Satin finnish

Hey Frank thanks for the sweet tips. I will definetly give this a shot. Do you use a sanding block or pad of some kind while hand sanding, or do you just hold the sand paper with your fingers?? Thanks Bud
 
Well, yes I use a back up "block". It could be made oy hard rubber, micarta - curved or flat, or sometimes even a popsicle stick but use what you have used in the past if the sanding was coming out well except for streaking . You do want to save those nice edges you work so hard tio grind in.
Great looking knives Shane !!!! Frank
 
The quart I bought, which I didn't have a chance to crack open and try out this weekend, is 5W-20...do you think that is an OK weight/viscosity for this purpose?

I'm excited and hopeful about this working, as swirlies have so far won the war against me, if not every battle...
 
If it is Mobil 1 it is the right stuff. It will work great! Give us a post after you use it if you have the time. Frank
 
I sure will Frank; thank you again for sharing the tip!

Do you have a theory as to why this works? I thought the fishhooks were caused by the change in direction, and resulting side to side movement of the paper, when sanding in both directions. I'm wondering if that's really the cause...
 
I just spent about 30 minutes working on a blade with the Mobil 1 and I have mixed results so far. It's hard to be scientific about this, but my subjective initial impressions are as follows:

Good:

-I think it may cut cleaner and faster than the WD-40 I normally use

-I think the finish may look more refined, even and uniform using the Mobil 1, especially for a given grit

Not so good:

-I still have a line of swirlies out from the plunge the width of my sanding block. It's hard to say if it's better, same or worse than it would be with WD-40...

Frank, do you not have any problems with this whatsoever going back and forth using Mobil 1? Maybe it's my sanding technique? How wet do you keep things with the oil when sanding?
 
Hmm. Saw this about Mobil one and thought that a 100% synthetic. So is Amsoil and quite a few others. I happened to have 2 1/2 gals. of Amsoil and was hand sanding a Kitchen Knife for a xmas present. Poured a little in a cap for a spray bottle and took it to the blade. Worked like a charm. Hardly any fishtails and my 220 grit stayed clean and lasted about 3 times as long.

Nice tip Frank. Let's keep it a secret, between you and me.;)
 
I have some Mobile 1 synthetic around, its what I used in my race engines when I truck pulled. I'll have to try it next time. Thanks for the tip Frank
 
Frank Niro said:
Well, yes I use a back up "block". It could be made oy hard rubber, micarta - curved or flat, or sometimes even a popsicle stick but use what you have used in the past if the sanding was coming out well except for streaking . You do want to save those nice edges you work so hard tio grind in.
Great looking knives Shane !!!! Frank
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Thanks for the compliment Frank! I have admired your folders for years! You have been a big inspiration to me.
 
Thank you so very much Shane. Helping other makers has always been a huge thing for me!!! I am 95% self taught and always thought it's a shame that people out there are like me trying to advance what they are doing.Well hay tecknology came along and the computer does it all for information, if you have a computer. I'm very fotunate in that my wife of 53 years as well as working took very conservative but very effective measures to see we would be able to retire in a life style similar to what we had while working. I am able to make the liner locking folders without the strain of trying to earn a living but strickly because I enjoy it so much. I have attended as a visitor a few major knife shows and a few very small local ones as a seller. I do feel this was a big mistake. However, getting to where the shows are which is in the USA creates all sorts of legal problems getting them there and back. So if I can help through a site such as this one or by contact with the phone or email I'm here.
PJ234 you should be getting excellent results. Is it possible you are trying to do too much with the hand sanding or have started at too fine a grit?
 
Frank, I tried some Shaffer synthetic tonight because I had it on hand. It seems to really work well. I think you are on to something big. I still want some Mobil 1 to try but I just havent been down town yet. Thanks Man.
 
