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  #1  
Old 09-07-2016, 05:02 PM
dtec1 dtec1 is offline
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no grit cork??

hey guys so I got a question for any one that does any mirror polishing. so in the past I have always gone up as high as I can with belts.. then I would use a felt belt that goes on the grinder and you put compound on it just like a buff. then what ever compound I finish with I do it on a buffer. I have found that to be much quicker than going from abrasive belts straight to the buffer. so I had 3 of these felt belts and I haven't polished anything in a while (although the next one will be) so like I said haven't used these felt belts recently and I have no idea what I did with 2 of them. so I remember seeing NO GRIT cork belts at trugrit so they are much cheaper the felt is between 20 and 30 bucks the cork one I think are about 6$ so I am wondering if any of you guys have used these no grit cork belts and if they are any good? I would much rather buy 2 of them then spend the extra money on the felt ones as long as they are decent. the felt is really really soft so it by itself wont leave any marks on the blade I am not sure if that is also true with the cork? lastly I have never used a "stainless" specified compound is it really any better then a different compound?? I would think the only thing that REALLY makes a difference in compound is the grit in it regardless ofsteel type maybe some steel is harder to buff so you start with a compound with a larger grit not quite sure what makes a compound "stainless"
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  #2  
Old 09-07-2016, 05:24 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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The cork belts are very firm and you put compound on them just like a felt belt. You can try them but you might not like them. If you don't want to spend money on expensive polishing belts and the proper compound for each metal then simply stop polishing stuff.

I'm not exactly sure what makes a compound a stainless compound but I am sure that if you use stainless compounds on stainless steels you will get a better result. I know some of it has to do with whether or not the final finish ends up cloudy or clear (you want clear).......


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  #3  
Old 09-07-2016, 06:39 PM
dtec1 dtec1 is offline
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yes you make a point the felt belts are probilly more expensive for a reason I am curios about the cork but I have used cork belts that do have grit in them and your right they seem a lil harder and firmer than felts that's for sure. I know you cant tell much from a pic but the cork with grit is black and without is the classic tan cork color so I was wondering if it is some how different and maybe softer....I know whats going to happen I am going to spend the money on the felt ones and then I will find the 2 I lost that seems to be how things always happen. question about buffers I have a older 6in bench grinder with a 1/2 in arbor that I made a extension for to hold the wheels out further like a buffer. but the variable speed is shot its stuck all the way open and sounds like it wants to die I also have a 8in one that's brand new its been sitting in a box for 2-3 years so I am going to start using that one but it has a 5/8 arbor so I have a couple options i am going to make the same type of extension for that one that i made for the older one it MIGHT be possible to make the extension out of 1/2in and get a small umm i forget what its called kinda like a nut 1/2in on one side 5/8th on the other if i did that i could still use the same buffing wheels i have. i was also thinking about one of those tapered spindles that they make so you can use the buffs with a pin hole i have never seen these spindles in person how thick does it get? could i put a buff on it that has a 1/2in arbor hole or no??
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Old 09-07-2016, 07:52 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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You can use the buffs you have on any arbor you have that is as big or bigger than the hole in the buff. You can actually use the buffs on smaller arbors too if you have the little plastic doughnuts that fit over the arbor and take up the extra space.

To use the buffs on a larger arbor just take a sharp knife (got one?) And cut 4 slots around the arbor hole so that the buff can slip over the arbor. The buff will balance itself pretty quickly if you end up slightly off center ...


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  #5  
Old 09-07-2016, 11:00 PM
damon damon is offline
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not polished a stainless blade yet. (will soon enough though) but for other stainless parts I end up hand finishing up to 600-1500 grit before using the buffer. (ZAM on muslin buff)

I have a felt belt which I rarely use. I also have the cork belts in 400, 600, and 1000 grit which I'm finding more uses for.
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Old 09-08-2016, 12:11 AM
jimmontg jimmontg is offline
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I use diamond compound.

I do not use polishing compound I use diamond compound on 4" buffing wheels that fit on my drill press. Diamond is many many times more aggressive than the wax based buffing compounds. It is more expensive too. It is worth it to me as I have limited space. I typically take a knife to 400 grit belt and will just finish it with 500 grit diamond on leather glued to a piece of wood. The 500 grit diamond compound is a 50% concentration. The 500 makes the metal shine like it was 800-1000 grit and I am done. If I want a mirror polish I go to 1500 grit and then to 5000. Yes with diamond you can do that, it cuts. I also have a 10 carat bag of diamond 400 grit powder and use in in conjunction with a neoprene sponge and oil for aggressive sanding of scratched knives or to change the direction of the grind. I also use it with oil and put it on balsa wood. Tech Diamond Tools sent it to me by mistake and told me to keep it.

