Logical grit sequence

[John L]

What size grit do most people use from beginning to end on blade grinding?

 

[Will52100]

Normaly I start out grinding with a 50 grit belt for the bevals and roughing everything in. Then to 120 grit to get rid of 50 grit scratches, then 220 and a fresh 320, then to a worn out 320 on slow speed and then onto a 400 grit cork belt loaded with green chrome. After all that it's to sand paper and hand sanding starting with 320 to true everything up, 400, 600, ect depending on finish desired.

 

[elvenbladesmith07]

Normaly I start out grinding with a 50 grit belt for the bevals and roughing everything in. Then to 120 grit to get rid of 50 grit scratches, then 220 and a fresh 320, then to a worn out 320 on slow speed and then onto a 400 grit cork belt loaded with green chrome. After all that it's to sand paper and hand sanding starting with 320 to true everything up, 400, 600, ect depending on finish desired.

it aint all that hard to get a decent finish i usually beadblast my blades or get a brushed aluminum look but for mirror finishes i hit the foged blade with a dremel and an angle grinder then i take the whole blade to an 80 grit belt the 120 the i hand sand 220 this gets very close to a brushed aluminuim look but i usually take it up to 320 all the paper i use is dry aluminum oxide exept for the 320 which is yellow and its used for wood primarily but its doesnt scratch like 320 aluminum oxide does its more smooth. if u want to get mirror finishes ull problly gunna want to hit it up to 600 grit or higher and then use some polishing compound on a cloth wheel and use that i did a katana before and i didnt use a buffing compund i just ude some really fine wet metal sandpaper and it look more althentic then if it would have been fully polished like stainless

 

[Daniel Koster]

It really depends on what belts I have available....


Usually, rough out at 60 or 80
Clean up grinds 120 or 180
Remove scratches at 220

HT

Clean up again at 120 or 180
Remove scratches at 220, then 320

For satin finish - hit with fine scotchbrite
For mirror finish - handsand from 220-600
- then buff


I have been trying desperately to simplify my process. I still have oodles of different belts....someday I'll get there.

 

[rlinger]

After rough cutting out the profile I finish profile with 60 grit; final finishing with 220 grit (going directly from 60 grit to 220 grit but NOT by hand).

For tang tapering: 50 grit.

For grinding bevels and other parts of blade surface: 120 grit followed by what ever finish is finally required but stopping at no finer than 400 grit before heat treating.

For all grinding I stock 50 grit, 120, 220, 400, 600, and 800 grit (I do have some 60 grit belts I use for profiling but 50 grit would substitute just as well).

For hand finishing I stock down to 2000 grit but rarely use beyond 1500 grit and for some type knives final finish to only 220 grit.

RL

 

[Gossman Knives]

I start grinding with a 50 grit zirc then to a 120 AO. I clean the grind marks with scotch brite wheels. I also use a scotch brite belt. I also hand sand up to 400 grit. I satin finish all my blades.
Scott