Thread: Greaseless compound buffing question

I don't know how many routine you have with buffing, but it is not so easy to learn. Practice, and the results will be better and better with time. Practice on the junk razors until they don't look like razors anymore, but they will be shiney like hell

What grit are you starting at and how long are you spending on it?

I start with the 80 grit if the razor has pitting and only move up grits once I've removed all the pitting and/or rust (or as much of the pitting as I'm willing to).
I don't concentrate on just the part of the blade that has the pitting, as I try to keep the metal removal uniform across the entire blade.

The explanation is way harder then the fix,,, basically don't push the razor back against the curve of the wheel, the razor edge stays pointing straight down. so that the wheel is never burning the edge off...

I buff spine to edge also, but not everyone does, some buff lengthwise some buff multi directional (except edge to spine ) so these are other thoughts too...

But what you are doing is following the wheel instead of the other way around,,, Most of the time this is caused by holding the toe and the heel and pushing with the thumbs, DON"T do that... I rest my index finger across the back of the blade it is the safest and easiest to control that I have found... If the spine catches then the blade just pivots away with no risk of a cut... I wish I could do those cool diagrams, but alas I am just not that good with computers, just remember the edge points straight down, never back toward the wheel... BTW I start at 80-120-180-240-320-400-600 then on to polishes so it isn't the grit

Glen-


Yes, I was using my thumb against the back of the blade, up near the back, and allowing blade to follow the curve of the wheel, if that makes sense. It seemed to me that was the best way to actually get the wheel and compound to contact the part of the top of the blade (nearest the back) on a non-wedge razor.
Also, I think Undream's video tutorial on restoration shows his thumb against the back of the blade on some of the coarser grits. Although his example didn't seem to have any of the edge reshaped after running on the wheels.
Maybe I'll try running the wheel heel-to-toe to remove pitting on the blade surface itself.


I suppose it's all up to practice, and will definitely give me the opportunity to learn honing! One step at a time.

Think about the relation of the wheel and the edge,,,, if you push the edge back, then the wheel is coming down through the edge of the blade, that you do not want...
You only want to kiss,, the face of the blade, regardless of the direction...

See I told you explaining was harder then the fix LOL

OHHHHHH just don't spin the wheel, turn your buffer off, and hold the razor against it, rock the blade back toward the wheel, and then straight down, and look at the relation to it... That should help...

I will definitely do that.
Umm... once again, I may be missing the obvious (tape?) but is there a way to reduce the 'faux-hone wear' – I just made that term up – of the wheel removing metal from the spine? Seems like the tape would be gone almost instantly, and might get unwanted adhesive all over the wheel.
And yeah, the explanation may be difficult, but I assure you, it's helping.
Thanks again.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

Think about the relation of the wheel and the edge,,,, if you push the edge back, then the wheel is coming down through the edge of the blade, that you do not want...
You only want to kiss,, the face of the blade, regardless of the direction...

See I told you explaining was harder then the fix LOL

OHHHHHH just don't spin the wheel, turn your buffer off, and hold the razor against it, rock the blade back toward the wheel, and then straight down, and look at the relation to it... That should help...

Thanks for helping out with this, Glen.

You're definitely right that the explanation is difficult. I'm having trouble getting a few of the terms you're using.

What do you mean when you talk about moving the blade "back" or "straight down"? I think you wrote that rocking the razor back is what messes up the edge, but I don't quite get what that means.

Also, what did you mean by "following the wheel"? Is the alternative to add pressure to make the wheel deform around the razor? I didn't quite get that idea either.

Now to go figure out how you're holding that razor so that your index finger is on the back. I'll play with that a little before I go to sleep tonight

Originally Posted by gssixgun

...BTW I start at 80-120-180-240-320-400-600 then on to polishes...

I use the above progression and also have the Black emery stick,
Blue stick both from Caswell and also a white stick and red rough.
QUESTION: What is the progression of the aforementioned sticks?
Thanks for any help.