OT: Hand sanding shadetree burlap

T

TxSportsman

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I figured this would be the best place to post this question. I picked up a knife from another maker recently in shadetree burlap. I really dig the knife but the handle seems to need a little more finishing (I'm used to the Fiddleback perfection I guess). The scales have a little black dye from sitting in the sheath and they just aren't as finished or as shinny as I am accustomed to. I don't need any trade secrets here but a little help would be greatly appreciated. I will be hand sanding so maybe a little grit progression and then what is used to finish? I have been really eager to try my hand at anything knife and I know it's a stretch, but hopefully this is just the thing to get me into going a little further. Thanks in advance.
 
TxSportsman said:
I figured this would be the best place to post this question. I picked up a knife from another maker recently in shadetree burlap. I really dig the knife but the handle seems to need a little more finishing (I'm used to the Fiddleback perfection I guess). The scales have a little black dye from sitting in the sheath and they just aren't as finished or as shinny as I am accustomed to. I don't need any trade secrets here but a little help would be greatly appreciated. I will be hand sanding so maybe a little grit progression and then what is used to finish? I have been really eager to try my hand at anything knife and I know it's a stretch, but hopefully this is just the thing to get me into going a little further. Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...

Got a pic?
 
Working it with 150 grit grit sandpaper, then 220 grit, then 400 grit would be comparable, followed by polishing with black and white scotch brite pads.

Just make sure to wear a mask. Sanding micarta will release formaldehyde as well as hazardous particulates.
 
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I hope this is inconspicuous enough to the maker.
 
Everything that Triple T said is correct.

We have stopped using 150grit. It was too easy to remove more material than necessary.
Also make sure to use a leather backer on the sand paper. That prevents the pins from becoming "Proud"
 
Good advice above. The scotchbrite is what gives it that hard candy look. You may just need those steps. If there are deep scratches, you'll need to back up and start at 220 or so. No need to go past 400 before scotchbrite.
 
Tx

here is a post i made a while back

I get quite a few emails/PM’s regarding minor sanding issues so i took a photo of my sanding box to give a visual explanation that i sometimes feel i am not describing very well in text.
Here is what is going on in the photo….

Top section
This is where we start w/ the straight burlap scales. Skip to the middle section if you have wood scales or a bolster & wood combo.
150 grit in red and 600 grit in gray. There is a piece or 2 of 80 grit but ignore those unless you know what you are doing. Please!

Middle section
Here I have 220grit. This is where we start all the wood scales and bolster/wood combos. This is also the second step on the burlaps.

Bottom section
This is the 400grit. This is last step of sandpaper on the scales. Hopefully, If fine scratches just wont go away head back to the “Top section” and grab the 600grit.

Bottom right cubby
These are the scotch brite pads that are often mentioned when sanding advice is given. The gray is the next step after the 400 grit followed by the white to finish off your sanding. At this point all you have to do is add “Howard’s Feed & wax” for that fresh from the factory finish. Please allow approx. 15 minutes for the Howards to soak in and wipe w/ a clean cloth or paper towel.. take a break because you are done!!

Bottom middle cubby
This is my “leather backer”. We use these to make sure the pins do not become “proud” while sanding. This is an important piece of kit. The pins are not needed unless you want to volunteer to come and help us sand the “tops and fronts” before glue up. Don’t be shy we are always looking for help.

Bottom left cubby
This is a small flat piece of evergreen burlap. Don’t worry about this. If you have a problem that involves using this i am going to recommend you send it in to me.
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NOTE***** We don't use 150 anymore******
 
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Scotchbrite is proprietary to Fiddleback Forge... You are out of luck man! :eek:

j/k. Good question though.
 
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im not sure if you will need the quantities we go through but here is what we use

20160722_114622_zpsxfmaeq0v.jpg
 
Great info here, thanks! I see you FF guys wearing heavy duty mask/respirators during sanding procedures, does the danger of inhaling the nasty stuff diminish once the machines are turned off? Doesn't that stuff still float around the rest of the shop? Or does it settle enough that it's not an issue? Just curious.

