Polishing Questions Part II

[slideways]

Thanks to all who answered the first post. Now the question goes to the material being polished. The knife I started with is a small BM auto that had a black blade which had the black removed in a couple of places. The first attempt in which ONLY wheels were used either left or revealed textured spots almost like a fine leather pattern. My guess is the more aggessive compounds did this, it's almost like mini pitting and was not completely removed when it was sanded in attempt two.

So..... the question is which steels are better at allowing a mirror finish to be produced?

I figured because the subject is changing from polishing technique to materials I'd start a new topic.

Thanks A.J.

 

[george tichbourne]

The finer grained steels polish better ie 440C will polish better than something like stellite.

Over buffing will cause surface roughness, If it takes me more than 2 or 3 minutes to buff a hunter to mirror I go back to the belt stage to remove more marks. I have heard this attributed to the growth of hard spots during heat treat "islands" surrounded by softer matrix which then is scooped out by the buffing wheel. After observing cause and effect it seems plausible.

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george
www.tichbourneknives.com
sales@tichbourneknives.com

 

[C L Wilkins]

440C takes a very good mirror polish but after just working with RWL34, it is unsurpassed. I looks like it is chrome plated. It is unsurpassed IMHO.

The only problem will be if anyone ever ask me who chrome plated my blade!

C Wilkins