Finishing Carbon fiber?

Wolf Creek Forge

Wolf Creek Forge

Joined
Jul 4, 2012
Messages
533
Now other than the obvious health precautions what should I look for in finishing carbon fiber? We'er getting ready to work with some and havent used it before..Just sanded, what about buffing? Ive even read somewhere about finishing it with a med grit scotchbrite belt..Just looking to shorten my learning curve:o This stuff is too expensive to mess up :D
Thanks
Oh and also what color spacers do you like with it??
 
I generally leave CF at a very clean 220 or 240 grit finish. I'm not a fan of CF when it's finished any higher. It seems at the higher grits that the contrast between the resin and the fibers is reduced, giving the material a very flat look. But this is just my personal preference.

I sometimes wear latex gloves when working it to prevent the tiny fibers from embedding themselves into my skin. I also prefer to work it wet if possible.
 
Latex gloves is must, cf was very irritating to my skin. I sand wet over a bucket, keep it soaked, sands better and I think you get a better finish. If you go to 1000 grit may not need to buff but doesnt hurt it if you like it shinny. I was typically going to 400 or 600 and that looks pretty good.
 
I like to finish CF to a 600 grit hand sanded finish, keeping things wet.

I grind it dry with a worn 60 grit ceramic belt to get my rough shape then move up to 600 grit by hand, starting with 100 grit. I don't personally use gloves, for some reason it doesn't bother me all that much. I do, however use a respirator even when I'm wet sanding, just to be safe.

I can also say that I am always very careful and wash my hands and forearms thoroughly after working carbon fiber. An experienced maker I know and trust warned me from personal experience to never work carbon fiber and then take a leak without washing up!:eek: He assured me it isn't a pleasant experience.
 
Just noticed the last part of the question. Spacers? What color don't I like!;)

I've used red, blue, yellow, orange, toxic green, white, olive drab, jade, and even 1/16" brown canvas micarta which was one of my favorites. I love dressing up my cf with a bit of color.
 
I think it might depend on the source as well.

I have used CF from Chuck at Alpha Knife Supply, and several custom made (for me! :D) pieces from fellow forumite BigRick. Both supply super high quality stuff. I hear about people having to fill voids and such with their cf, and I've never had that with the cf from either of these fine gentlemen. :)

I have had good success with hand sanding to 800X, and then doing a VERY light buff with white rouge on a spiral sewn wheel.

If you try to buff it much more than almost not-at-all, then it seems to visually haze the pattern... to where it's hard to see.

I like to keep it wet while hand sanding too, WD-40 has worked very well for me.

DEFINITELY keep it off your skin. I FREAKING HATE wearing gloves for anything, but I hate cf microslivers in my skin even more.

This handle was finished like I described... :)

[video=youtube;jeYEM7xWPRo]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeYEM7xWPRo[/video]

So was this one... :)
[video=youtube;ZbHvL5ZFq_E]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbHvL5ZFq_E[/video]
 
jonnymac44 said:
What color don't I like!;)
Click to expand...

I love your colorful knives, Jonny! Honestly, I don't think there's much that doesn't go with CF. I think my favorite at the moment might be blue.

NickWheeler said:
I think it might depend on the source as well.
Click to expand...

This is a very good point (and your knives are stunning, Nick!). Not all CF is the same and different materials can look quite distinct from one another. Below are two of my knives that illustrate this point. The knife on the left has "F22" CF and the knife on the right has Blacksite 690 CF. These are both at 240 grit. I'll be trying the Blacksite 670 material soon.

2012-09-21%20at%2015-31-40-XL.jpg
 
Thanks for all the great info, I really appreciate it..I was thinking about Blue for one.Im a big fan of orange liners too...I also do have some carbon fiber that came from a boat builder I think..Its not as "silvery" as the other stuff I have but its still very nice..
 
Nick gives some great advice, as always. The CF i use, and have a bunch of, is from Big Rick, who is THE guy to talk to when it comes to CF

I simply go to 400 grit, as any finer an it feels to "slick" to me. Ive left it at 400 and also bead blasted after 400 to get a nice grippy feel.
 
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