Sounds like somebody is mad that they spent all that money on equipment when it can be done with a $90 Dremel! But whatever you say PRO!! I guess I will just start turning away my customers, since you disagree.
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Using a Dremel to mirror polish a knife?
- Thread starter Ferahgo
- Start date
Bill DeShivs
Knifemaker / Craftsman / Service Provider
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2000
- Messages
- 12,556
I can assure you I own several Dremels, Foredoms, Baldor Buffers, etc. I am quite the "pro."
It's what I do. You can see pictures of my shop at www.billdeshivs.com
Your polish looks good in the pictures. It's quite a bit easier to do with the proper equipment.
To accomplish what you did will take much hand sanding to high grits, and much hand polishing after the Dremel.
It's what I do. You can see pictures of my shop at www.billdeshivs.com
Your polish looks good in the pictures. It's quite a bit easier to do with the proper equipment.
To accomplish what you did will take much hand sanding to high grits, and much hand polishing after the Dremel.
I agree it definitely would be easier with the proper equipment. My point was that it can be done with patience and know-how. This blade had a satin finish aswell as mild surface scratches from use. I acheived this finish with very little sanding with 320 to get any heavier scratches out and progressed through 600-2000 grit with no hand sanding at all. Then green rouge on a buffing wheel followed by diamond pastes each on a seperate buffing wheel. Spent about 45 minutes doing polishing with the diamond pastes. A fairly new blade with a near factory satin finish can be done without any sanding by starting with a more aggressive rouge like emery.
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Sry i hadnt replied. That acid wash hides alot and you really dont know what your gonna have to deal with as far as sanding. The acid used to create that finish can create a texture and pitting on the surface that is hard to see until you start. Personally I would start with 1500-2000 grit which would lightly scuff the surface and reveal how flat the surface actually is and go from there.how would a 'stone wash' finish blade like this one change your approach? (if at all?) Brock, which specific material is the dremel buffing wheel made from?
As far as buffing wheels i use the hard felt aswell as a loose cotton “muslin” style wheel both are Dremel brand. There are alot of different one on ebay also but im not familiar with the quality of those.how would a 'stone wash' finish blade like this one change your approach? (if at all?) Brock, which specific material is the dremel buffing wheel made from?
I found it interesting to read all the posts and glad I didn't before polishing a Fallkniven A1. I watched a couple videos from some Dutch knife fellows on YouTube.... They pretty much showed how a fantastic polish could be obtained from a couple higher grit stones and w2 stropping compounds. I followed their examples and accomplished the same in under an hour. Then I moved on to a Opinel carbon, then to a Mora carbon. All were really easy at that point. (all 3 well under an hour start to finish)
One thing that came to mind while reading this post, when using a smaller wheel as in a Dremel or Foredom flexshaft it is more difficult to control the flatness of the final product. A small wheel tends to impart a wavy mirror effect if you're not careful. The larger wheels are better for larger flats. I was surprised compound on a strop was even flatter than I could accomplish on a commercial buffer, safer too. Dremel not necessary.
One thing that came to mind while reading this post, when using a smaller wheel as in a Dremel or Foredom flexshaft it is more difficult to control the flatness of the final product. A small wheel tends to impart a wavy mirror effect if you're not careful. The larger wheels are better for larger flats. I was surprised compound on a strop was even flatter than I could accomplish on a commercial buffer, safer too. Dremel not necessary.
I just watched the video you are referring to. It seems as a good method for knives that have flat ground surfaces, hollow grinds are a different story and the dremel is helpful for that. All that matters though is that you found a method you like and are getting good results. Post some pics of your A1
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Both. The Fallkniven is convex so technically there is no formal differentiation between the edge bevel and the blade flats. The Mora is a scandi grind so in that case it appears the edge bevel is much taller with no secondary grind. The Opinel I ended up convexing so the whole blade became polished using the multi stone and strop method.
Id be happy to post the video I got the inspiration from but as a BladeForums newbie I'm unsure if it would conflict with forum rules. I did hint to how to find it if your Google-Foo is strong enough.
Id be happy to post the video I got the inspiration from but as a BladeForums newbie I'm unsure if it would conflict with forum rules. I did hint to how to find it if your Google-Foo is strong enough.
The vid of the dutch guy was easy to find. Thx for info im not to familiar with the A1 and didnt know it wasnt flat. Its a method i may try on flats, myself i would be hesitant hesitant to try it on a convex seems very easy put a small flat spot on it using a lower grit stone but thats just me. Maybe after some practice on a few of my own cheap knives before i tried a customers.
Have you tried the loose muslin wheels? They help keep from causing that wavy effect that you mentioned
Glad to be of help. I like taking the simple approach. After more than 25 years as a production bench jeweler and training numerous apprentices in many aspects of jewelry repair, polish and construction as well as working with Rolex and other high end watches both gold and stainless case and bands Ive done my fair share of polishing. As a joke once many years ago I even put a mirror polish on a railroad spike to prove it could be done. You're welcome to dance around and take hours to do a thing but when a customer requires something on a deadline one gets inventive and trims the chaff.
Only the 6 inch or larger to any great effect. I have the small mounted ones for hand tool use but those get used on smaller items for a preliminary polish in tight spaces.
Haha haha byeIf you really want to show off your mirror polish, reflect a black surface.
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- Jan 23, 2025
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I don't have a Dremel but I do have a Foredom along with two buffing machine with assortment of buffing supply.
For small project that needs to have close to perfect mirror polish, I do it by hand. I have found especially important, in case of dealing with multiple transition surfaces, to bring out visual clarity distinction between intersacting transition.
Time takes to bring out the mirror polish is directly depending on HRc. In an average, regardless of alloy type, it will take around 6-8 hours on 58-59 and up to 40 hours on higher HRc.
Here are few examples that took 6-8 hours:
This lays in between before forcing a patina:
While these took close to 40 hrs:
Contrast between the most and the least time demanding:
Finally, contract between one of the best mirror polish and my humble attempt:
I know this is a super old thread, but how are you making off the blade for polishing like that? I was thinking of using aluminum foil tape to protect the finish in certain places, but I don't know if it would hold up or not.