Thread: Handsanding howto

Originally Posted by tris_d

It is like the green paste. Chromium Dioxide is a widely used artists pigment and you can get a significant amount of it for not much cash in comparison to buying a tiny tubr of paste. Now if I could find out what else is in the paste....

I thought it was Cr2O3?

anyway, yes you can get chromium oxide for cheap. I got a brick sized piece which is used to load polishing steel on a buffer wheel.
But the grit size is 15 micron instead of 0.5 micron, so it is completely worthless for the purpose of polishing a razor's edge. I suspect the same is true for artists pigment.

The tiny tubes contain only the chromium oxide in grease. It's just a LOT finer than what is used in other applications, and thus more expensive.

Originally Posted by Philadelph

This is about the simplest thing I have found to help sanding, yet has helped tremendously:

Contour Sanding Pads - Woodcraft.com

They are basically what Bruno uses, but much smaller (still fit the fingers great! Comfortable), quicker, easier, and they give more options. I have one set of these things and I cannot find a shape that I don't have one of these for. Really, check them out. I have a Woodcraft by me, so I just went there...

Thanks, Alex (Philly) -

I just ordered a set!

Steve

Do you really need a sanding block?? I used my bare hands and got a nice polish on the blade Im working on. I even used just my hand when i polished with the Flitz. If it makes it easier of has better results ill try it, please tell me you thoughts on this.

A sanding block takes alot of the load off of your finger tendons. It also gives an added layer of protection between you and that sandpaper-sharpened edge!

Originally Posted by Seraphim

A sanding block takes alot of the load off of your finger tendons. It also gives an added layer of protection between you and that sandpaper-sharpened edge!

Spoken like someone who has sliced open a finger like me.....

Originally Posted by tjiscooler

Do you really need a sanding block?? I used my bare hands and got a nice polish on the blade Im working on. I even used just my hand when i polished with the Flitz. If it makes it easier of has better results ill try it, please tell me you thoughts on this.

I'm trying my first restore and have tried using a pink eraser with sandpaper looped around it. You can carve them to any contour and they conform to contours nicely since they're soft. Much like the tools from Woodcraft, only cheaper It would be nice to find a way to extend a grip into the palm to ease the strain on the fingers though. Perhaps someone might explore this before I get to it?

I've also used the bare eraser on the end of a pencil to polish with compound. Nice thing is that some erasers already have a light abrasive in them too.

I'm not aiming at a mirror finish. I kinda like the satin look. Plus it'll hide the small scratches that might be more prominent on a mirror finish.

For what it's worth

I tried one of those erasers too, it was hard to get the paper to stay on tho, the water help it adhere a bit but i think ill try it again with a clip so secure it.

After sanding for 10 hours on a blade using only your fingers, you'll probably find that using a sanding block / stick / device is a good idea after all.

I switched from hand to stick when I started to get tendonitis.
Once I built my sanding stick, the tendonitis went away.

I think ill try and make a sanding stick. The problem is that I like to feel whats going on while i sand...

noob question, but how much pressure do you apply while sanding?