So I started stripping my knife

Heres a quick pic of my WAKI
IMG_2805.jpg
 
You should see them in person. They look so much better and actually aren't as abrasive looking. Pictures really dont do them justice. The frosty satin is by far the best finish I have seen.
 
Many moons ago, I took an old old bolo machete - circa 1918 or so - and decided to give it a better finish. It was rusted and someone TRIED to sand it out - with a disk - at one point.

I started with some aggressive sandpaper. Then I went perpendicular and didn't stop until THOSE scratches were gone. Then the other way with the next grit, and so on.

It came out pretty good. Now that I understand how to put on a convex edge, I'm gonna finally sharpen it up. The handle looks like crap - I'd have to take it apart to get teh guard and handle up to par - but I don't care. The blade looks like something from Horton or Ban. When I get it sharpened, I'll have ot post it.

So what I'm saying is: Restart at 100. Take your time. It will come out.
 
When I did the RD6 I switched directions at every grit. Worked great and just makes sense if you think about it. Atleast to me it does.
 
I can see the sense in sending it to Norcal....that is some pretty impressive work...and he has the equipment to remove and re-attach the handles....the size of vice needed to press out the Stainless tubes to flare them when re-attaching the grips is pretty huge....not everyone will fork out on an expensive bit of equipment like that if you don't need it for other tasks....
 
PeterPHWS said:
I can see the sense in sending it to Norcal....that is some pretty impressive work...and he has the equipment to remove and re-attach the handles....the size of vice needed to press out the Stainless tubes to flare them when re-attaching the grips is pretty huge....not everyone will fork out on an expensive bit of equipment like that if you don't need it for other tasks....
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Would this work?

http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-63199-...f=sr_1_59?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1256427809&sr=1-59

Just looking for an idea. It never hurts to have a good vise.

I would like to figure it out so I can try it on my skinny ash myself. Sounds like a fun project.

Basically what I am asking is how much vise do you really need?
 
AFAIK, that Wilton vise is what Ban uses. You might email him to confirm.

I think the stripper DID work, as mentioned above the knives can have a strange gray color under the paint. 60 grit may have been to coarse to start, but hand sanding is possible. I did this Ruck by hand

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=477620

There is a vid on YouTube by a knifemaker where he shows a hand rubbed finish. He clamps the handle in a vise, then uses a stick with sandpaper wrapped around in, pulling it along the flat of the blade like a drawknife. Straight steady pull, never back and forth, to avoid "J-hook" scratches.
 
Didn't want to resurrect your other thread, RG, but that was a really nice write-up and great photos. Thanks for sharing.
 
Thanks, i'm sure norcal will do a great job and i'll post pics when I get it back. Honestly, now I know why satin costs more, i'll probably just spring for it in all the new offerings if there is a cg version available, or at the very least, send it out to be satin'd. I don't have the patience to hand sand it, and my cheapo belt sander is not the best tool for the job.
 
230grains said:
Well it isn't Ban, but from the pics of the satin AK norcal did, I feel like i'm in good hands.

Honestly, lesson learned, buy satin if you want satin. I'm pretty sure Norcal is hooking me up real good because he was pitying me. It's like seeing a kid at an icecream shop soooo excited about his triple stacked cone, only to see it fall on the floor. Everyone would want to buy him a new cone. :D
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Dont worry, you are in good hands w/Norcal. He actually learned this art from the master himself. Thats why his work resembles that of Ban's so much.
 
230grains said:
Thanks, i'm sure norcal will do a great job and i'll post pics when I get it back. Honestly, now I know why satin costs more, i'll probably just spring for it in all the new offerings if there is a cg version available, or at the very least, send it out to be satin'd. I don't have the patience to hand sand it, and my cheapo belt sander is not the best tool for the job.
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Do you have the HF 1x30? Lots of folks use that to put a working satin on their knives. Check out some of Horn Dog's work. (He has since upgraded to a better grinder) I've done a SAR5, Waki, and NMFBM. Gots pics of the first two. You can do even better than these with a little more work and patience.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=552042

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=663363
 
230grains said:
Thanks, i'm sure norcal will do a great job and i'll post pics when I get it back. Honestly, now I know why satin costs more, i'll probably just spring for it in all the new offerings if there is a cg version available, or at the very least, send it out to be satin'd. I don't have the patience to hand sand it, and my cheapo belt sander is not the best tool for the job.
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I think you made the right decision if you are uncomfortable. I would not try it with out a lot of practice. That is why I mess around on $20 machetes:)

I have no doubt that norcal will do an outstanding job.

I finally came up with what I like best for cork belts which I do not think I am sticking with. On to try something else. I just think if your can sharpen you knife on a belt sander you can do this yourself after practice.

You seem like a do-it-yourself kind of guy:thumbup:

I will get up a pic of what I came up with cork belts in a few.
 
If you want a very nice finish try stripping
the blade with dads easy spray epoxy paint
remover and then brighten the stripped blade up
using a bench grinder with a stainless wire wheel.
The resulting finish looks very even and uniform
and closely resembles the look of the double cut or glass
bead blasted look. This is how I strip and finish all
of my busse group blades and it works fantastic. For the final
touch I wax most of the blades with minwax paste
finishing wax. This seals and protects the blades from rust and
makes cleaning them after use even easier.
 
Great finish. I love it because you can put them to hard use then just clean them up like new. I use a scotchbrite attachment for my drill.
 
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