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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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  #16  
Old 07-12-2014, 04:01 PM
Kevster Kevster is offline
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I really don't understand how buffing could mess the pattern up. Could someone explain? It's metal and a soft wheel.
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  #17  
Old 07-12-2014, 04:24 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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Yeah, but it does. Of course, how much it might mess things up depends on how much buffing you do and with what compounds and wheels.

When you etch the steel you get fairly sharp boundaries between the types of steel, most of these boundaries are shallow but still deep enough to feel with a finger nail. Buffing will round off those edges and remove some of the oxides and the difference in appearance can be noticeable.

If you buff before you etch then you don't have those sharp edges between the steels. But, if you buff very much you can actually smear the softer steels or nickle (if present) over the boundaries between the metals. Etching the usual amount probably won't remove all of the smear. The result is a smeared look to the etch.

Maybe if the damascus has some nickle 200 you can hit it very briefly with a buffer to bring up the shine in the nickle without affecting the steel much. Other than that though, like some others have said, if you want shine on your damascus you're better off getting by sanding with finer grits than by buffing. And even then, if you go very fine with the grits you'll get back to smearing those boundaries ...


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  #18  
Old 07-12-2014, 04:32 PM
Kevster Kevster is offline
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Thanks Ray, what grit should I sand it to? I'm thinking 1,200 grit?
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  #19  
Old 07-12-2014, 05:04 PM
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It will depend on the steel but I would tend to think if you go past 600 with that steel it might start to smear, especially if you use anything but a fresh belt or use the belt for too long a time. As with much of what we do, you'll just have to experiment with it to see what works for you ....


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  #20  
Old 07-21-2014, 12:43 PM
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I have made several with Alabama Damascus . Quenching at 1500 F in peanut oil and tempering at 400 F for 1 hr X 2 cycles. Have had no problems with them. RC'd at 58/59.


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  #21  
Old 07-21-2014, 04:59 PM
NCBoy NCBoy is offline
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I have made 4 Alabama Damascus knives. I ground the knifes to 800 annd one to 1300. I will say that it did not do any harm to go to 1300 but really was a waste of effort. 600 or 800 will work fine.

When I spoke to Lacy he suggested that you wet sand the blade after etching with 2500 grit paper by hand. The really was a very good tip. It makes the Nickle really shine. I would highly recommend that.

Good luck.
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