Two part finish question

[shappa]

Here's a two part finish question that has had me curious for some time now.
How do you texture a blade?
Next question...How do you put a mirror polish on the grind while keeping the textured flats and have a sharp difference between the two?
Thanks

 

[peter nap]

Tom, there are one billion and one ways to texture a blade. I think you are talking about a traditional bead or sand blasted finish.

The easiest way is to take it down to 600 or so grit and then polish it on the buffer until you have a mirror finish. Tape the edge where you want the bright area using silicon tape or a double layer of vinyl tape. Be sure the edges are tight.

Sand or bead blast the entire blade and peel the tape off.

 

[shappa]

Peter, Thanks for the quick reply.
This is what I want to know how to do. I don't think it was done with bead blast....maybe it was and I'm just ignorant.

 

[Gib Guignard]

That looks to me like it was a forged blade that was heat treated befor grinding, etched in vinegar to remove whatever scale there was and then hollow ground down to a fine grit 600 or better then hand rubbed to where you wanted to stop. That is the way I would have done it. Gib

 

[peter nap]

Like I said Tom, there are a lot of ways to do it. That is not what I had in mind from your description. I think Gib is right about the finish.

 

[kile]

Most of the blades that have a textured finish seem to be forged blades that they left the hammer marks on the flats. When you grind deeper into the steel it removes the hammer marks, so you get nice shiny bevels. If you look at the knife I have posted in the makers gallery, I tried to copy that look on a stainless stock removal blade. The way I did it was to take a little grinding wheel on a dremel, and puts some divots in the blade. Then I etched the whole blade in ferric chloride for about 4 hours. Then I finished my hollow grinds. I have not decided if I like the look or not, but it was fun to try something different. I tend to prefer blades with different textures. I have done a few blades that I left the flats really course, like 80 grit, then I mirror polished the bevels. I like that look alot, but no one else seems to agree.
Kyle Fuglesten

 

[Daniel Koster]

I've seen a lot of knives with textured flats...many were placed with stamps/hammers/punches/etc. I didn't like the ones that were an attempt to make it look too even. I liked the more random ones.

I've seen it in bolsters and pins too. Looks neat in copper.


The best tape for things like this is 3M Blue masking tape. It won't leave any gummy residue and goes on real flat.