Thread: Observations and request for pointers on hand sanding

Originally Posted by outback

I typically won't sand a full hollow. Instead I cut off the active rust with a single edge razor blade, then some 0000 steel wool and oil/ WD-40, then 3M metal restorer/ polish.

After cleaning up 50 or more razors, you'll be better at evaluating if a blade warrants sanding at all. Most aren't.!

1/4 hollow and wedges are the only blades that can withstand heavy sanding. I also don't go any lower in grit, than 400, only on great occasions do I drop to 320.

Making a magnetic blade holding jig is a must, for hand sanding. Let's you use both hands while sanding, and lessens the fatigue .

That's a cool jig Mike. I on the other hand sand every blade, with very few exceptions, even if it is only with 2k. I think 2k w/d shines better than polish.

The dorklord visor.
WD-40 is just a fine, inexpensive lubricant. Any very fine one will do. I buy it because around here it’s the cheapest one. People that live in and around cities tend to have way more options.

Restoration begins at purchase. Buy razors in the best condition you can afford. As Christian said do you want to put 5 hours into a $50 razor?

Buy good sandpaper, cut into 3-inch squares, (old paper cutter) mark the grit on the back, and change the paper once it stops cutting. For lower grits you can extend the life a bit, by blowing the load up off with compressed air.

Wrap the cork with 6mm craft foam, cut into 3inch pieces it is much easier on your fingers. With a 3 inch piece of sandpaper you can sand with one side up against the edge of the cork and roll the paper so you are always on fresh cutting abrasive, then flip the paper 180 degrees and repeat with fresh grit, rolling the cork and paper to use only fresh grit. Now flip the paper 90 degrees and repeat, then flip the paper 180, so you are always on fresh grit and you can use every inch of paper effectively.

Once it stops cutting, replace the paper.

Jimps are cleaned with a 3m Radial Bristle Disc, 60 grit the maroon ones work best. They will also get into corners, like stabilizers and between scales, if you do not un-pin. You can use wire wheels, but they throw wires.

Motored tools can speed up work or destroy it. There is a learning curve, and you can often tell when motors were used by loss of detail.

Cross grit sanding removes material faster and you get a more even finish.

WD40, Simple Green & Windex all work as a lubricant and resist flash rust like plain water will.


Here is an excellent Video by Nick Wheeler on hand sanding knives. He talks about flat, and his jigs and sanding sticks are made for flat sanding, which for a knife is important, not for a razor that very little is flat, but every thing else is spot on. Nick’s knives and finishes are spectacular, this is how he does it. He also has other videos on hand sanding. (Nick Wheeler Hand sanding Knives 101).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I4x4QLpfnk

@Euclid: Thank you for the useful tips and great video.

I have used wire wheels on jimps, even wire wheels with metal polish on, but still struggle to get jimps really clean I will look into the 3M radial bristle disc.

Originally Posted by Euclid440

Restoration begins at purchase. Buy razors in the best condition you can afford. As Christian said do you want to put 5 hours into a $50 razor?
...

Luckily for me, this is not even a slight concern. I am interested in the process, learning and improving skills, finding a challenge, and experimenting. If I was even slightly concerned about the value of the finished article, I would be much better spending my time earning money and buying razors in top condition, instead of spending money on tools and equipment, spending time on research, and then spending time working on a razor. In fact, I may be better off not buying razors at all. That is not to say that some projects are not more worthwhile than others, but those criteria develop with time and experience. In fact, I am halfway through sanding another blade, which will never be worth anything, and in retrospect should just have been left alone. But I will finish it to a reasonable standard, and learn something in the process.

Originally Posted by Montgomery

@Euclid: Thank you for the useful tips and great video.

I have used wire wheels on jimps, even wire wheels with metal polish on, but still struggle to get jimps really clean I will look into the 3M radial bristle disc.



Luckily for me, this is not even a slight concern. I am interested in the process, learning and improving skills, finding a challenge, and experimenting. If I was even slightly concerned about the value of the finished article, I would be much better spending my time earning money and buying razors in top condition, instead of spending money on tools and equipment, spending time on research, and then spending time working on a razor. In fact, I may be better off not buying razors at all. That is not to say that some projects are not more worthwhile than others, but those criteria develop with time and experience. In fact, I am halfway through sanding another blade, which will never be worth anything, and in retrospect should just have been left alone. But I will finish it to a reasonable standard, and learn something in the process.

Good on you Montgomery! That is the typical argument heard about Gold Dollars too, and while it is very true from a money spent vs value standpoint, looking at it in that way misses the point.

Badger makes a modeling, hobby, soda blasting rig. It will clean jimps very clean, and very fast.

A little late to the party here, but I pretty much use the OP's method as given in the first post, although with a flat block for the flat faces and dowels for hollows. Silicon carbide powder on a rag and steel wool can help with the pitting. Looks like the blade as starting out had a lot of black rust. Those can take a long time. Good job in any case.

Originally Posted by RezDog

Badger makes a modeling, hobby, soda blasting rig. It will clean jimps very clean, and very fast.

Interesting! I'm not ready for that quite yet, but sounds like a good approach. If it works for jimps, how is it on the blade itself?

Originally Posted by bluesman7

Good on you Montgomery! That is the typical argument heard about Gold Dollars too, and while it is very true from a money spent vs value standpoint, looking at it in that way misses the point.

Ha! Missing which point? I guess the point that Euclid made holds very true for him, and all power to him. He knows his stuff, his advice is always very helpful, he is always willing to share, and I'm sure he has an amazing collection of wonderful razors in beautiful condition. Maybe one day I will also see it that way. But for now I get a lot of enjoyment out of seeing what I can do with a razor which does not cost too much, and will probably never be worth much, but still has a nice thing of good quality hiding in there somewhere and has every chance of giving a great shave. I did buy one Gold Dollar, I spent ages sorting out the geometry, I got something out of it in the end, learnt quite a lot, but I didn't feel the magic. On the other hand, a while ago I bought a cheap lot of old razors, three in total, minimal cost, one had a big chip in it, one was in really rough homemade scales that were catching the blade, and the third was a really worn down small blade. But when I got hold of them, I realised that all three were covered in long-dried out grease. I could still see the fingerprints on the blades, and I realised that they had probably all been greased and put away together a long time ago. Pondering that, I imagined that if someone had gone to the trouble of making new scales for a blade, he was probably fairly attached to it, or at least liked it. Now, the chipped one has had the edge restored; that blade in the homemade scales has inherited a nice pair of bone scales from another razor that was past the point of no return, and I even found a box for it from the right maker. Sometimes when I use that razor I wonder about that old boy, long long gone by now, taking his razors, one of which he could well have used day in day out, year in year out, and I imagine him for some reason covering them in a layer of grease and putting them away for the very last time all those years ago. That's where the magic is for me.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

That's a cool jig Mike. I on the other hand sand every blade, with very few exceptions, even if it is only with 2k. I think 2k w/d shines better than polish.

U should give the 3M metal restorer a try, some amazing stuff.





Done by rag in hand, in less than ten minutes.