water vs soapy water vs windex for wet sanding.

I go with tap water until I get around 400-600 grit, then I switch to windex. I dunno if there is any benefit but I seem to get a cleaner looking blade when I use windex with the higher grit.
 
I've tried all three. I've been sticking with windex for the last several months. My theory is that the surfactants keep the swarf in suspension better than plain water, so it cuts longer and cleaner, but it still cuts well. Soapy water probably works the same way, but windex is already mixed :)

Above 400 I switch to Mobil1. It suspends the gunk so well that I can scrub back'and'forth pretty aggressively with very little fear of "fishhooks". My final step (regardless of grit) is always dry with fresh paper, single pulls in one direction only.
 
james terrio said:
I've tried all three. I've been sticking with windex for the last several months. My theory is that the surfactants keep the swarf in suspension better than plain water, so it cuts longer and cleaner, but it still cuts well. Soapy water probably works the same way, but windex is already mixed :)

Above 400 I switch to Mobil1. It suspends the gunk so well that I can scrub back'and'forth pretty aggressively with very little fear of "fishhooks". My final step (regardless of grit) is always dry with fresh paper, single pulls in one direction only.
Click to expand...

I use this exact same process.
 
I have used all the above but now it is Kool Mist, which is a water based milling machine coolant. This stuff gives superior results. There is a rust inhibitor in it so you don't get rust on the blade surface. It holds the metal being removed in suspension. Its transparent so you can see what is going on on the surface of the blade. It can be purchased by the gallon and mixes at the rate of 1/4 cup per gallon.
I use it for all taping and drilling operations in the shop as well as for the Bridgeport.

Try this and you will be sold. Fred
 
I use water to 400 and baby oil over 400.. may try Kool Mist now that I have access to a lot of it for free.
 
Hah... it's funny, but I do the exact OPPOSITE of James, Darren (and Will) to some extent. I use oil (Mobile 1) for the coarse grits -- usually up to about 400 or 800 -- then switch to a thinner fluid (some sort of glass cleaner) for the high grits. I find that when I try to use oil at fine grits, my paper tends to "float" across the top of the oil instead of getting a clean consistent contact/cut. Interesting.
Erin
 
Will Leavitt said:
I use water to 400 and baby oil over 400.. may try Kool Mist now that I have access to a lot of it for free.
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I tried it one day when I was out of Mobile One. Never used the Mobile One again.

The results are noticeably better than anything I've ever used. Fred
 
I got a tip from Neil Blackwood, and he told me he uses cutting/tapping oil. It works pretty dang well, and cuts (and smells) a whole heck of a lot better than WD40.
 
Erin Burke said:
Hah... it's funny, but I do the exact OPPOSITE of James, Darren (and Will) to some extent. I use oil (Mobile 1) for the coarse grits -- usually up to about 400 or 800 -- then switch to a thinner fluid (some sort of glass cleaner) for the high grits. I find that when I try to use oil at fine grits, my paper tends to "float" across the top of the oil instead of getting a clean consistent contact/cut. Interesting.
Erin
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Maybe you're using too much. The first thing I realized when using Mobil1 was, it doesn't take hardly any. I have a lot more trouble with fishhooks when I use water or windex at the higher grits.

Fred, I have heard about Kool Mist from several other makers. I'm getting low on drilling/tapping fluid anyway, so when it's time to restock I'll definitely give it a try with hand-sanding too! :thumbup:
 
james terrio said:
Maybe you're using too much. The first thing I realized when using Mobil1 was, it doesn't take hardly any. I have a lot more trouble with fishhooks when I use water or windex at the higher grits.
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I'm fairly sure that is NOT the case. I usually dab drops of it on with the tip of my finger... especially at 400 or 800. I find that I get a much cleaner finish with glass cleaner at high grits... but it was very important for me to develop a uni-directional pull technique that didn't allow the paper to "catch" midway through a stroke. Sometimes hand-sanding feels kind of zen to me... especially high-grit pulls for the final finish... like me and the paper are talking to the steel. Like I can hear/feel a good cut of the paper. Kinda sounds like hippie mumbo-jumbo when you say it out loud. :D My passes with high-grit paper are definitely MUCH slower and more controlled than with low grit, and involve my whole body shifting... reminds me a bit of the tai chi classes I took years ago.:)

Erin
 
Erin, I'm going to try it your way as well. I've been wrong before :D

I hear you about the hippie-zen-mumbo-jumbo stuff. That wears off after a hundred blades or so, though. I'm mainly concerned with getting the job done A) most imprtantly, right and B) on time. :p
 
Fred.Rowe said:
I have used all the above but now it is Kool Mist, which is a water based milling machine coolant. This stuff gives superior results. There is a rust inhibitor in it so you don't get rust on the blade surface. It holds the metal being removed in suspension. Its transparent so you can see what is going on on the surface of the blade. It can be purchased by the gallon and mixes at the rate of 1/4 cup per gallon.
I use it for all taping and drilling operations in the shop as well as for the Bridgeport.

Try this and you will be sold. Fred
Click to expand...

double tap
 
Fred.Rowe said:
I have used all the above but now it is Kool Mist, which is a water based milling machine coolant. This stuff gives superior results. There is a rust inhibitor in it so you don't get rust on the blade surface. It holds the metal being removed in suspension. Its transparent so you can see what is going on on the surface of the blade. It can be purchased by the gallon and mixes at the rate of 1/4 cup per gallon.
I use it for all taping and drilling operations in the shop as well as for the Bridgeport.

Try this and you will be sold. Fred
Click to expand...

Thanks for the tip Fred. Are you using Formula 77 or 78?
 
james terrio said:
I hear you about the hippie-zen-mumbo-jumbo stuff. That wears off after a hundred blades or so, though. I'm mainly concerned with getting the job done A) most imprtantly, right and B) on time. :p
Click to expand...

Haha!!! No doubt! Hippie-zen-mumbo-jumbo is definitely a luxury belonging to those with alternate income streams. :D
If it works for you... cool. If not... still cool. Because knifemaking is cool. ;)
 
Quick Technique Question: When you are 'wet-sanding' the blade, are you :

a) dipping the blade blank in the liquid, then bringing the blank to the belt sander ?

b) spraying the belt on the belt sander with the liquid, then bringing the blank to the sander?

c) having a continuous spray device spit on the sander while grinding the blade?

Thanks for clarifying!

Personally, I've put a couple drops of baby oil on my sword blanks and then bring to the sander.... it kind of gunks up the coarse grits. I do this to help lubricate the 'tool rest jig' while I slide and grind the sword.
 
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