12K Polishing Cloth, DIY

[Euclid440]

12K polishing cloths.

A Blue Paper Shop cloth goes through a number of re-incarnations in my shop, before it gets tossed in the trash.

First, I use a paper towel while honing along with a micro fiber, the micro fiber gets most of the water off a blade, but a paper towel will get 95 percent of the slurry off the bevel and blade. This is important when looking at bevels with a hand scope or USB scope, to photograph.

I lay out the towels after honing to dry, then stack in a drawer. They are then used to clean and polish final polish a razor for their Second life, the abrasive grit from the 8 and 12K work as fine abrasive and as haze remover to clean the polish and oil from the blade.

For those of you that have not use it, Castwell’s sells a Haze Removing powder to clean the greasy residue from buffing. It works exceptionally well and a $6 bottle will last a life time. I dip a coffee stir sick to pick up a 1/4 in mound of power, (Talcum Powder works in a pinch) sprinkle on a paper towel and polish the greasy metal to a high shine.

These towels worked so well I started adding slurry to them by wiping the slurry off the 8 & 12K stones, instead of rinsing it down the sink, when re-surfacing between razors.

The third life it to clean a razor with WD40, let dry and use for the 4th time to polish with metal polish. Typically I will use a towel until it is almost completely black with tarnish or it tears, before it hits the trash can.

I figure the less money I spend on paper towels the more razors and stones I can buy, at least that is what I tell my bride… actually I buy them, by the case at Costco.

[tintin]

great idea! i've found that the dirtier the dedicated rag i use with Mothers polish the better it works too.

[Lutebro]

Since I'm just learning to hone this is a great idea! Thanks!

[sharptonn]

I do the same thing! A use for them along the line till they go out in the shop to use working on cars!