a little help please with a buffer

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d.weglarz13

Joined
Jun 4, 2008
Messages
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hey guys. I am relatively new to this forum and had a question. I want to start making my knives with a better finished look to them, and until now, have slipped by the whole buffing thing. I need a relatively cheap buffer/polisher, but not sure what brand, power, etc. again, i want something cheap that I can really finish my knives and handles with. thanks for any help.
 
Harbor Freight has a 10" 1725 RPM bench grinder that will work well as a buffer.
Most buffers are 3250 RPM. I have never understood why, as the slower speeds polish better and are much safer.
Bill
 
oh I will do that. and i don't really know how cheap or what speed. just something that i can give a professional look to my knives and handle slabs with.
thanks
 
Delta has had their 6" and 8" buffers out for a few years now with variable speeds. One of the variable speed models will be my next grinder.

Also check into jewelers supply stores. Jewelsmiths buff more metal than just about anyone else alive. If you live in or near a large city with a jewelers supply, drop in on them. Almost all good supply stores will have at least one jewelsmith hidden in the back supporting the store and making money on the side. My experience is they'll welcome you into their shop and show you buffing apparatii, compounds, and techniques like you've never seen before.
 
For Jewelry and knifemaking you cannot beat the Baldor buffers. There are other brands like Delta that will do the job nicely if fitted with the proper size extra long shafts. However if you are not planning on heavy buffing you might get around with the normal length shafts and a little patience. I did most of my finishing by hand with very little buffing, so the Delta grinders turned buffer worked okay. When I did jewelry work I needed the Baldors.
Kind regards

Shike
 
Baldor is by far the best buffer. They are also expensive.
 
cool thanks guys. up until now, i have been hand rubbing my blades and handles, but was wondering if buffing it really gives it that extra nice look, or can i do this with just the sandpaper like i have been doing. I go up to 1200, but haven't gone higher than this for the blades. Just started using micarta, so i really need a way to get it shiny.
 
Sandpaper is available up to 3000 grit-maybe higher. You can buff Micarta with 0000 steel wool. Finishing either with vigorous hand buffing with Simichrome will get you a very shiny appearance. A 1725 buffer makes it a lot easier, though.
Bill
 
The speed of the grinder is important but the size of the wheel is also important. What it basically comes down to is the speed of the media across the surface.

Variable speed is the best because you can regulate how fast the speed of the circumference crosses what you are polishing. The larger the wheel, the more feet per second pass what you put against it.
 
That is correct. If you must use a high speed buffer, keep the buff size at 6" or less.
Bill
 
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