Newbie Question - Buffing Safety

mediamst

mediamst

Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
39
Hey guys,

New to knife making. Just finished my first Knife like object out of a file I found laying around. Pruchased a 1X30 from HF as well as an angle grinder.

I have a little buffing wheel I purched for stropping up my wood carving knives. It's very low powered but enough to strop my carving knives.

I never thought of buffing as a very dangerous task but I was reading the safety thread and have read it is one of the most dangerous tasks while knife making.

Could someone add some detail on why this is so dangerous? During what tasks with the buffer is the greatest danger present? Buffing a wood handle? Buffing out the sanding or grinding marks on the blade?

When I strop up my wood carving knives, I never identified a major risk.

Thanks in advance!
 
The basic danger is the buff grabbing your knife and throwing it somewhere a high velocity.
That somewhere could be you!

The sharper the blade, the greater the risk.
The more things there are for the buffer to catch on, the greater the risk. Guards are a good
example. A blade edge (or worse, point) tilted the wrong way is another one.
Loose buffing wheels increase the risk (but may be necessary in some cases).
Etc.
 
Buffers are evil and possessed with a demon that will catch you when you least expect it and throw whatever you have in your hand threw the air.

I do not like the polished, shiny appearance so my buffer is used to tune up the edge on a knife 90% of the time
 
Buffers can be dangerous-just like a drill press, or any other power tool.
Observing good safety practices, and learning the tool are required. Once you are used to the buffer it becomes easier.
 
1,700 rpm or slower is more safe than the 3,600 rpm buffers. I made most of mine, slowed then down with dive wheels and pillow blocks.
 
Yes as said before buffers are an evil piece of equipment that must be treated with respect. They will grab your piece and fling it through-out your shop careening off of everything it hits hopefully not yourself. The further along you are with a knife the more dangerous because of the blade sharpness. I have had several close calls but nothing too severe yet. And if you dont get hurt, there is always the possibility that the beautiful knife you have worked on for however long is now a beat up piece of scrap carbon steel. Thats why I put a thick rubber trough behind my buffers so if it does grab the knife there will be less chance for it to be slung all over the shop and be damaged.
 
There's a lot more to safely buffing than this, but in a nut shell you need to hold the work piece against the bottom of the wheel while buffing so that when (not "if", but "when") the wheel grabs any old edge or corner and throws the work piece across the shop, it flies AWAY FROM YOU, not TOWARDS YOU!

And another thing, NEVER WRAP YOUR FINGERS AROUND THE WORK PIECE!
 
The buffer is the most dangerous and dirtiest machine in the shop. Be sure to have a good dust collection system for the buffer as the dust created is very toxic- its a fine misty dust that sticks to everything especially lungs. Use care and don't push. Pay attention to your work in relation to the spinning rage of the wheel, don't let the tip, edge or spine of the blade dig into the wheel or it will catch it and try to wing it back at your body.

Wear eye and body protection and respirator if your dust collection system is not up to the task.

Don't ever buff when you are in a hurry, tired or angry.
 
I have read threads like this for over 30 years, The buffer is not the most dangerous aspect of your shop. You are.

Pure and simple any accident you have is either your fault of that of those who taught you.
I was in 8th grade when my school shop teacher taught me and my class how to use a buffer safely. His thoughts are always in my mind when I operate my buffers.

The fault may be that of your teachers, some are reluctant to attempt to teach students because they are afraid of liability. This is pure and simple bull ----! If you pay me to teach you I will teach you how to operate a buffer safely. If you follow our instructions and pay attention, stay sober you will be able to buff knives safely.

I once attended a knife making school. There were two beautiful Baldor buffers in the back of the room, neither had a buffing wheel on them. I asked why?
I was told "they were too dangerous to teach how to run them."

I ask which is better, teach a student how in the presence of others, or learn on your own with no help available should you error?
 
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