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I've been working on my first restoration project and was wondering how to go about getting a mirror finish. I've used 3 grades of emory cloth and have been polishing forever with polishing wheels and the black, red, and white compounds that came with the Ryobi polishing set-up. I've used an 18 volt drill 'cause I don't have a dremel. Should I be using a watercloth grit sandpaper to get that mirror finish, or what?
If you include grit ratings that could help. I go from wherever I started the progression up to 800 grit dry, then to 1000-5000 grit wet, then to micromesh and finally maas or mothers polish and that is my entire hand-sanding progression.
Micro mesh it up to at least 10000 then take it to the buffer. Run it on some white, then chrome ox, then polish.
I'm a little frustrated. I've only been able to fine 1000 and 2000 grit wet-dry and no one can tell me where to find 5000. I have no idea what micro mesh is and haven't seen it on the shelf anywhere. Where am I supposed to be looking?
Micromesh can be found at Woodcraft, either online or in one of their brick and morter stores.
At 1000 you will still be able to see scratches, but you will have a semi mirror finish. 2000 is a nice finish. I found higher grits at Hobby Lobby. But finishing with Mother's chrome polish, Maas or similar really makes a big difference.
I just finished my first blade with the 2k grit last night. It is nice and shiny. Still need to polish it. Cant wait to see the result. I would just work the sanding progression up to 2k and give it a good polish. I bet you will be pleased with your results.
Jon
I recently purchased some micormesh after looking at some other posts about it here at SRP and brought it home. Wow. I couldn't ask for a better choice for the next step beyond 2000 grit. This stuff is amazing. Right now, I'm doing everything by hand as I don't need to stir the Kraken (she's a sweetie though,...really) by purchasing anything else.
You can polish steel from the 1000 to 1500 grit wet abrasive paper, but the sheer amount of work on the buffer, and use of the coarser compounds, are very liable to produce rounded edges, defacement of etched inscriptions etc. Still, that isn't the problem you describe here. Three grades of paper is very few, unless you were starting with a blade which was good enough to start out with a fine grade. I think the problem wasn't the coarseness of the 200 grit paper, but the size of the gap between that and the next coarsest you used.
I don't believe anybody really needs to use paper of 5000 to 10000 grit, and if you do, the advice sometimes seen here to wet it with WD40 is good. Water evaporates quickly, and it takes very slight use of paper like that, once dried, to clog the grains.
I just picked up some micromesh in a 9 pack set at Lee Valley
Found some Micro Mesh here and the price was fantastic!
MicroMesh Multi-Pack (12000, 8000, 6000, 4000, 3200, 2400) 6 sheets | Strings By Mail
Are you using the cutting motion on the buffer wheels? I can get a mirror finish by just using sisal buffing wheel on a bench grinder then moving to a soft buffing wheel. If I am honest, it is really hard to tell a difference between buffing compounds (apart from speed) with the naked eye. You can see the difference under high MAG.
Probably is hard to see a difference with sisal wheels and a bench grinder...Quote:
Originally Posted by straightrazorheaven
I use a soft buffing wheel too :) you can't see the difference in the finishes unless you have a loupe or greater MAG. They are all mirror finish, as you can see :)Attachment 91367
I was looking at buying a variable speed 3" mini buffer from Habor Freight. O to 3000 rpm's. Has plenty of power. Have to take off the guards and the attached grinding flex arm but for $40! What a deal. Saves a lot of space on the bench too. 3" buffing wheel should be fine right? Anyone ever use one of these?
http://http://www.harborfreight.com/...aft-43533.html
Buying it today after work and will try it out on my first project blade. They can't keep these in the stores apparently. We have two stores in the city where I live and both are constantly out of stock. Of course on line ordering is only $6 SH. but why pay if you don't have to. I'll let you all know how it does. I will be using Caswell greaseless compounds 80 120 180 240 800 1200.
Hey there,
I would be very careful with such a small wheel! The smaller the wheel is the faster the surface speed. Make sure you have a real tight grip on that razor and ensure you know how to do it safely (things like having the razor facing the correct way) It is relatively safe when proper precautions and knowledge is put in place. Have you used a bench buffer before?
Carl.
Hi Carl,Quote:
Originally Posted by straightrazorheaven
Thanks for the word of caution but I am no stranger around a shop. I have used a buffer for years but they have been much larger. Using a buffer is always potentially dangerous no matter the size. This one has an adjustable speed setting from 0 to 10,000 rpm's ( no load). It doesn't have the space to move around like the larger units but it works just fine! I kept the speed at roughly 2,000 rpm (nl). Worked great for $30. I have a firearms side busine
and that will meet my needs there as well. If I was to start doing razors as a business then I could see investing in a nice buffer like the one Caswell sells but for the average guy, this $30 micro works great.
That sounds great :) Hey check my post about high gloss resin polish in the workshop! I don't know if you use this already but it really gives the scales a mirror finish too!!
I am moving to the states soon enough and I think I will get me one of these buffers, would you recommend?
Carl
Hi Carl,
If money is a concern, as well as bench space and you have some experience on a buffer then I would recommend this mini buffer as it works great! If you have an extra $300 to $379 USD, Caswell makes a nice straight razor polishing kit with a 1100rpm buffer, compounds, wheels and everything. It's the best kit I've seen. They are actually a few towns over from me. Check them out on line at caswellplating.com.
