Hand sanding: What do You use?...

happycat

happycat

Joined
Jun 21, 1999
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752
OK, every now and then I actually look at the way I do things and wonder "Does this really make sense?". I use an electric palm sander at 220, 400, 600, then go back to 400 and hand sand then again with 600. This seems to work pretty good. I am currently using a 1/4" x1" by 6" piece of wood with leather on one side. It is not the most comfortable or probably the most effecient. Its rather rigid, hard to get a good angle with it. I was experimenting with wooden shim stock and that worked a little better as you could get it to flex a bit.
I'm just curious what you all use. I figure there has to be some ergonomic, effecient, really cool idea for doing that final finish sanding that just hasn't occured to me yet. I remember years ago somebody mentioned a hocky puck cut in half. That seemed like a good idea, but I've never tried it. Any thoughts??
Ed
 
I use the hockey puck - with a bit of an angle ground off the flat so the contact surface is either most of the flat - for main sanding - or only about 3/4 inch x puck width - for working hard at getting a scratch out. I also cut about 1/4" slice out of the middle -between the two "halves" and I sharpened that to about a 45 degree angle for a flexible tool to get into the ricasso / blade transition area.


Rob!
 
I use 400 via 2x72 then 400 by hand to 600. An old planer blade with the edge dulled and cut to 6 inches. nice and flat.
 
I also use the palm grip sander as a extension of the belt.I start at 400 then go 600,800 then start hand sanding at 600 or if the sander left the finish smooth enough I will start with 800 then go on up.I use Micarta for my block then leather either on a block or by itself.Of course to use it by itself you need sole leather that is 1/4 inch thick to a little thicker,been using the same piece now for about 8 years.Nothing fancy,but it works for me.

Bruce
 
I use theblack or red rubber squeegees used in body shops to spread glaze. Not the yellow one used to spread body filler, too stiff and the have memory.
The rubber ones are firm yet flexible.
 
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'll give some of those a try on the next project.
Ed
 
'm sading hollow grinds, but i use a piece of micarta cut to the diameter of the wheel and i put a little piece of that foam like cusion kind of tape on it, give it a little soft backing like using leather, works great for me.
 
When I'm sanding flats, I use the edge of a piece of soft pine - the sharp edge. I move the paper after each pass. The pine gives just enough to meet the blade without flexing to round off any corners. I usually "sharpen" it on the belt grinder before each flat. I think the harder the sanding block the better, to ensure everything stays nice and flat. I've tried Micarta too, which also works very well.
 
I use 6"X2"X1" blocks of lignum vitae. I drill two 1" holes in the wide side and cut out a slot in the edge and the area between the holes.This makes an area where a 6 foot roll of 1" wide cloth backed sanding strip fits. I pull the strip out the slot and around the block.I usually snap one of those super rubber bands around the block to hold the paper snug,but your hand will hold it tight OK.As you use the abrasive strip up,just pull out more and tear it off.I have leather on the bottom of some of these blocks,for a softer sand. When you put leather on the bottom, bring it up the ends to make a nice end edge.I use several of these leather buffs for the polishing stage.Rub rouge/flitz/simi-chrome/etc on the buff and use just like you did to sand.It gets a mirror polish in a flash.The cut out area allows for a firm grip and keeps your fingers away from the edge while sanding/polishing (a real plus when doing sword edges).Using a thin flat object places your fingers where you don't want them!
Stacy
 
Stacy, that's exactly the kind of thing I was looking for. I love it. Have to get me some shop rolls and try it out. Hell it'' save me a bunch of time currently spent cutting strips of paper. Thanks a bunch!
Ed
 
Thanks guys! Check out the thread I just posted on the tanto and wakazashi I am doing.All the flat surfaces on them are shaped with those sanding blocks and buffs.After any grinding and rough shaping Just start sanding away.It is sort of like planing wood,only slower.I get the rolls from the jewelery supply in 50 yard rolls for about $19 a roll.Wood Craft supply sells the small rolls in the picture for about $4-5 a roll.I go 120,220,320,400 then switch to 3M polishing papers (the colored stuff) and go to 8000 if I feel like it.Polish with simi-chrome or flitz between grits to see the scratches clearly.
 
I save myself a ton of time by using water stones to do my first cleanup after coming off of the 220 or 400 grit belt. I start with a 400 stone and usually have the bevels and plunges cleaned up in under 30 minutes. I then start my way up the sandpaper scale. The stones are especially helpful in the plunge area as they continually expose fresh cutting surface. They also speed things if there are some missed heavy grind marks.
 
I get them from MSC. Not sure who makes them it just says MAde in USA. Its this part # 05094727. That # is for a set of 16 1/4 x 1/4 stones in 150, 220, 320 and 400 grit, in Hard and Semi Hard oil filled Aluminum oxide and Medium Soft and Hard Silicon Carbide. If you work in steels that form vanadium carbides you will want the silicon carbide stone. For most of the simple steels the aluminum oxide will work well. When I buy new stones I am going to get a set that is 1/2 x 1/4. The part # for the 1/2 x 1/4 stones is # 05094750.
 
I'm glad someone mentioned this, because I had a real bugger of a time on my last project. I just couldn't keep the steel flat.

I used stones for much of the finishing, and ended up with a fine Arkansas stone and a 2500 grit diamond stone. These left the steel flat as a piece of glass, just like I wanted. However, the finish left by the stones is just a little inconsistent, so I like to use sandpaper to blend everything evenly. I was using 1500 grit paper glued to a plate of glass. It was as flat and firm as I could make it. Yet, within just a couple strokes, my stone finish would be all rounded over on the edges, and even on my tang stamp. Yes, even the stamp area was getting dished in, like I was using a buffing wheel or something. I still can't figure out a better way to do it. Anybody have any suggestions?
 
bladsmth said:
I use 6"X2"X1" blocks of lignum vitae. I drill two 1" holes in the wide side and cut out a slot in the edge and the area between the holes.This makes an area where a 6 foot roll of 1" wide cloth backed sanding strip fits. I pull the strip out the slot and around the block.I usually snap one of those super rubber bands around the block to hold the paper snug,but your hand will hold it tight OK.As you use the abrasive strip up,just pull out more and tear it off.I have leather on the bottom of some of these blocks,for a softer sand. When you put leather on the bottom, bring it up the ends to make a nice end edge.I use several of these leather buffs for the polishing stage.Rub rouge/flitz/simi-chrome/etc on the buff and use just like you did to sand.It gets a mirror polish in a flash.The cut out area allows for a firm grip and keeps your fingers away from the edge while sanding/polishing (a real plus when doing sword edges).Using a thin flat object places your fingers where you don't want them!
Stacy
Click to expand...
Stacy your the man. Cool idea. :thumbup: :thumbup:
 
I have a palm sander and I used that for a while, but I found that manual sanding with carbide paper held in the fingers worked faster with less material removal. At least it did so for me.
 
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