I use 1500 on a leather belt I made myself, but I have a 1x42 sander so not so hard, a 2x72 piece of leather would be expensive by itself let alone sewed into a belt. I used a cork belt for hollow grinds and 500 grit diamond and it didn't hold up well as the edges got ragged hence going to the leather when I found out how to sew it. The cork belt worked very well with the diamond and I still use it for flat buffing, I do not know how it would work with buffing compound, but I would guess it would be ok, but be careful as with diamond it can cut lines into the metal. I keep very sharp lines using diamond and it doesn't take long to get a mirror finish. It also lasts a surprisingly long time, but I do not make lots of knives either. I don't make many mirror finish knives as it just scratches too easily and D2 my favorite steel doesn't take a mirror polish as brightly as I would like.

I have bought it off Amazon from Tech Diamond Tools, but have had problems with what I received vs. what I ordered. You do not want anything less than medium concentration which is 25% and 50% is better. I order from Boride Engineered Abrasives and ask them to email you the Adamas list of diamond compounds as they are a little cheaper than the stuff on their website except the Engis brand, but it comes in 10cc tubes not 5cc so it's actually cheaper. By the way you do not need very much compound I use the oil based and mix it with Tap Magic for thinner. Oh, they sell Cratex and have the cheapest prices and shipping, get a 3/8 round stick of cratex and try your hand at jeweling. They have diamond impregnated ceramic sticks too, but they are through the roof expensive.

https://www.borideabrasives.com/Publ...e/Default.aspx
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Old 09-08-2016, 08:18 AM
dtec1 dtec1 is offline
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Ray...very good point about cutting slits in the buff that's one of those simple little solutions that i wouldn't have thought of. i was actually thinking about using a 5/8th drill bit to make the hole bigger but i don't think that will work very well and deffinitly not as well and as easy as just cutting it like you suggested thanks!

Damon...how is that ZAM does it cut at all or just brighten up the steel? as i said i find using the felt belt really speeds up the process. I also have cork belts WITH grit i have a 800 grit and a 400 grit however i have never used the 400 grit one and i don't use the 800 grit one all that often. you said you are finding more uses for these belts may i ask what you find them good at??

Jim... i will take a look at the link but i don't think i will end up using diamond compound unless i find myself polishing more blades than i am now. mainly because of price....how much does a 10 carat bag of diamond dust cost??

so i know i can put my 6in wheels on the new machine even tho the new one is ment for 8in wheels so i am wondering if there is any difference in using a 6in buff compared to a 8in buff? as far as quality or speed of use or anything really. asking because if i ever end up getting new buffs at some point should i buy the 6in or 8in obviously the 6in are cheaper so if there is really no difference in performance whats the point in buying the 8in ones?? even if the price difference is only a couple bucks
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  #8  
Old 09-08-2016, 08:29 AM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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The 8" will cut faster and produce more heat than a 6" for any given speed. The bench grinders you are using already spin too fast for buffing at 3450 rpm so using an 8" buff will just make that situation worse. Spinning too fast can burn the compounds and make them less effective. On soft handle materials this can mean actually removing material instead of just polishing it. The end result is blurred grind lines and a shiny but uneven surface.....


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Old 09-08-2016, 11:19 AM
dtec1 dtec1 is offline
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ray I just checked the book I can slow this thing down to 2000 rpm is that still fast? in that case am I better still using a 6in wheel than 8in?
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  #10  
Old 09-08-2016, 01:21 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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2000 rpm isn't bad, a 'real' buffer usually runs at 1750. If you can 'slow it down' as you said then I'm assuming it has a router type variable speed on it. If so, that means it is probably less than 1 hp and it will lose torque as it slows down. In that case, I'd stay with the 6" wheel because an 8" wheel would offer more resistance to the motor and with reduced torque it might not be able to handle that effectively. Also, the larger buff will have a faster surface speed than the smaller one which at least partially defeats the purpose of slowing down the buffer in the first place ...


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Old 09-08-2016, 07:55 PM
jimmontg jimmontg is offline
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My mistake Dave, I have 10 GRAMS of diamond powder which is 25 carats. Depending on the grit it runs from $8 to $20. I do not suggest you use a rough grit initially, use like a 1500 grit and sponge or felt soaked in a thin grease or thick oil. I would suggest something in that range, you are not used to using it. You can mix it in white super fine buffing compound and be amazed. I do mean amazed. No more than 30-50% with the buff. Use a dremel 1 1/2 wheel and see what it does. It is good worked into leather on a stick, the flesh side.

They have the stuff to 100,000 grit if you want to make a telescope lens.

Last edited by jimmontg; 09-08-2016 at 07:57 PM.
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Old 09-15-2016, 07:51 PM
jimmontg jimmontg is offline
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Dave, I can't private message you because your mailbox is full.
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