Thread: sandpaper or clover compound

Hey guys, I have one wapi that I want to rust blue, need to nock the finish down to 320 grit or so, to get the bluing to "bite".

should I use sandpaper or should I just chuck up a cloth wheel (not bothering setting up buffer, just putting it in the drill press) and put some 320 grit clover lapping compound on it and get it over with?

Red

The compound will probably get you the most appealing result, as coarse hand sanding tends to be less uniform unless you use some kind of rotary tool.

thanks, I dont' suppose you have ever used clover on a wheel? I'm not sure how it is supposed to be done, brush it on then let it dry or work with it still moist?

Red

No I use chromium oxide which comes from a bar.
I let my dremel felt wheel rotate, and then touch it against the bar.

then the grease melts a bit, and the wheel is loaded. That's when I start polishing.

If you use liquid compound, use only a minimal amount.
Letting it dry won't matter much, because pastes etc often contain grease, so it'll never really dry out.
For water based compounds it could work, but I have no experience with those.

Originally Posted by Big Red

thanks, I dont' suppose you have ever used clover on a wheel? I'm not sure how it is supposed to be done, brush it on then let it dry or work with it still moist?

Red

I have used coarse compounds on wheels for a while now. It has been my experience that 320 grit compound doesn't cut at all like 320 grit sandpaper. The actual abrasive grit size may be comparable, but the shape of the particles, the medium, force and distribution are different.

From my experience, using compounds on sisal wheels versus 3M wet/dry...

320 grit sandpaper = 120 grit compound
320 grit compound = 600 grit sandpaper

So when you're deciding which to use, take this into account.

thanks floppy, I think then that I am really better off with the compound, at least for a first attempt, then I can go back and sand if it doesn't bite enough.

Red