I will take a look, I'm looking art starting a businesses :) I'm hobbying ATM and I love it!
Well, the little 3" HF adjustable bench buffer was "ok" and you COULD work around the fact that its so tiny Attachment 92131but I ended up returning it. I picked up a 3/4 hp 8" 3200rpm with light from HF and will slow it down by using different size buffer wheels. I had contacted Caswall about their Chinese 1100 unit (1 yr warranty) because they had $20 shipping which I didnt want have to pay seeing as how they are in my back door but closed after I get out of work. Wouldn't you know it, after I bought the HF unit, the owner stated he lived near me and would bring the unit to me if I decide I want it! Man these guys are great. Caswell has a great unit its just that I am cheaping out with a nice $50 HF unit vs a real nice $259 Caswell unit. If you are learning how to run a buffer go with the Caswell 1100 rpm and practice buffing the handles of your wrenches or something after watching buffing videos. At least this way if you send something flying, it wont be sharp. Just thought I would toss in this update on the buffer. ps...I have purchased and used Caswell's greaselss buffing compounds for anyone interested, they load well and work great. Just be sure to have a separate wheel for each grit size. I happen to use 80 up to 600. Oh, and put a large box behind your buffer (tip). It will collect all the spin off of compound, keep all dust centralized (I am connecting a dust port), and object wont go far, plus its renewable! I just shop-vac it out and its good to go!
Attachment 92130 Here is the stable...Attachment 92132
Quote:
Originally Posted by medicevans
I saw 3000 wet/dry at Advance Autoparts yesterday.
Don't mean to be a downer but at any given RPM, the larger the wheel the faster the surface speed. Bigger wheel= longer circumference= more wheel passing the blade every time around.Quote:
Originally Posted by straightrazorheaven
:shrug:
Another thing with buffers and wheels. If you don't a dedicated wheel for each grit, you're going to have issues with left over compound of the lower grits that will affect the performance of your higher grits. Even after you've tried to remove all the previous lower grit compound by whatever means you use, it still makes the wheel wear wear down faster.
Just some thoughts from an old coot that has blued many a gun and built many a knife.
I don't use buffers on any of the razors I'm cleaning up simply due to the possibility of hot spots and getting one snagged and thrown or broken.
I do have a 2x72 belt grinder that I am in the process of putting a DC motor and controller on so I can slow that punk down to creepy crawl belt speeds and it won't bog.
I broke down and purchased a Caswell 1100RPM 3/4 hp Buffer. I went with their lower priced Straight Razor Kit. Mike Caswell brought it out to the house himself since they are close by. Now that's customer service!
Its one heavy duty cast, iron unit! Yes its from China but what isn't these days. Here's the link for the buffer itself at $259 3/4 HP Buffing Machine - 1100 RPM (Machine Only) - Buffing Machines - Buffing/Polishing - Caswell Inc
These machines are great. Pick yourself up one if you're buffing straights, thin metals, or anything requiring slower speeds. While you're there, pick up their greaseless compounds (picture in my post above).
What's the noise factor with one of these things? Need ear plugs? Neighbors need ear plugs? Won't disturb watching tv in the same room?
Actually, it was quiet as hell but the Caswell is just leaps and bounds the best buy for the money. Super quiet as well.Quote:
Originally Posted by DGilloon
I'm selling most of my straights at this time if anyone is interested....
Very true. What we are talking about here is SFPM or surface feet per minute - the amount of feet passing the workpiece in one minute.Quote:
Originally Posted by deadrift
A rough (but close) formula to calculate this is:
SFPM = 1/4 dia. of wheel x RPM
So with a 4" wheel, one quarter of the diameter is 1. Say the motor spins the spindle at 1750, then SFPM = 1 x 1750 = 1750sfpm.
But with a 6" wheel, one quarter of the diameter is 1.5, so we have 1.5 x 1750 = 2625sfpm - quite an increase in speed.
Regards,
Neil
P.S.: you want to keep those compounds in the fridge - they dry up and become useless if left open to the air.
LOL, don`t be frustrated:-) One day you will get like mirror finish on your razor. From my personal experience... I give up long time ago. To much money for all materials in order to get to like mirror stage. For now I just clean (mesh #000 and maas) up razor, make sure bevel can be set and ready to hone. Well there are not breath takeing away straight razors but they shave well:-) This is just me :-) I had also to many bad experiences with turning straight razors into mirror like conditions. Few times razor over heated, few times was destroyed during buffering and few times just razor warp... However best ever results I got when used sand paper up to 3000 and used cheap green metal polish from HFT.Quote:
Originally Posted by Costabro
Hey guys im currently doing my first restoration job and i'm up to the micro mesh part of things and bought this from an Australian website (supporting the locals of course)
is this an ok kit? Also in my defence force days we used to use newspaper to polish off our brass keepers on our belts for a mirror finish. does anyone know if that is doable on a razor? has anyone tried it? or are the grades of micro mesh even finer than what a newspaper would be?
Thanks again guys
FE
