Thanks all stripping/sanding/polishing advice - here is what i came up with

COPIUOS

COPIUOS

Joined
Dec 24, 2015
Messages
1,609
Skinny ASH1 started its life with me as a tanker gray coated tan canvas off of one forum or another (possibly e-bay), got a really good price on a very well loved coated blade. I had been a little butt-hurt because I was too slow on the trigger and a satin Skinny ASH1 fell through my fingers on here. I saw this, and thought, here is my chance to get that model, and cut my teeth on something I could not make any uglier. The coating had scratches down to the metail, none of them actually scratched the metal meaningfully.

I got the citri-strip recommended by TFT, and his breakdown of how he stripped and finished his recent SARSQUATCH, did a lot more thread research on here, and I just jumped right in. I used a combination of dremel tool/attachments, and mostly just a ton of sand papering by hand. I am still working on my edge with some water stones. The edge was so bad after dremel-ing off the side too much, I had to grind it flat on a coarse whetstone. The edge literally looked like a miniature spine would look. I was going to give up and take it to the ACE where they have belts etc to sharpen...then I started to get breakthrough. It is really sharp, just continuing to hone to my liking, and then it will be ready for some real use. It is not a true mirror, there are sand paper marks running in the usual Busse direction by design, and I dont know if I will ever go full mirror. I am working on an oldie tank buster now that I have almost gotten to where it is approaching a very close-to Busse satin and I will leave that one there...

Just aught the bug on the Skinny ASH1 and kept going and going and going. If this is the finished product, I will be happy with it, if I take it any further, it is just because I want to prove to my self that I can go full mirror on my own.

Thanks for all the advice fella's...


POLISH amazing dimples.jpg
polishhhhh.jpg
polishI.jpg
POLISHII.jpg
polish13.jpg
 
The polish with the little dimples showing is very cool.
 
That's my absolute favorite part - kind of like leaving the hammered forge indentations at top of blade/spine...I went lightly in those areas with any abrasive that would have diminished them further and that piece was all hand sanding/polishing over those dimple areas. The spots in between dimples where it is pure polish just naturally had no dimples or very tiny dimples in those areas, so i just kept the natural dimple pattern and went with it. I will look to maintain that on any further projects where I notice the opportunity...thanks for noticing that.
 
Looks great...I only use the Dremel with the little ScotchBrite pads...the sanding drums and stones and similar can cause you a lot of grief on detail work-- it can go South FAST.

Hard to goof up INFI with manual labor...but pretty easy to mess it up with powered tools...

But looks like you make an outstanding comeback. It always gives me a little boost in pride of ownership when I undertake such a venture. I'm sure you're experiencing the same feeling now!

And you'll find out mod jobs are like your first taste of INFI...you can't wait to get your next fix!
 
Thanks PTP - The only instrument I used that set me back was the "fan wheel" that can take some steel off pretty quick if you are not careful...That's what took several bites out of the edge when it caught the edge that were never going to get evened out unless I used belts (which I don't have) or the only other option i could think of and take it all the way dull, and just hit the coarse whetstone and move to my 6000 grit waterstone and strop I could have avoided that (probably) if I would have just flipped the knife around in the vice so that the rotation was going with the edge on both sides (live and learn) . I only used that one because of the black "decarb" or under layer beneath the coating and to remove the vertical (to the blade) mill lines. I could have gone serious coarse by hand, and I bought the Dremel for this so figured I would experiment. PTP - was that your SARSQUATCH I am referring to? Anyways, the board helped a ton, that is how the whole project came together was right here, and one YT video that was only added support, not any different or better info...

PeteyTwoPointOne said:
Looks great...I only use the Dremel with the little ScotchBrite pads...the sanding drums and stones and similar can cause you a lot of grief on detail work-- it can go South FAST.

Hard to goof up INFI with manual labor...but pretty easy to mess it up with powered tools...

But looks like you make an outstanding comeback. It always gives me a little boost in pride of ownership when I undertake such a venture. I'm sure you're experiencing the same feeling now!

And you'll find out mod jobs are like your first taste of INFI...you can't wait to get your next fix!
Click to expand...
 
COPIUOS said:
Thanks PTP - The only instrument I used that set me back was the "fan wheel" that can take some steel off pretty quick if you are not careful...That's what took several bites out of the edge when it caught the edge that were never going to get evened out unless I used belts (which I don't have) or the only other option i could think of and take it all the way dull, and just hit the coarse whetstone and move to my 6000 grit waterstone and strop I could have avoided that (probably) if I would have just flipped the knife around in the vice so that the rotation was going with the edge on both sides (live and learn) . I only used that one because of the black "decarb" or under layer beneath the coating and to remove the vertical (to the blade) mill lines. I could have gone serious coarse by hand, and I bought the Dremel for this so figured I would experiment. PTP - was that your SARSQUATCH I am referring to? Anyways, the board helped a ton, that is how the whole project came together was right here, and one YT video that was only added support, not any different or better info...
Click to expand...

I don't know where you were looking brother...Timmy and I have had our share of strippers...;)

In the final analysis it don't matter anyway cause anything you learned from me was just something I picked up from the other HOGS here who shared it out generously with me. So, if I helped you a little bit then I'm happy to pay it forward-- that's the only recognition most HOGS want anyways. :thumbup::):thumbup:

The biggest leap is not being "skeered" you're gonna tear up your INFI, you've jumped that hurdle big time!

But, at the same time, use the power tools sparingly and with attachments that aren't gonna do a lot of stock removal quickly. Sometimes you can cost yourself labor hours by trying to shave time. :eek:
 
COPIUOS said:
Thanks PTP - The only instrument I used that set me back was the "fan wheel" that can take some steel off pretty quick if you are not careful...
Click to expand...


Are you referring to the ScotchBrite flap wheels? A combo of the fabric and regular sandpaper? Been there, done that. Yes, very aggresive.

It's always great to see folk make a knife their own. Good for you.
 
Dat be da one...

resinguy said:
Are you referring to the ScotchBrite flap wheels? A combo of the fabric and regular sandpaper? Been there, done that. Yes, very aggresive.

It's always great to see folk make a knife their own. Good for you.
Click to expand...
 
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