"Stone wash" question

[jdm61]

How fine do you have to go grinding before tumbling with the little ceramic bits will wash out the tool/grinder marks?

 

[Lieblad]

How fine do you have to go grinding before tumbling with the little ceramic bits will wash out the tool/grinder marks?

There is no one answer. All depends how aggressive the abrasive and time duration and intensity of tumbling/vibration.

 

[jdm61]

Minimum? I recall that for rust bluing, it was 400 grit, but that is obviously a different process and material.

There is no one answer. All depends how aggressive the abrasive and time duration and intensity of tumbling/vibration.

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

Around 400 works pretty well

 

[ashwinearl]

I never considered the tumbling part for washing out previous grinder marks. I just saw it as creating marks in the acid etched finish. I would go to it after an A65 belt, maybe if I went finer then went to the tumbler it might actually smooth off any grinder marks.

 

[jdm61]

We may be approaching this in reverse. From what I have seen, tumbling is a common technique for removing tool marks, etc. Estwing tumbles their tools after drop forging.

I never considered the tumbling part for washing out previous grinder marks. I just saw it as creating marks in the acid etched finish. I would go to it after an A65 belt, maybe if I went finer then went to the tumbler it might actually smooth off any grinder marks.