How do y'all manage to get a mirror finish on a blade?
Mirror Finish
- Thread starter wherndon
- Start date
I sand up to 2000 then polish with Emory pastes.
Almost impossible without the sanding first though.
Almost impossible without the sanding first though.
I'd almost say it IS impossible without the sanding - I wish dremel made 500, 1000, and 2000 grit sanding drums with 3 inch long shafts, because after 600 greaseless and black emory on a sisel wheel, I go straight to white roushe. Nice finish - not mirror, but I don't have the time for all that hand sanding!
- Thread starter
- #4
thanks, I sanded the hell out of the one i've been working on, with 2000, then polished like the devil with Blue Magic. It's pretty shiny, but nothing like I've seen here. I guess I need some pastes? Do you use a dremel to apply?
Even with sanding it's very difficult to get a true mirror polish.
Don't worry about what you "see" in the pics here. A woulds say most are not a true mirror polish but it not something you can tell in a picture.
I'll be the first to say only a handful of my blades are a true mirror finish. Most you will still see some grinding marker (albeit very high grit) at the right angle.
Don't worry about what you "see" in the pics here. A woulds say most are not a true mirror polish but it not something you can tell in a picture.
I'll be the first to say only a handful of my blades are a true mirror finish. Most you will still see some grinding marker (albeit very high grit) at the right angle.
- Thread starter
- #6
Thank you sir, I will heed your advise. Mine looks good at certain angles but cloudy and scratched in others...
This is what I can tell you: after sanding, use black emory on a sisel wheel, followed by white roush/diamond compound. If white roush (doubt I'm spelling it right) doesn't bring that mirror shine, hit it with the 2000 grit sandpaper again, then try again. Note: depending on the brand, black emory may be too course to follow immediately with white compound to get a mirror finish.
Fyi, most of my restored razors I call (and post on ebay) "near-mirror", "highly polished," etc., because a true mirror finish is very difficult, very dangerous to the temper of the blade, and very time consuming! But good photography helps big time!
What is the grit of your grey greaseless compound? I've never seen grey, it must be pretty special stuff if it can bridge the gap between 300 grit greaseless and green stainless steel compound...
The " gray" compound is likely a fast cutting SS compound
go to knifemaking.com, everything you need is there.
Also look for "ZAM" and Pink Scratchless at Jantz supply.
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Also look for "ZAM" and Pink Scratchless at Jantz supply.
What progression did you use on this blade? Just curious, thanks!
Lookin' good, Pierre!
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
I hand sand to 1k or 2k if I have it. Then 3u, 1u, .5u, ans .1u diamond paste on a rag wheel chucked in the dremel and ran at low speed.
Never thought to use diamond paste on a rag wheel. I'm assuming you mean a loose sewn buffing pad? What kind of diamond paste? diamond spray? .5 micron? Show us a picture!
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Can't post pics from my iPhone right now and cant get Internet on my computer. Anchored too far offshore. But I am currently doing some GDs so I will post pics after we dock in Norfolk.
The wheel isn't sewn at all I don't think. Just pressed together with a central grommet press fit onto the shaft. Haven't compared the results to the felt wheels cause I don't have the shaft that they use.
The wheel isn't sewn at all I don't think. Just pressed together with a central grommet press fit onto the shaft. Haven't compared the results to the felt wheels cause I don't have the shaft that they use.
There are some cheap cloth wheels to be bought on ebay from china, something like $10 for ~15 weels, I'm tempted to try them.
Sorry for the late response. From a rough blank, I started at 36, 80, 120, 220, 400, then to gater belts down to A30. For compounds, i begin on cork belts, I started with black emery, green chrome, white diamond. And finish with Zam and Pink Scratchless on a loose sewn cloth wheel on the bench grinder.
For a restoration/clean up, It depends on how bad it is. For an average blade with little to no pitting, I start at 400. If that removes all the crud, then 600, 1000, 2000. Then green chrome, white diamond, Zam, and the pink.
If the 400 wasn't sufficient, I drop to 320, but no coarser.
For wheels on the bench grinder, I use three different types. Tight sewn treated, tight sewn untreated. These are a little firmer and aggressive. Then loose sewn, for finish polish on steel. For horn and synthetics, an unsewn buff with Zam is awesome.
the different compounds I use are all available in bricks from USA Knifemaker, or Jantz Supply.
For a restoration/clean up, It depends on how bad it is. For an average blade with little to no pitting, I start at 400. If that removes all the crud, then 600, 1000, 2000. Then green chrome, white diamond, Zam, and the pink.
If the 400 wasn't sufficient, I drop to 320, but no coarser.
For wheels on the bench grinder, I use three different types. Tight sewn treated, tight sewn untreated. These are a little firmer and aggressive. Then loose sewn, for finish polish on steel. For horn and synthetics, an unsewn buff with Zam is awesome.
the different compounds I use are all available in bricks from USA Knifemaker, or Jantz Supply.
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Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
Finished to .1u diamond paste on cloth wheel in the dremel. Was a GD66. Got careless with the dremel and had to make a shorty out of it.
