Newbie buffing question

K

KentuckyFisherman

Well-Known Member
I've put scales (cherry, maple, Micarta so far) on 4-5 drop-point skinners and am happy with them. But recently I finally got my buffer set up and bought muslin wheels and red/white buffing compound. First use of the buffer was on a knife with a paper Micarta handle. I got a mirror shine on the tang edges like I wanted, plus the compound polished the Micarta beautifully.

Next buffing was on a cherry handle that I had sanded to somewhere in the 400s. No sealer or finish yet. I had one wheel that I'd only used white compound on, so I used that to start buffing the tang surface between the scales. No problem really, except that when I scrubbed the compound residue off the scales, I had a few areas that looked like they had a dark grayish tint to them. I washed the cherry down with mineral spirits, but they still seemed to have some grayish tint.

My question is: What happened here? The cherry wasn't sealed, and as I buffed the steel tang with the compound, the wheel got a dark streak right in the center, which I expected. I'm thinking when I buffed the rest of the scales on that same wheel, I must have driven some of that dark compound into the pores of the wood, causing the grayish tint. Can you tell me what I should have done? Maybe I should have used my Arrow Wood oil finish until I got the pores filled, then done my buffing. But if I did that, wouldn't the discolored white compound still have possibly adhered or rubbed off onto the finish?

Sorry this post is so long, but I figure I can't get a good answer unless I do my best to describe what happened. The scales aren't ruined because the cherry is medium-dark to start with, so they'll look OK. But if I did drive dirty compound into the wood pores, it sure isn't going to have the chatoyance it might have had otherwise. Thanks in advance for your help.
 
What you experienced is normal. Wood, or any porous material is going to get filled with dirt and debris if you buff it, especially with compound.

I keep two wheels on my buffer. The one on the right has green chrome for polishing synthetic materials and metals. The wheel on the left is a soft clean cotton or flannel buff for doing wood handles LIGHTLY.

You have to be very careful buffing handles at all. Some woods will actually lose material. You can get dips and waves- even ridges on curly woods where you lose soft areas entirely and leave behind the harder stripes of the grain.
 
Here's what I do; get the handle sanded to 400 grit, rub with wood finishing oil similar to teak oil or tung oil. Let that cure. (your wood sealer would work too) give it a good coat of Minwax paste wax and then buff.
 
Thanks, Mark. My biggest mistake -- yes, there was more than one -- was buffing with compound before sealing the grain and getting some finish on the wood. Don't know what I was thinking.
 
If you must buff your tang tape off your handle material with masking tape or electoral tape, when done with that clean up, mask off the tang and handle material one side at a time and buff your handle material with a clean wheel, use 3 M heavy duty boat compound it is not a grease based compound and won't hammer into the pores of your handle material, also using tape will keep from washing your handle material away from the metal, clear as mud. Deane
 
Thanks for these tips, Deane. Newbie follow-up: So, if I want the spine of my blank to be mirror polished, one approach might be to do that polishing first, before attaching scales. But going that route, you attach the scales and still have to sand/shape them to fit, which is going to scratch up the spine you just polished, right? I know this is all very basic stuff, but that's where I am, and I don't have anyone who can mentor me locally. I sure appreciate you guys helping me out instead of just responding "Duh!" which you probably feel like doing.
 
Not everyone (if anybody) wants to say “Duh!” Like you I haven’t found a local mentor, but I was able to learn this lesson without having to make the same mistake. I’ll bet I’m not the only other newby that benefited Thanks for starting the thread!
 
Fisherman,if you buff your tang before you assemble it will roll your edges and give you a poor fit,there is no easy way to put a good polish on a knife. Use stablized wood when ever you can, much easier to deal with and gives you a good finish. I don't buff any blades at all, if I want a polish take it to 2000 by hand, only have a small jewlers buffer, I posted some pictures of a Loveless copy I made, that knife was finished from the front of the guard back after assembly. Deane
 
Thanks again, Deane. I taped off the wood and got the spine of the blank polished to my satisfaction. And now I know why NOT to do the polishing before attaching the scales. Makes sense. I appreciate the tips.
 
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