Your Favorite Wood and Metal Polish

[CTaylorJr]

For a first blade you are coming along well I would say.

A light and easy touch is the only way to go with the HF grinder since it stalls so easily.

If you can, try and make a new platen for the grinder or reinforce the one you have now to true it up a bit. That should help along with going higher in grit prior to final grind on the machine.

Charlie

 

[bootstrap]

Let's start a club!

BTW no offense to the many folks that love 'em. To each their own 2thumbs

hey i want in! LOL

satin or etch all the way. As of right now, I have no interest in mirrors on my belt, but then again I like camper and hunters. :bud:

 

[dan van]

I've heard many people recommending Ren wax, nice to hear of other options. I do like a good mirror finish on some knives but most makers end up with a cloudy look. I would prefer a good satin finish over a poor mirror finish. I feel the same way about file working, if it isn't done good don't bother. Dan

 

[McClellan Made Blades]

Don't mean to be "following" you! I was answering when I saw nobody else had.

As far as finishing, I hand finish EVERYTHING. Machine finishes, including buffing make a blade look...well... machine finished. I go to 600 grit on my belt and/or disc grinder, then by hand from there. My final finish is generally etched, but I also like satin finishes. I create my satin finishes by going to 1200 by hand, then back up to 600 grit for the final finish.

Although it's just a person opinion, I detest mirror finishes....I think they look "cheap", and I just hate it when people ask "Who chrome plates your blades?" :bud:

Ed, when you refer to the" expensive waxes", do you mean Renassaince Wax? Or like it? I have the smallest can of it, and have been using it for over a year, I put it on every blade and handle I've made and some of my factory blades, as well as my band saw table, it just kept getting a light coat of rust on it all the time, until I applied a coat of that, it didn't last though, I would have had to keep applying it over and over. Gotta love Alabama Humidity! The Mother's products are great, I use the Mag and Wheel Polish for my Hamons, works great, especially if you don't like the too shiney look Flitz gives. I'll give the Mother's products you mentioned a shot to see if they are as economical as the Renassaince Wax. Great tip! Thanks, Rex

 

[RodneyJ]

trying to understand the reason for taking the blade up to 1000 or 1200 grit and then backing up to 600 grit how is the finish different than just stoping at 600 on the way up thanks for the help

Rodney