Would you believe, Bruce, I've introduced this thread several times in the past, but because no one gave it a try and reported their results it didn't go anywhere. I guess it was just too simple to work. Frank
 
Frank Niro said:
PJ234 you should be getting excellent results. Is it possible you are trying to do too much with the hand sanding or have started at too fine a grit?
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Frank,

After playing with it some more I suspect the swirls may be from a previous grit (pre Mobil 1!) so I will experiment some more and report back later. It does seem like keeping it pretty wet is important.

Thanks again!
Paul
 
Ok fellas I'll explian this as best I can so I can get your opinions on this technique.

1 1/2" wide micarta sanding block with cork glued to it.

Starting with the block tight into the plunge as possible and flat against the bevels I always seem to get a line of fishooks/swirls where the leading edge of my paper is on the blade at the start point. Very similar in concept to the 2" gouge on the belt grinder.

Paul, I do believe this is what your explaining ?

My method for dealing with the problem has been to sand in this fashion not worrying about the fishook/swirls until I'm satisfied with the level of finish everywhere else.

At that point I'll switch to begining again in the plunge but with the leading edge of the paper very slightly elevated and sorta roll down flat on the bevel as soon as I begin moving the sanding block. This seems to remove the fishook/swirls without too much effort or causing any further swirls.

This seems to work well for me thus far.

Is getting the Fishook/swirls in the first place a problem with technique ?

Frank, I'll be trying the Mobile 1 in the near future also so thanks for the tip. It's gotta work better than windex, LOL

-Josh
 
Josh Dabney said:
Paul, I do believe this is what your explaining ?


-Josh
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Yes, it's analogous to the 2" line from the grinder but as you describe it's a line of swirls from the edge of the sanding block (micarta in my case as well.)

Something that I've done on my last couple of knives that seemed to really help me is to sand back and forth the whole length of the blade until a particular grit is 'done', then I do some random length strokes up and down the length of the blade (this seems to help eliminate that '2"' line that develops and prevent any new ones from cropping up), then some final strokes with only the edge of the block in one direction starting at the plunge. I did this with each grit as opposed to just the final grit.

I had not previously been worrying at all about swirls until my final grit and was finding I was unable to remove them at that stage, which led me to believe they were from previous coarser grits. The last couple of blades I've sanded have turned out far better using this method than anything I've done previously (although my grinding has also improved significantly, and I think that plays a part too.)
 
Josh.
You are using the old "standard" meathod. You just don't want to believe there is a better, easier way that gives at least as good or better in my opinion, way to do this. Did you read the previous entrys? I say again for those that want to eliminate the tediousness of doing this the old way, get some Mobil 1 and just stroke back and forth with thne same backing as you have used in the past. Some like the hard backing,; some like a softer backing; some use several types and hardnesses. Go for it !!!

PJ234. Don't go cheap on the oil! have the area covered you want to do. Don't just put a drop or two on the sandpaper. Frank
 
I tonoght did a satin fimish on a 3" single ground folder blade of ATS-34 I must have taken all of 20 minutes to do top and bottom and sies. I went to 400. I believe it looks good, but I haven't dome many satin finished blades in the past while. I do the Damascus with the same Mobil 1 before etching. I have done many of those blades. Frank
 
Frank,

I did of course read the earlier entries, LOL. :)

Perhaps I should have got to the point and asked - Does the Mobile 1 stop you from getting Fishooks?

I believe PJ 234's experience is irrelevent to evaluatiing this technique because he had previously sanded on the blade without the oil.

I'm still learning and experimenting with different techniques and honestly believe that the way I'm currently doing things will not be "THE WAY" I do things in the future, LOL.

I picked up a quart of Mobile one yesterday and look forward to giving it a go, thanks again for sharing this tip with us.

-Josh
 
Does Mobil 1 help get to a mirror finish easily, or just to satin?

I'll be getting to try some mobil 1 once my dad changes the oil in my car, which should be next week.
 
Well one thing went right today, NO more valve grinding copound and no more Windex.

Thanks Frank, It's "Moble #1" for me from now on, I can sand back and forth and get a nice finish with it. And no fish hooks. It really cut the time down on finishing. I keep lots of oil on the blade.

It's just like a Christmas Present.

Art
 
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