polishing aluminum

[mikeS]

Any tips on shaping and polishing aluminum?



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Sola Fide

 

[Chiro75]

Well, shaping is easy. Use a file and clean the teeth often to avoid deep burrs from cutting the aluminum. Belt grinder or something would work well, too. For polishing, get it to a high grit like 1200 or so, or use Scotchbrite, then go to the hardware store and buy a tube of Simichrome and use it.

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[george tichbourne]

A little bit of baby powder on the file teeth helps the file clear the cuttings faster.

Aluminum is a sticky metal so it needs a greasy buffing compound to avoid having it push up into a series of ripples. I use a brown tripoli that is almost sticky to the feel, the greasier the better.

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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 

[mikeS]

Thanks guys, I new thr trick about the baby powder or soapstone, didn't have a clue to the buffing.

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Sola Fide