it does create alot of work of sanding the edge of the handle to make it look even with the rest of the blade. The mircata & G10 handle are tough, these will last a long time! No worries

does the stripping chemicals damage the epoxy that is used for the micarta/g-10 handles? Like has anyone ever tried it and just had the slabs disintergrate?

and how does one get the handle slabs off to replace?

I know, I'm 3 steps behind in the convo and an extra noob

but thanks for all your patience and help that all of you have provided me.

 

[MustardMan]

Maintaining the full convex zero edge on a killa zilla while thinning the edge profile would be a nightmare to do by hand. You ever tried to take a knife that size to a mousepad and sandpaper?

And using a $$$$ machine that clamps everything together and takes all the opportunity for mistakes out of the equation isn't really "by hand" anymore, either

 

[Ankerson]

Maintaining the full convex zero edge on a killa zilla while thinning the edge profile would be a nightmare to do by hand. You ever tried to take a knife that size to a mousepad and sandpaper?

And using a $$$$ machine that clamps everything together and takes all the opportunity for mistakes out of the equation isn't really "by hand" anymore, either

The Edge Pro doesn't have any clamps....

I also sharpen with stones and rods too.

 

[GRIM 62]

I just got my first Busse yesterday too,it's a FFBM also.Since I don't have a sander,I'll leave the coating alone for now.Looks like I'll have my work cut out for me sharpening this beast,just not today.

 

[Ankerson]

I just got my first Busse yesterday too,it's a FFBM also.Since I don't have a sander,I'll leave the coating alone for now.Looks like I'll have my work cut out for me sharpening this beast,just not today.

Congrats.

Just take your time, it's not that bad.

 

[resinguy]

does the stripping chemicals damage the epoxy that is used for the micarta/g-10 handles? Like has anyone ever tried it and just had the slabs disintergrate?

and how does one get the handle slabs off to replace?

I know, I'm 3 steps behind in the convo and an extra noob

but thanks for all your patience and help that all of you have provided me.

AFAIK, no one has ever reported any damage to the synthetic scale materials. I don't even bother trying to tape them off anymore.

Removing slabs is relatively easy, just use a 1/4" drill bit on the tube rivet. You must clamp down the knife, a member here got a nasty cut when the knife spun around on him.

 

[psychicevolution]

I don't send my knives to other people to do something as simple as sharpening. In fact, I'm thinking of replacing the handles on a few of mine, and after finding out how much it'd cost to get the mods I want done, I think I might do those myself too.

Mustard Man, I was thinking of sending it to Garth at Busse and have them replace the handles with something I like better (g-10 mags). How much does that cost off hand, do you know?

 

[psychicevolution]

I just got my first Busse yesterday too,it's a FFBM also.Since I don't have a sander,I'll leave the coating alone for now.Looks like I'll have my work cut out for me sharpening this beast,just not today.

Yes, congrats GRIM. I am biting at the bit just to hold mine!

 

[230grains]

Do yourself a favor before you decide to strip it, go beat the living hell out of it and see if you're happy with it. Who knows, maybe you won't want to send it out and may just buy a bottle of kleen strip and some sandpaper.

 

[psychicevolution]

Do yourself a favor before you decide to strip it, go beat the living hell out of it and see if you're happy with it. Who knows, maybe you won't want to send it out and may just buy a bottle of kleen strip and some sandpaper.

I think I will do that 230. Thanks for the input. :thumbup:

 

[MustardMan]

Mustard Man, I was thinking of sending it to Garth at Busse and have them replace the handles with something I like better (g-10 mags). How much does that cost off hand, do you know?

No idea - the mod I requested was hand shaped handles with smooth bolt fasteners, and would also have required polishing of the spine on a coated knife, since the handles would be shaped after being attached. Those factors together add up to a lot more work than just swapping out the slabs and flaring some tube fasteners.


More than that, though, I just enjoy DIY stuff. It's more rewarding to me that way.

 

[richstag]

The OP said himself that he has no experience doing this type of project. It sounds as if he would like it to turn out well. I would suggest sending it to Garth for the exact mods you want. I don't know what type of sanders, belts and compounds you all are using but the initial expense of this for the OP could easily be more than Busse's Fee. Personally, I would get in contact with the shop and see what they have to offer.

This is coming from a guy that loves to do it himself but you have to be reasonable here. I would rather suggest to the OP to send it to Garth and have him end up with just what he wants then to suggest he buy a belt sander, belts and compounds and end up with a crapped up Busse with NO RESALE VALUE

IMO, a blade that is just stripped and sharpened looks better than a ghetto satin, no offense to the satinizers intended, just a personal opinion.

This has nothing to do with being self-sufficient, this has to do with not wrecking a Busse. If we were self-sufficient we would make our own knives now wouldn't we

Taking it out and using it will not tell much besides how heavy it is. It needs to be sharp to see what they are all about IMO.

I hope this comes across the right way

 

[NRaiano]

Another for Kleen Strip. :thumbup:

Didn't hurt the blade or the linen micarta.

Wow, nice job. The micarta looks nicer after wards

 

[NRaiano]

Anyone know roughly how long it would take to polish up by hand?
Also would sand paper damage the micarta scales?
What is involved in removing them?
Thanks,
Gabriel.

 

[M67]

Anyone know roughly how long it would take to polish up by hand?
Also would sand paper damage the micarta scales?
What is involved in removing them?
Thanks,
Gabriel.

Yes, sand paper does damage micarta scales. Somewhat. It sands down relatively evenly and could leave not so nice scratches if the grit is too low. I've sanded the scales on my NMSFNO to fix a couple heat spots, but it does takes a little work to remove a lot of the micarta.