What grit is comparable to honing compound?

[BruiseLeee]

What grit sandpaper is comparable to honing compound?

Also... since I'm cheap , is there a way to keep the sandpaper from clogging up?

 

[Apa6]

Im going to show my ignorance but I think I saw a fine grain see through mesh that looked a bit easier to clean than sandpaper. Maybe its not right for metal.

 

[Josh Feltman]

I can't answer your grit question, Bruise, but to keep paper from clogging up, use wet/dry paper (the black stuff) and wash it off when it gets clogged. You can also use an old toothbrush to gently clean the paper, but after time, it will lose its cutting ability no matter what you do.
--Josh

 

[ddean]

Very high. maybe someone will have a number.
Probably similar to polishing compounds for cars & such.
2000 grit leaves visible abrasions on my car,
so I'd guess your looking at 4000-6000 grit in a sandpaper.
I could be way off there.
2000 grit wears out Very fast on metal, even lubricated.

Originally posted by BruiseLeee
is there a way to keep the sandpaper from clogging up?

Wet/Dry paper & lubricate it as you use it.
I usually use Light mineral oil,
any oil will work.
Someone commented that they use Windex.
Water would work too, a couple of drops of soap
would prob. make water work better.

BTW--sandpaper wears out faster on edges than on flats.

 

[Yvsa]

Originally posted by BruiseLeee
What grit sandpaper is comparable to honing compound?

Actually there's a lot of "honing compounds." Valve grinding compound is a honeing compound that comes in two grits in the same package. The can is double sided with a grit on each side. One is coarse and the other fine.
Valve grinding compound can be used on strops, but unless you had something really fierce to remove from a blade you wouldn't want to use the coarse.
And if you did use it I would recommend an extra heavy cloth belt such as thick canvas like the barbers use/used. I don't know of any barbers still using a straight razor, but then I haven't been to a barber in over 10 years!!!!
The compound is used on engine valves after they have been reground on a valve grinding machine.
The finish isn't smooth enough nor can the machine get the angle of the valve so perfect it matches the valve seat it's going to work in.
The valves are lapped into the valve seat, numbered and kept track of so that they can be installed in the proper place.
The compound laps the valve seat as well as the valve itself and that's how a perfect seal is obtained.
Bet some of you didn't know that an engine and knives had something in common, other than being made of steel, did you?

So not to confuse you any further Bruise there's as many grits of honing compound as there is sandpaper.
The guys steered you right on keeping the sandpaper from clogging. The black Silicon Carbide is the absolute best.
I prefer it over any others, even for wood, as it lasts longer for me.

 

[Daniel Koster]

I guess it's time to just go ahead and post the rouge spreadsheet I've been working on.

I'm sorry it's not complete, I only have about half of what I wanted, but I don't have time to finish it and it seems like the last 2 weeks at least a dozen people have asked for explanations on rouges, etc.


To see the monster I've created, click here:

Rouge Types Spreadsheet (115 KB)

It's a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet.

I've included rouges and compounds from some of the major suppliers (like I said, I still have a few more to go, but what the heck...) as well as their prices and descriptions and even a pic.

Let me know if it helps clear anything up.

After you pour through it carefully, come back here in your confused state and read this:

The only rouge you really need is green and white. Green for metal/brass. White for wood/horn.

You can get more specialized rouges, but those 2 will do 95% of what you need to do.


Also, I've seen sandpaper up to 9000x - just can't remember where... (in case that's what you're looking for)


Dan

 

[Bri in Chi]

The paint department of a good auto supply store should have very fine Silicon Carbide paper. 2,500 grit gives me a mirror polish on plane irons and chisels. I usually don't go that high on using blades but it certainly makes a sharp edge if you do. I use water with a few drops of Dawn as a lubricant, The paper lasts a surprisingly long time. Makes clean-up easier than oil, but rust is certainly an issue if you leave the steel wet.

 

[BadBamaUmp]

There's a saying amongst us makers that hand rub...

"Water cuts, oil polishes."

I'll use water when trying to "cut" as I hand rub and go to a light oil when I want to polish, usually at 2000x or 2500x. I do use a "Windex" type fluid as I hand rub, it helps the paper to cut.

Hope this helps.

 

[BadBamaUmp]

Oh yeah, about making paper last, being cheap has always cost me more in the long run. I've wound up scratching a blade trying to extend the life of a piece of paper. :barf:

If it's that big a deal I'll shoot you a 9x11 piece of 1000x, 1500x and 2000x paper. If you need finer they make film sheets up to 8000x.

 

[ddean]

Originally posted by BadBamaUmp
"Water cuts, oil polishes."
Hope this helps.

Very much, thanks.
I'll have to give it a try to see the difference.
I've always been in the habit of using oil,
because it lasts longer than water.

Any idea why the difference?

 

[BadBamaUmp]

DDean,
I have no idea I'm just a cave man.... I can tell the difference between water, oil and nothing. It feels very different, I keep a spray bottle handy and just spritz some on the blade as I polish.

Y'all may want to try some "cheap" Japanese Waterstones for polishing, but they're not exactly cheap, you can get them from woodworking catalogs, they're used to sharpen chisels or raise the burr on a cabinet scraper. I may try some Brasso and newspaper like I used to do on my Army brass before I bought Sta-Brite insignia. That may work.

The paper wearing out on edges is just like when we grind bevels on the grinder, the edge scrapes the grit off the paper. Nothing you can do at the final stages of polishing.