Thread: Buffing Compounds Revisited

You might find www.caswellplating.com a very interesting resource for buffing compounds and supplies.

The hard, dry buffing compounds are easy to put on a felt wheel if you first break off a chunk, smash it into small pieces and then put the pieces into an electric coffee bean/spice grinder and pwder it. Then combine it with Maas or some similar goo. Then it will stick to the felt wheel.

Originally Posted by randydance062449

The hard, dry buffing compounds are easy to put on a felt wheel if you first break off a chunk, smash it into small pieces and then put the pieces into an electric coffee bean/spice grinder and pwder it. Then combine it with Maas or some similar goo. Then it will stick to the felt wheel.

Thanks for the tip!

I have been taking a razor blade into the outside of the felt wheel making several cuts into the felt while the dremel is on (slow speed). This gets some crevices going into which the melted buffing compound can stick. Then I (turn the dremel down low for all this work) buff into the compound in a side to side motion. After I turn the dremel off and manually turn the wheel into the compound again (this adds another coat to the wheel). I let it dry for about 30 seconds or so and it's really to go. You can also smear some of the melted compound (it melts after the dremel wheel hits it for a little bit) onto the blade like you would Maas.

I like your idea best, but I don't have a grinder to grind into a fine powder. Maybe just use emery powder (do they sell various grits of that stuff?) and Maas? There's also that stuff Bill Ellis uses to start up a new bevel on a blade. He puts it on his 4000 grit stone. It looks like he uses it to get a lower grit out of a 4k (like having a 1k on the cheap). I forget the name of it.

Originally Posted by bth88

There's also that stuff Bill Ellis uses to start up a new bevel on a blade. He puts it on his 4000 grit stone. It looks like he uses it to get a lower grit out of a 4k (like having a 1k on the cheap). I forget the name of it.

Rotten Stone

Rottenstone is decaying limestone. It breaks down very rapidly and can be used for a final polish on a blade.

For honing I grind it up first then it is used on a paddle strop in place of a 0.5 micron compound. After it is put on the leather then it needs to be "worked" with a blade to break up an large grits.

I use buffing compounds for all sorts of things in restoration and I agree, they are an indispensable weapon in my restoration arsenal.

I use a course rouge to clean up razors when I get them to get an idea of how much sanding will be needed. I use the same one after 2000 grit wet/dry to get a less than perfect mirrir finish. I use a fine green rouge for mirror finishes as well as on a paddle strop for final polishing when honing.

Incidentally, a clean denim wheel does wonders for polishing horn, bone and dense woods (cocobolo, ironwood etc. )

Originally Posted by randydance062449

The hard, dry buffing compounds are easy to put on a felt wheel if you first break off a chunk, smash it into small pieces and then put the pieces into an electric coffee bean/spice grinder and pwder it.

Sounds great for the compound. How does your coffee taste afterward?