Ho do you polish?

[mrmaroon]

What do you restorers use to polish your blades? I use a combo of 45-12-8-6-3 micron diamond paste and then some Crox to finisher her off! It leaves a great mirror shine, but is easy to scratch.

 

[Smythe]

Believe it or not, I use only one compound when I need to get mirror... and that's Simichrome... after 2K grit abrasive I can clearly see reflections with just a slight haze. Then Simichrome gets gets it mirror.

 

[mrmaroon]

Wher do you purchase this simichrome

 

[Smythe]

Wait!... before you go buy the stuff… it’s metal polish, and I hear it’s the same as MAAS… I haven’t used many other polish so I cannot say it’s better than anything else… But it’s 100 times better than Brasso, that stuff is useless on hardened steel.

But I use Simichrome to polish anything… brass, nickel silver, all plastics including vintage celluloid, Bakelite, you name it…. It’s the only “polish” I use. It's a Pink compound and you may be surprised how well it gets the job done.

I get it on eBay available in 1.7ox tubes and 250 gram can.
http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=si...kw=&_osacat=20778&_trksid=p3286.c0.m270.l1313
You could get your self a tube and try it out… you may like it.

EDIT: I almost forgot... it will leave a protective film on steel.

 

[torbenbp]

I have been thinking about trying to mix coticule dust or excessive slurry with some type of oil to make polish..Off course the water containing slurry would have to be dried but maybe it can be picked up in a coffee filter and then dried. Have some huge filters meant for use in a machine used in cafe`s.

So next time I`m honing I`ll try to pick up as much slurry as possible and dry it.
Havnt tried it yet but I see no reason for it not to work?

No matter what it could be fun to try it out ;-)

Regards gents

 

[mrmaroon]

I tried some toothpaste, but I don't think the abrasive in there is hard enough. It does smell nice though:

 

[rayman]

I have used various different products depending on the situation I am presented. If I need to keep the blade mounted in its scales I will always work with my magnetic holder to keep the blade secure and eliminate the possibility of getting cut or damaging the edge. Then I will most likely start with a series of Wet or dry sand paper 220,320,400,600,1k,1.5k,2k and then to the pastes for final polishing. Some of the pastes I use are Maas, Flitz, Ultra Course (1200), Ultra Fine (2500) finishing compound from PPG. I have also tried Crox and Cerium Oxide(glass Polish).

If I have the blade removed from the scales, I like to use black,brown,green and white polishing bars on 8" buffing wheels. Extreme care must be followed in handeling the blade, especially with the very thin full hollow ground ones. They tend to heat up really fast, and in like the blink of an eye you can lose the temper of the blade if you arent careful.

Enjoy!

Ray

 

[Matt]

Extreme care must be followed in handeling the blade, especially with the very thin full hollow ground ones. They tend to heat up really fast, and in like the blink of an eye you can lose the temper of the blade if you arent careful.

Now that's another thing that might get you into trouble... If only you weren't a member of this great forum! :thumbup:

I have been thinking about trying to mix coticule dust or excessive slurry with some type of oil to make polish.

Hmm, that's a wicked idea, Torben! Drop a line if you try it.

regards,
Matt

 

[rayman]

One interesting little side note you should be aware of. I would not use products such as Brasso. The reason is it contains the ingrediant Ammonia. Ammonia breaks down and weakens or destroys brass and copper. Now you might not have brass or copper blades, but you just might have brass pins. This might not be an issue but why risk it.

Ray

 

[torbenbp]

Extreme care must be followed in handeling the blade, especially with the very thin full hollow ground ones. They tend to heat up really fast, and in like the blink of an eye you can lose the temper of the blade if you arent careful.

And quite important too : Be very very very carefull with those buffing wheels. A wrong motion and the blade flies like a rocket. Oh boy could I tell some stories about butchers knifes swirling through the room....:cry:

regards

 

[Smythe]

Believe it or not...
I have no longer have safety or heat issues with my buffer... It runs at a slooow 700 RPM. In fact, I can hold the blade stationary on the wheel for a few minutes before I have to take it away as it gets hot to the touch... never burned a blade with this buffer, and because it is so slow, if it ever grabs the blade there is not enough momentum to wrench it form my hands, and even if it does, the blade is not going more than a few inches.

And it still gets that mirror shine in good time.