Polishing Micarta ?'s

Fish30114

Fish30114

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Jan 5, 2014
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Well, I have gotten to the stage where I am considering selling a few of my knives. I am having difficulty with one thing I didn't anticipate, and that is bringing my micarta to a reasonably high sheen polish. The micarta I am using is from USA Knifemaker, and I have tried oiling it, putting wipe-on poly on it, waxing and buffing after all the previous. It just won't kick up a high shine. I realize some folks like the 'flat' finish, but I am looking for a more polished look--I have made a couple knife scales out of 'My-carta' layered construction paper in Bondo resin, and those actually buffed up to a nice sheen.

I did the search the forum thing, and I didn't find anything on this--so any advice/feedback is appreciated.

Thanks--Don
 
I usually go from 400 grit to about 600 then I do some hand sanding to about 1500 grit. Next hit it on the buffer with a soft wheel with green compound.
 
oiling it, putting wipe-on poly on it, waxing are not the answer to polishing micarta. You don't want something on it. It takes buffing.

They have Norplex brand micarta? I don't know the particulars of his material, but most Norplex micarta is import grade and I stopped using it years ago. It's possible your problem may be the material simply doesn't buff out well.
 
If i want a shiny finish i seal with ca sand with 220grit, ca,1000 grit,ca, fine steel wool,ca, rag with rubbing compound. It gets pretty shiny and i dont have a buffer so its about as close as i can get.
 
For an attractive working finish, I sand to 320 or 400 and buff. For a really shiny finish, I take it to 600 and then buff.

Chris
 
For paper micarta (phenolic) I go to 240, then bosch abrasive sponges then buffing with white compound, nice shine! If you like it even more shinny, go farther with the grits and then directly to the buffer

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Pablo
 
i go up to 600 grit then white, followed by pink compound buffing wheels. it looks shiny and wet. its important when you get done with the 600 that the surface is consistent in color. any areas that look lighter or chalky will not buff to the same shine because they did not reach the 600 grit surface finish.
 
Thanks for the advice folks, it may be the type of micarta I have, but as Nathan said you don't want anything on your scales...although I have tried buffing after sanding through 400 abranet (which I feel is like 500 AO sandpaper) and I didn't get a good result. I will try some of the other advice given and see how I do--Pablo--those micarta scales and that knife look awesome to me!

Thanks for the input folks
 
I think you should try going beyond "500" grit. Hand sand with 800, 1000, and then 1200 or 1500. It shouldn't take long to do this. Just remove the scratches on the micarta from the previous grit. If you have a buffer, then buff after 800 or 1000.

It may be the micarta, but it sounds like you're not going fine enough with the sanding. If you want a shiny polished look, you have to get into the polishing grits. "500" is not quite there yet.

AFTER you get it looking like you want, then you may want to put a layer of Renaissance micro-crystalline wax on the handle although it's not really necessary with micarta.

Good luck.
 
Michael, thanks for that tip, I feel you are probably right, I just hadn't thought of that factor, and frankly I have some My-carta that I made with linen paper and bondo resin, that buffed up to a very nice sheen, so that's a reason I wasn't taking this micarta to such a high finish--probably should!

Thanks--Don
 
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