Engraved butt cap

[6T7L71CPE]

This is a 440C Butt Cap for a knife I'm slowly working on. I've read an old thread about buying stones but I'd like some info on how you shape them for use. I?d like to level and smooth out the areas next to the leaves.
Picture info: Nikon 995
Aperture priority maxed out at 5.1
OTT Desk Light diffused with white plexiglass from an old X-Ray reader.
White balance: Fluorescent (still came out a bit blue)
Macro focus mode

Thanks

[Tim Adlam]

Robert,

I shape the die sinker stones on my band sander using a coarse grit belt.
You could use a stone wheel grinder just as easily.
Generally, I grind a bunch of stones into pencil shapes, so as they wear down
I don't have to keep going back to the grinder as much.

Tim

[MCirelli]

Tim
The jewelry supply houses have some rubber wheels that have ceramic in them in different grits. There used with a flex shaft or dremel. The are quit aggressive they would clean up most of that around the edges very quick if you shape them like a knife-edge. The tight spots you may have to use some point ends. I have some if you want me to send you a couple to try I would be glad to.
Mike Cirelli

[mete]

What made you choose 440C ? Is it hardened ? I would think that for engraving better choices would be 440 A or B, or 416.

[6T7L71CPE]

Tim, Thanks for the stone shaping instructions.

Mike, I used a composite type wheel on the open spaces which might be similar to what you describe. It came with the Dremel assortment so I'm not sure what it's made of. I'll look through some of the supply houses for the small ones.

Mete, I used the annealed piece of 440C because that's what I had leftover from the blade. The engraving was an afterthought. The cap was even mounted on the handle before I decided to do this. It was a pain to hold in the vice but a good experience with odd shaped pieces.