Polishing question

Nonprophet said:
230, that is EXACTLY the finish I'm looking for. Richard suggested scotchbrite wheels and since I don't have a belt sander I think I'm going to try that. If it doesn't work then my next step will be to try by hand though the idea of it makes me wanna hit myself in the hands with a hammer :)
Click to expand...


Nonprophet, to achieve a finish like you're looking at, w/o powered scotchbrite media would either be impossible or take months, working from their gray (toughest) throught the color pallette of grits to the white finishing pad. I spent a week so far on this old bowie and it still looks like shite! :(

I have many weeks ahead of me to get it nicer. Steel hardness, of course will affect results.

All hand rubbed. The angled shot doesn't look bad but the side shots illustrate how far from complete the blade really is.

1141509065_SS3Uw-L.jpg


1141509169_vbsj7-L.jpg


1141509243_uyEqQ-L.jpg
 
richard j said:
would you want a finish like this instead?
attachment.php
Click to expand...

I prefer the S&W stainless satin look myself. I've got a lot of rubbing to do. Since someone would tell us where to go and buy the scotchbrite drill bits so we, w/o wheels could use our drills. :D
 
Honestly I have put a mirror-ish finish on a blade before and I really don't like it much. I prefer the satin finish and today I'm off to find a scotch brite wheel that will work.
 
CZIV, my plan is to run through the grits to 600 and from there try the scotch brite pads. I think the problem I am having right now is one of patience wherein I don't spend enough time at each grit befor moving on to the next one. That might make it easier.
 
Nonprophet said:
CZIV, my plan is to run through the grits to 600 and from there try the scotch brite pads. I think the problem I am having right now is one of patience wherein I don't spend enough time at each grit befor moving on to the next one. That might make it easier.
Click to expand...

Nonprophet, let me know if you find some bits okay? I saw them on evilbay but I only know ScotchBrite by the color codes that they sell the hand pads in. I couldn't figure out which ones I'd want to buy and didn't want to blow my money. Maybe I should look again and use the part #'s that Richard refrerenced. :)
 
Well I want to officially go on record as saying hand sanding SUCKS! I spent the last 3 hours and went from straight out of HT to220 to 310 and didn't even get one side done at 310. It still looks like I have scratches going one direction and then another and every once in awhile some small J shaped scratches will show up where I slide the damn blade across something or something... I don't know I seen to have gotte na certain level of finish and now it's not progressing. I'm sure I just need to spend more time on it but it's getting frustrating. I need to work on my patience I guess!
 
Nonprophet said:
Well I want to officially go on record as saying hand sanding SUCKS! I spent the last 3 hours and went from straight out of HT to220 to 310 and didn't even get one side done at 310. It still looks like I have scratches going one direction and then another and every once in awhile some small J shaped scratches will show up where I slide the damn blade across something or something... I don't know I seen to have gotte na certain level of finish and now it's not progressing. I'm sure I just need to spend more time on it but it's getting frustrating. I need to work on my patience I guess!
Click to expand...

No, you need a belt sander or some power tool with scotchbrite belts / wheels. :D
 
I got all the way to 600 grit today and I got a spot or two that looks like a fingerprint or smudge but isn't. I can't get it to polish out and it's driving me crazy! I even tried going back a grit and it's still there. Anyone have an idea? Also, HOw in the world do you put an edge on a knife without a belt sander to start with? I could be at it for DAYS with my stones. Am I doing it wrong?
 
Nonprophet said:
I got all the way to 600 grit today and I got a spot or two that looks like a fingerprint or smudge but isn't. I can't get it to polish out and it's driving me crazy! I even tried going back a grit and it's still there. Anyone have an idea? Also, HOw in the world do you put an edge on a knife without a belt sander to start with? I could be at it for DAYS with my stones. Am I doing it wrong?
Click to expand...

That ticks me off when I strip a coated blade and it's perfect except for one dark spot. It happens. You could go for a deeper grind and try to get past it but it's probably deep. :(
 
Well this blade was never coated and it is ATS 30. I got it from HT and started sanding. Didn't notice the spot until I got to 600 grit. Thinking about going backwards to 400 just so it's even.
 
Nonprophet said:
Well this blade was never coated and it is ATS 30. I got it from HT and started sanding. Didn't notice the spot until I got to 600 grit. Thinking about going backwards to 400 just so it's even.
Click to expand...

That's sure odd? I hope backing up on the grits makes it fade away for you. :thumbup:
 
can you post some pictures of the spots?

for heat treat i leave a thick edge (1/6" sometimes) on some of the small skinners i make (3"-4" blade). it can take me a few hours just to get it down to an edge even with a belt sander with a 400 grit belt.
 
here is a picture. Notice out toowards the tip of the blade. All the other stuff came out but I have worked and worked on this spot and three others like it and they just won't come out!

DSC03972 (2).jpg
 
you need to clean the blade off and set your camera to macro mode so you can get closer. its hard to tell what i am seeing.
 
Unit, I believe if I were to be trying to get a mirror finish I could most likely get those smudge looking spots out but I can't for the life of me seem to get them out with the 600 grit. Another thing I notice is just when I think I've got the dang thing perfect I turn it slightly in the light and the whole thing seems to change. All I wanted was a nice satin finish (which I've gone beyond I believe) and it seems impossible. I'm seriously thinking about going back a grit and roughing it up some. MAybe I need a belt sander.
 
Richard, while the blade isn't overly clean if you look at the last inch or so of the tip, that isn't a smudge or anything else, it's EXACTLY what the damn thing looks like no matter how clean I get it. Those things just won't come out!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top