~Jim
 
I don't work for Fiddleback Forge, but I can speak from a medical perspective on the risks of sanding woods and phenolics. The 3 risks are as follows:

1. Chemical exposure from gas release in the phenolics (micarta, shadetree, g10, alumilite resin, stabilized wood) or from exotic chemicals bound in the hardwoods

2. Particulate exposure from the dust, which can cause silicosis, COPD, cancer, and related respiratory issues

3. Atopy from exposure to hardwood oils, resins, and steel - sensitization to different materials that can lead to eczema, asthma, contact dermatitis, and more serious hyperallergic responses

If you were already hyperallergic, the only way to do this would be with a full mask and a tyvek body suit. In a shop environment, I am sure they are following the OSHA/NIOSH and state regulations for exposure, which I am not aware of.

I know from other posts that they keep that area of the shop sectioned off. Likely, there is special ventilation to prevent buildup over time.
 
Not to muck this up and in case Im wrong, Andy or Phillip please straighten me out. After reading Phillip's post several months ago and needing to do some sanding on a piece of furniture made of wood I don't typically use, I went to Home Depot where indeed they had different colors of Scotchbrite branded abrasive pads. Specifically, there was green, maroon, grey, but the packaging was mass marketing-like, (e.g. "for wood" or "for metal", etc.), didn't specify grit equivalent. And in use the finish I was getting didn't equate to my expectations. Knowing to that through an industrial supplier like Grainger, or special woodworking tool/material suppliers like Woodworkers Supply, 3M distributes their industrial products. At the latter I found this listing with color coding and grits specified:

http://woodworker.com/6x9-scotch-brite-800-grit-lt-gray-mssu-125-762.asp?search=125762&searchmode=2

Looking at the product code in the pic Phillip supplied, (7445, 7448), you can see the same codes at WWS for the grey and white. My experience was, I thought, that these grits were different from the Home Depot stuff. Added benefit is that for those of us doing this once in a while, you can buy the industrial grade product in smaller quantities.
 
The 3M rep was by here on Wednesday. The Lowes here carries one style of 3M 400grit (that I hate) and the Home Depot carries a different style (that I love).
The Home Depot closest to the shop hasn't had it in weeks. I guess they quit carrying it.
I asked the Industrial 3M rep about getting bulk shipments of the Home Depot style. I showed him the Home Depot commercial package and it had him baffled.
 
I bought a great hand-made a few months back with Shadetree Drunken Coffebag scales, & they had a rough finish on purpose for grip. I found it to be painful to hold as the protruding fibers were very rigged & I knew I couldn't live w it that way...so like you, I figured I'd just hand sand it. I use much higher grit count sheets than stated in above comments though...I used 1500, knocked everything down to the point of both scales being nice & smooth, & just for fun I hit it with 2000 & that gave it a nice finished product look & feel. I was surprised by how quick the whole thing was, & in no time I had a beautiful knife that I could actually hold comfortably. Best of luck with yours!

BTW, I did purchase my sandpaper a while back at a Home Depot, & I love the stuff....just works perfectly every time, no discoloring/etc...love it. I'm at work & can't recall the product name, though it's likely a 3M?
 
VanDammet said:
I bought a great hand-made a few months back with Shadetree Drunken Coffebag scales, & they had a rough finish on purpose for grip. I found it to be painful to hold as the protruding fibers were very rigged & I knew I couldn't live w it that way...so like you, I figured I'd just hand sand it. I use much higher grit count sheets than stated in above comments though...I used 1500, knocked everything down to the point of both scales being nice & smooth, & just for fun I hit it with 2000 & that gave it a nice finished product look & feel. I was surprised by how quick the whole thing was, & in no time I had a beautiful knife that I could actually hold comfortably. Best of luck with yours!

BTW, I did purchase my sandpaper a while back at a Home Depot, & I love the stuff....just works perfectly every time, no discoloring/etc...love it. I'm at work & can't recall the product name, though it's likely a 3M?
Click to expand...

Great thanks for the comments! I have 220 up to 1500
 
I'll offer this up to anyone. I bought one of the industrial large boxes of scotch brite like phillip showed in the photo on amazon. It was around 20 $. For those of you just doing 1 small project or wanting to try it out , I don't mind parting one out if you want to send me a couple bucks for shipping, etc.
 
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