Mirror finish Damascus?

[Dacodah]

Do you all mirror finish your Damascus before you etch?
If so what process do you use? If not what do you take it to?
Thanks
Jason

 

[Darrin Sanders]

I only take mine up to 600X before etching and then rub with 2500X after etching. I'm sure other people use other grits/processes but that works for me.

 

[Dacodah]

Thanks, do you think there would be a big
Difference in how your blade would look from
600 to 1200 or 2500?
Or after you etch it's all just going to look the same

Thanks again

 

[Cody Hofsommer]

I take mine to 800, but 600 would do the same. It should all look about the same, what uou do after the etch will change the look. I do 2000, I know others that do 3000, Darin is right in the middle. You won't be touching the lows, or dark stuff, only the "highs" and polish them up.

 

[Frank Niro]

I finish to 800 before etching. I lightly buff after etching and then do some heat colouring or do not buff but place the blade in water with lots of baking soda stirred in . This will give me a grey and black finish. Now if you take this and give it some heat , you can come up with a brown. Frank

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

Mirror finished damascus is like saying silky smooth corduroy...they are not compatible words.

 

[Will52100]

Normally I take it to a good 600 grit and then a quick 1000 grit and back to 600 then etch. For final finish most times I just rub after etching with 0000 steel wool and either a light buff with pink compound or a hand buff with simichrome. Sometimes I cold blue then polish the top with 2000 grit paper. Depends on the knife, the damascus mix, and how deep the etch is.

I've never gotten very good results with etching a mirror finished damascus. The surface is "smeared" somewhat. I have mirror polished then went back with 2000 grit paper and gotten good results though.

 

[Dacodah]

Thanks for the info everyone.