Micro Mesh

[jleiwig]

Has anyone used the micron belts supplied by micro surface?

I used to use their sanding pads in my pen making, and I'm sure these would make it much easier to polish since their Aluminum oxide belts go up to 12,000 grit which is sub 3 microns.

A 2x72 belt is $11 and change, so pricey, but if they finish the steel anything like they finished pens, then it would be worth it to save on hand sanding time.

I know that some use them to polish camshaft journals, but not sure how well they would translate over to knives.

http://micro-surface.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=273_197&products_id=91

 

[David Broadwell]

I've used the MM sheets but not the belts. They lay down a softer more even finish on my titanium pen parts so on engraved pens I can lay down a finer finish and have little or no reflective problems compared to an engraved stainless part. Typically, stainless is taken to around 600 grit; any finer and you can't see the engraving for the glare. On TI I can take it above 1200 and even it out with the MM.

You will have to take your ground knife parts to a very fine finish before trying to use the MM belts. The finer conventional belts I use are AO (Hermes P600 and P800 grit belts). They don't cut very long on hardened steel, so I'm not certain that the MM belts would last long either, and at 5 times the price they would get expensive.

Keep in mind that Micro Mesh uses their own proprietary grit grading system. The old American standard screen system will only go so fine. I really doubt that you can get 12000 holes per square inch! The finest grit of MM is probably in the neighborhood of 2500 grit on the American system.

Also remember that the wood and plastics you used on your pens (kits?) are not nearly as hard and abrasion resistant as your knife blades or even annealed 416 stainless fittings. The web site states that the primary use is for "softer wood, plastics, and paint". Originally Micro Mesh was made to polish scratches in aircraft windows, not hard steel. I don't think they will do much for knifemakers

David

 

[jleiwig]

I've used the MM sheets but not the belts. They lay down a softer more even finish on my titanium pen parts so on engraved pens I can lay down a finer finish and have little or no reflective problems compared to an engraved stainless part. Typically, stainless is taken to around 600 grit; any finer and you can't see the engraving for the glare. On TI I can take it above 1200 and even it out with the MM.

You will have to take your ground knife parts to a very fine finish before trying to use the MM belts. The finer conventional belts I use are AO (Hermes P600 and P800 grit belts). They don't cut very long on hardened steel, so I'm not certain that the MM belts would last long either, and at 5 times the price they would get expensive.

Keep in mind that Micro Mesh uses their own proprietary grit grading system. The old American standard screen system will only go so fine. I really doubt that you can get 12000 holes per square inch! The finest grit of MM is probably in the neighborhood of 2500 grit on the American system.

Also remember that the wood and plastics you used on your pens (kits?) are not nearly as hard and abrasion resistant as your knife blades or even annealed 416 stainless fittings. The web site states that the primary use is for "softer wood, plastics, and paint". Originally Micro Mesh was made to polish scratches in aircraft windows, not hard steel. I don't think they will do much for knifemakers

David

They have three different grades. The one you referenced is not the same as the others. They have an aluminum oxide cloth backed grade that goes to sub 3 micron, which is past 2500 grit on the american system.

That being said, I do agree with you that they would not last very long, but if you had a really special blade and needed a perfect mirror polish I think that it would be a viable option.

 

[clancy]

I use MM sheets and find that they work well and last a long when wet polishing using soap and water. They will load up if you use them dry.

I think the belts would have to be run slowly with water to work well.