Thread: suggestions for polishing/polishing compounds?

The dremel is a very dangerous tool when dealing with razors.

If I didn't already have one, I probably wouldn't buy it and go the tumbler method.

I believe I had read about a few people who killed their blades using a dremel when polishing. I know Glen strongly advises against using one.

I found it to be useful for applying the Turtle Wax via felt wheel, but I was nervous using it the whole time.

If you do end up buying one, make 100% sure you get a variable speed dremel. The ones that are not variable speed spin so fast, not only is it not safe for your blade, its not safe for you. I rarely push my variable speed dremel past about the 50% mark of speed.

I also recommend no sandpaper... only use it for polishing compounds... you can try greaseless on felt wheels, but, you have to reload them so often that its not really worth it.

Originally Posted by Mijbil

What can I do to substitute for not having a Dremel and polishing wheel? I realize I might not be able to get it as perfect as I could with the machine-help, and I'm okay with that for now.

Thanks for your help.

Going back to the OP, I recommended a dremel simply due to it's other uses. Unless you reload, a tumbler set-up can get rather expensive to use just for razors unless you plan on restoring quite a few. A buffer setup is also expensive, but you can put a mirror like polish on a blade in short time..but you are limited to buffing. A variable (like Undream mentioned) speed dremel is still what I recommend, I have all of the other goodies in the shop & the dremel is more versatile for a hobbyist.

hmm. well there sure is divided sentiment on this one. is there really much danger to the razor with the dremel if I'm not doing sanding, just polishing and buffing with felt wheels? or is the danger more to me? also, what's the verdict on whether I need to unpit the razor to use the tumbler? (seems like they're big enough if I could just rig it so that it's stays open. and then the scales too would get nicely polished.) I'm not averse to learning to unpin and repin razors, though I also thought with lots of oldies it's better not to unpin them unless really necessary.

also, for the simichrome - thus far I was mostly just using it a bit at the end. is the idea that you just have to do a billion times? or that you use it with some high grit sandpaper instead of water?

Originally Posted by Mijbil

hmm. well there sure is divided sentiment on this one. is there really much danger to the razor with the dremel if I'm not doing sanding, just polishing and buffing with felt wheels? or is the danger more to me? also, what's the verdict on whether I need to unpit the razor to use the tumbler? (seems like they're big enough if I could just rig it so that it's stays open. and then the scales too would get nicely polished.) I'm not averse to learning to unpin and repin razors, though I also thought with lots of oldies it's better not to unpin them unless really necessary.

also, for the simichrome - thus far I was mostly just using it a bit at the end. is the idea that you just have to do a billion times? or that you use it with some high grit sandpaper instead of water?

Yes about half a billion times with simichrome.
However the quickness that paper and simichrome turns
black is an indication that it works faster than many
expect. No polisher is quick and all depend on a fine
finished surface prior to polishing.

well, I'm pretty convinced about the tumbler - seems pretty amazing how far it can go, how many different stages it can eliminate -and with no elbow grease. I'm thinking I might be able to rig something up to avoid having to unpin the razor...but if I hav eto learn that, probably a good thing.

I was looking at polisher/buffers - and they have random orbital ones that look just like my random orbital sander. can you get buffing wheels that you put on a regular random orbital sander? if so is there any disadvantage to doing that rather than having the dedicated buffer/polisher? one thing is it seems the polishers are variable speed, which the sander isnt....

$.02 again:

I have to disagree with Shooter - IMO tumblers aren't that expensive. You can get one around $50 or so online, the media will run you about $20 for corn cob and walnut (check pet stores to get it for less), and the wax is break even since you'd need it with any other polishing device. So for $100 you're definitely set up. A variable speed dremel starts at, what, $75? Before you get all the extra stuff...

I think Undream and Fingers are right about the risks of a dremel. It's easy to let the dremel slip and hit the razor, and it only gets easier as you increase the RPMs. I've seen videos of people going pretty willy-nilly with a dremel, too - hand tightening the bits and pushing the limits of the tool. The whole thing is pretty unstable. Hit your finger with a 60 grit piece of SP going at 10,000 RPMs if you don't believe me.

As for putting a razor in a tumbler with the scales on, I wouldn't. A few reasons: It won't be able to clean or polish the pivot in between the scales, and adding some sort of "rig" will only cover more of the razor and leave "tumbler lines." The razor could move around and put some forces on the pivot area or scales that might break them. If you've ever unpinned scales (poorly) you know how fragile celluloid/bakelite scales are. And the biggest reason for me, if the scales are that important not to risk unpinning the razor, why would I throw the scales into a tumbler?

When I use sandpaper or a dremel I place the razor on a piece of soft linoliem glued to a board about 6"x6" and keep it flat with the edge against the linoliem. It is soft enough to not damage the razor but it is also sort of rubbery and keeps the blade from slipping. Using a dremel is ok if you keep the edge flat against something, otherwise the dremel might catch on the edge.

Originally Posted by mackie

Using a dremel is ok if you keep the edge flat against something, otherwise the dremel might catch on the edge.

Yep!

Regards - Walt

Walt:

Were you rotating the dremel felt with or against the edge?