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egdod

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Mar 20, 2005
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I am working on a fixed blade with cocobolo handels, I have worked these down to 2000 grit wet/dry paper but still cannot get a shine even after buffing. Is there a sealer or something to put on the scales to make them shine or at least a semi gloss.
I have read the forums for a while but just recently joined.

Thanks in advance,
Floyd M. Ulmer
Mississippi
 
cheap pinch solution is to try some superglue. i'm just a newbie though, i'm sure somebody will have a better idea. cocobolo is normally a very oily wood though, you can usually get it looking pretty nice just by sanding.
 
Something sounds strange! You shouldn't have to go nearly that high with sandpaper. In fact, using 1000+ grit paper on wood is kind of a waste.

I use my grinder to rough shape with 60, then 120, then I usually hand sand 220, 400, 600. Make sure you use something as a backing for the paper. I use a couple of pieces of 8oz leather glued together smooth sides out, about 2-3"X1 1/2".
I might buff before I finish sanding(using the same compound, and buff mentioned below) just to see if I got all the scratches out, and if not, back to the finish sanding.

I then buff, and apply a couple of coats of Watco neutral, as per instructions, and after wiping the remnants of the second coat off, I buff again with white compound on a loose wheel, wipe it down again, and apply a coat of Watco satin wax, and just buff that off by hand.
It gives a very nice finish.
BTW, I'm not using any type of lube with the wet or dry paper.

In my opening statement, I'm not doubting your word, just thinking out loud while trying to figure why you're having the problem.

The white compound I use is an 800/1000 grit aprox, that I got from K&G some years ago.
You might give something like that a try and see if things don't improve for you.

When machine buffing, try a loose wheel, and a light touch, letting the compound do much of the work. Be careful though, loose wheel buffs are the most hazardous. Tape the blade off, etc.:eek:
 
put some wd-40 on it! it makes cocobolo look much nicer! that what i use on my handles. ( I only take them up to ablot 600 though...)
 
I only go to 400 grit an the oil it up. Looks good. Dont try to get it so glossy it looses its natural aprarance ;)
 
egdod said:
thanks for your replies, i am using a green compound made by mibro.
Click to expand...
Could you attach a pic of the handle after it is buffed?

This is strange, a pic would help us solve the problem. Are there thousands of tiny greet specks on the handle after buffing? I hand sand the handle to about 1500 grit and then wax and the finish looks like glass.

Hand sand to 1500 then apply Briwax past wax, do the whole knife, blade and all. You can find that at any of the Woodcraft stores or local hardware stores. Its about $15 for enough to last about 1 year. After you wax it you can buff it with a loose buff with NO compound. A 3 " loose buff that fits in a drill press would work great for that. You will get a glass finish when you are done.

www.briwax.com

Michael

www.AdamMichaelKnives.com
 
I dont have a digital camera at this time. But I sanded it all by hand with no backing behind the paper and this might be my problem because it still looks like an open grain.I have never used any type of wax and I also do not have a loose wheel so that might make a difference also. This is only the 4th knif I have made so I got a bunch to learn and a whole lot more equipment.
You guys are really helpful thanks for all of the replies.

Floyd M.
 
You may have buffed too hard and heated the wood. Opens the poors and it absorbs the buffing compound. Will never shine that way.
Try going back to 250 grit, sand to bare wood again and work up to 600 then LIGHTLY buff a little at a time.
If it is Cocobolo? it will take a nice shine without any added sealer.

WD40...??? never tried that
I would go with Watco danish oil first if nothing else works...sand with 400 grit wet with watco, let dry 15mins wipe off, recoat and wipe per instructions.
Then LEAVE it alone to dry and buff by hand
 
Blinker said:
You may have buffed too hard and heated the wood. Opens the poors and it absorbs the buffing compound. Will never shine that way.
Click to expand...
Your right on the money Blinker, thats why i asked if there was little green specks all over it. Buff lightly, dont push to hard. I personally like Briwax over watco but it does basicly the same thing.

Michael

www.AdamMichaelKnives.com
 
Sand to 600.Don't buff too hard.Use a soft ,clean,unstiched buffing wheel.Use white compound,not green.
 
I've noticed that olive oil makes a nice finish as well. I put it on some of the kitchen knives I made recently.

I typically sand to 600 grit and then buff. After that, I'll add a wax or an oil on the handle. But I'm just a newbie at this myself.
 
Well, I've tried em all... ;) If I want a hard shine over wood I apply a coat of superglue, sand it off and buff with pink no scratch. For a standard wood finish I always have prefered tung oil but since I can't find it anymore have gone to using paste wax for the handle and blade. Lately it's been Renaissance wax, which is great stuff, but have even used simple ole Johnson's furniture wax. These give a nice warm surface on the wood and some protection to the steel. Downside is they requrire more maintenance than more permanent finishes.

I've pretty much given up buffing wood but maybe my problem has been what Blinker's talking about, overheating the wood, because that's the effect that caused me to change my ways... I'm willing to experiment to find out, and I like the non-loaded buff idea too.
 
You shouldn't really need to 'buff' at all on a machine. As some others said, take it by machine up to 120 grit or so, then switch to hand sanding 220 grit, 400 grit, 600 grit. I usually finish it off with a light hand buffing with steel wool, then apply whatever 'finish' the handle is getting ...tung oil, etc.
With wood, it doesn't take much to get it to a 'finished' smoothness. In all honesty, it sounds like you may be trying a little too hard.
 
Updat: :) I tried the things suggested on the coccobola and I believe I was indeed trying to hard. I went back and smothe it out by hand and the buffed it real lightly with with compound and the put so wax on it and it sure did come out nice. Thanks everybody with your experiance, I really learned allot in a short time and with out costly mistakes due to mthis forum and the people on it.

Again Thanks to all,
Floyd M
 
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