What is your sanding routine before you move on to buffing? And, for those who have tried both a dremel and a bench buffer, which do you recomend for reaching a nice mirror finish? I know both methods are capable, but I'd like to know which you prefer and why.
Questions about buffing
- Thread starter Friedramen
- Start date
A Dremel will work for polishing but if you have any serious work to do or a lot of surface area a bench buffer is a LOT faster because you can use more pressure to cut quicker and the bench machine won't stall out like a Dremel.
The other side of the coin is that you can't really utilize that speed and power increase on a razor, because if you are using much of the motor power you'll almost certainly overheat the thin steel and ruin the temper. So the answer is "it depends." If you're doing mostly razor stuff and don't foresee a need for other polishing, I'd just use the Dremel or something similar.
Grit progression depends on the extent of damage to the item being polished. Sometimes I've gone down to 120 grit to start and sometimes I start with a buff. Start where you think you should and if it's taking an excessive amount of time to clean up, move down to a lower grit.
The other side of the coin is that you can't really utilize that speed and power increase on a razor, because if you are using much of the motor power you'll almost certainly overheat the thin steel and ruin the temper. So the answer is "it depends." If you're doing mostly razor stuff and don't foresee a need for other polishing, I'd just use the Dremel or something similar.
Grit progression depends on the extent of damage to the item being polished. Sometimes I've gone down to 120 grit to start and sometimes I start with a buff. Start where you think you should and if it's taking an excessive amount of time to clean up, move down to a lower grit.
I use 600, 1000, 1500, 2000, 25000 wet/dry. If not too bad I skip the 600.
I only sand if there is active rust or spider webs that might get worse. I use a low speed bench buffer, so I can feel the blade temp while I'm buffing. I sometimes start with a red "Scotchbrite" wheel on the buffer when there's a lot of crud or light rust.
- Thread starter
- #5
So how far up do you go with sandpaper before moving to the buffer if you had to drop down to 120? And in regards to overheating the blade, is dipping it in cold water a viable option to avoid overheating?
Dipping in cold water can be helpful in keeping the thicker part of the blade cool so you can hang on to it, but with thin steel, it heats up fast with any pressure, and the damage can be done in the blink of an eye. Won't help there. Keep in mind that with a razor, if you see any color on the steel due to heat, you've already altered the temper and reduced the hardness of the blade.
How far up to go before moving to the buffer is another one of those things where "it depends." Going with a satin finish? Mirror polish? I would say bare minimum 600 for a satin finish, 2,000 at least if you want a mirror polish. This can vary too based on the stiffness of the buffing wheel and the aggressiveness of whatever compound you're using.
How far up to go before moving to the buffer is another one of those things where "it depends." Going with a satin finish? Mirror polish? I would say bare minimum 600 for a satin finish, 2,000 at least if you want a mirror polish. This can vary too based on the stiffness of the buffing wheel and the aggressiveness of whatever compound you're using.
