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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 10-14-2016, 12:15 PM
dtec1 dtec1 is offline
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brass gaurd

hey guys I got a question will melting brass compared to buying it or the actual pieces you use when melting effect the way it polishes? I got a piece I am using for a guard and I was just trying to shine up the front before I put it in its final position and there is very very fine scratches I cant get out I tried almost every compound I have even ones ment for light handle work like white diamond and pink scratchless (wich by name should leave no scratches and it is I tested by buffing each one in opisat directions and each compound is taking out the previous ones but its also leaving its own.) I never had this problem this much with brass but this is a piece I melted could that be why? any tips on getting them out ?
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Old 10-14-2016, 01:39 PM
WNC Goater WNC Goater is offline
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Melting it shouldn't change the properties of the brass, as long as it wasn't grossly overheated perhaps burning out some alloy, though I think that is unlikely.

In my years of polishing metals, it is very important to take it as far as you can with finer and finer abrasives before actually starting to buff. Otherwise, it is difficult to notice some deeper scratches, until you've already spent time buffing, and then those deeper scratches become more apparent.
So make sure you are getting "to the bottom of things" with previous scratches, before moving on to finer polishing compounds.
Now you indicate you have done that and at the finest grits scratches are showing up. So some possible causes:

Are you using a buffing wheel dedicated to a particular grit of compound? Meaning, you aren't using the same buff for finer compounds that you previously used for heavier grit compounds?

Is the buff clean? If you use one buff for steel and the same buff for brass, there could be minute steel residue clinging to the buff that is cutting into the brass. Ideally, you would have buffs that are dedicated to the individual compound and the individual metal.

Do you have a buff rake or some type of tool to clean the buff?

Also be aware you could potentially cause cross-contamination from the face of your buffing compound. Steel can get deposited on there and transferred to the buff used for brass.

There is no possibility of contamination from grit released from a grinding belt? There is no residual grinding dust on the brass as you start buffing?

Just a few things that come to mind. I doubt what you are experiencing is a result of some abnomality caused by melting the brass.

One final thought. Satin finish with scotchbrite rather than bright polished guard. Some metals are just difficult to get a mirror polish on. Just a thought...


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Last edited by WNC Goater; 10-14-2016 at 02:04 PM.
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Old 10-14-2016, 02:05 PM
WNC Goater WNC Goater is offline
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Now if we can figure out why Kydex (plastic) scratches steel & a way to avoid it we'd be in business!


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Old 10-14-2016, 03:42 PM
dtec1 dtec1 is offline
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LOL you are right about the kydex although making sure you clean it very very thoroughly after making the sheath so no lil tiny bits are in there deffinitly reduces the scratches

but yeh all my buff are the same compound clean and all that the only thing is SOME of the buffs I use for brass had been used once or twice on steel but I tested to make sure it wasn't that by taking a new buff amd applying pink scratch less and buffining in new direction and still same result brass is soft so its deffinitly going to scratch more easy than steel so I tried all the LIGHT compounds but I just don't get it cause I have polished brass in the past the exact same way with much better results wich is why I thought maybe because I melted this piece had something to do with it ...I did end up getting it better (not like I would have liked but better than it was) and since this knife is for me it will be ok (practice on hidden tang as I haven't done many of those and deffintly need practice even this time fitting the guard isn't perfect slight lil gap on the side of the blade and the guard I have a hard time with fitting gaurds like that but I have only done it 2 or 3 times ) I already put the guard on as I got the face a lil better so cant change it now but I will have to try and satin finish brass I have never done that always polished brass bolsters even if there was a satin finished knife under it deffinitly have to try it next I mess with brass
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Old 10-14-2016, 04:25 PM
jimmontg jimmontg is offline
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Just sand the brass with 1200 grit sandpaper and then use a clean piece of OOOO steel wool to buff it. The scratches from the steel wool will barely be visible and then hit it with a clean felt buff if you have one. Or use a rag with Turtle Wax or Flitz polish to take out the fine scratches, they have a very fine abrasive in them.

Last edited by jimmontg; 10-14-2016 at 04:29 PM.
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belt, blade, brass, diamond, fixed blade, grinding, guard, handle, hidden, knife, kydex, make, pink, plastic, problem, sand, satin finish, sheath, steel, tips, tool, white


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