sanding the fuller

SVanderkolff

SVanderkolff

Joined
Oct 31, 2002
Messages
979
I am pretty sure the groove cut down the middle of the blade is called a fuller. I have a 6 inch fuller down the middle of the latest dagger I am in the process of making. Now that I have the fuller milled out how do you go about sanding the bottom of the fuller so it looks as clean as the rest of the blade?
Any suggestions?
Thanks
Steve
 
Probably best to post this in the knifemakers sub forum. but what i would advise is using a piece of micarta that is radiused to match the fuller. If you make it slightly smaller, the sandpaper will be at the correct radius for the fuller and should work well. The other option is to use a piece of very stiff rubber shaped to the correct radius, this will allow for small differences in the fuller to be blended or smoothed.
 
You use sandpaper and wooden dowels. First, take a 2" wide strip of sandpaper and a 2" piece of dowel. Hold the ends of the paper to make a "U" and put the dowel in the fold. Pinch the paper to hold it and run this up and down the fuller. This should allow you to sand the main part. Just move the paper to a fresh spot as the abrasive wears. When that grit is done, switch to 1/2" square pieces of the same grit sandpaper and use the end of a dowel that has been rounded on the ends. Place a piece of paper on the fuller, and use the round end to rub up and down the end of the fuller. When the fuller is smoothly sanded at that grit, do it again and again as you go up to 400 grit. 120-220-400 are the normal steps.

There are other ways, too, but the paper and stick method is simple and fairly foolproof.
 
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