How can I get a mirror finish using a Dremel rotary tool?

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I've looked at several different posts regarding polishing, and while many have good advice, I am wondering if anyone uses a Dremel rotary tool to get a mirror finish on stainless steel blades, nickel, brass, or steel bolsters, and other metal parts on a knife. I collect automatics and after graduation I hope to start making my own, until then I got a Dremel with a 250 piece accessory kit, it has dozens of hard sand polishing wheels in different shapes and grades, as well as sandpaper cylinders that fit on a special attachment. I've tried polishing stainless butter knives from the kitchen, but keep getting swirls and lines, should I be using an abrasive poishing compound, and if so, which one, and which attachment should I be using with it? I've tried using the cotton like wheels with Brasso and Barkeeper's friend, with limited results. If you have experience using a Dremel rotary tool and getting a perfect mirror finish, please let me know the best way to do this, I have limited use of my left hand from being on the computer 12 hours a day (Im a computer science major) and have carpal tunnel, so the Dremel is kind of a must.

Thanks so much for helping me, I can't wait for the day I can show off my first build. Until then, I'll have to learn techniques one at a time.

Ivan
 
There was a thread about this a few months back. The short answer is no. You could try it but the final blending would have to be done by hand or with a proper polisher. I tried it once on aluminum. Was tedious, time consuming and the end result was ugly as hell.
 
To some extent, it's doable. More so, if it's used in tandem with other means, like progressive grit sanding; very heavy scratches won't be removed by polishing with the dremel alone. I tinkered with it a while back, in polishing up the dinged/scratched brass bolsters on a Buck 112 Folder (see the thread linked below); part of my postings in that thread are shown below, following the link:

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/803566-Polishing-with-dremel?

Obsessed with Edges said:
Here are a few pics.

I used 280/320/400/600 grit to sand the bolsters (280 was for removing some fairly significant 'dings' in the brass). Beyond that, I sort of experimented with polishing w/the Dremel & green compound. Polishing will reveal some of the deeper scratches not completely removed in earlier sanding (& it did, you'll see in the pics).

So, I went back and finished sanding with 1000/2000 grit, then a little more of the green compound on the felt wheel, then finished with a separate (clean) felt wheel & some Simichrome polish. Did this part on only the one bolster so far (had to make sure it'd work). The other 3 bolsters are currently left at the finish left by the 600 grit.


Here's the 'before' pic:


Here, you can see the dings in the bolster (& other scratches):


This is how it looked after the 600 grit & green compound polish (see the scratches that didn't get removed? :grumpy:):


Here's the finished result, after 1000/2000 grit & polish (using a clean felt wheel w/Simichrome):


And one more:

I'll probably post some more pics in the Buck sub-forum, after I get the rest of it finished off. I'll put a link here, too.

Best regards. :)
Click to expand...
 
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Rotary tools do not have the surface area to adequately polish anything other than very small pieces. I restore knives for a living, and seldom use a Dremel for polishing anything.
You will get dips and swirls and lines. Hand polishing is a much better option in the absence of a proper buffing machine and experience using it.
More knives have been ruined by Dremels than any other tool.
Don't think you will figure out a way to properly polish knives with the Dremel- you can't.
 
As Bill said, "not enough surface area". As you have learned with the butter knife.
If your like what you've read and learned so far, give it a try. Only if it's a knife your willing to learn on. It will also make you aware of WHEN and what part of the rotating metal touches your work. Later you will be more comfortable using it getting into tight spots on things you care about and also decide on what compounds, rouges, pastes, etc., you prefer.
It will still require hand polishing.
 
That's kind of the results I'm getting and didn't see anyone talking about using one for polishing, for cutting and shaping, they're great, but I think I'll haver to resort to the tried and true method, thanks for the reply.
 
Much appreciated, I am very familiar with your work and have found that the Dremel is only usable for certain things. Ross cutlery, the oldest knife shop in L.A. (They've been there about 90 years on Broadway) has a buffing machine and I was taking my blades there, but wanted to learn to do it myself, but everyone is saying the Dremel is not the tool for polishing blades. It works wonders on the chrome on my guitars, but this is chrome that is already polished to perfection and then just gets dirty, so until I am able to afford a buffing machine, I'll have to just buy a ton of sandpaper, find some steel that didn't cost me $150, and practice. Thanks for the reply.
 
Thanks for the replies, I know they have a good polishing compound at my local cutlery (Ross's on Broadway in L.A.), the guys there have been sharpening and polishing for 4 generations, but they use a buffer wheel but I think I'll learn to do it by hand first, then when I know exactly what's going on as far as ...I guess you would call it a feel as much as anything else, and if we're actually making knives instead of collecting them, then I'll look for a mechanical way to make them look like chrome.
Much respect,
Ivan
 
Your guitars have parts that are plated in chrome or nickel. Using a Dremel, buffer, or polishing compound on those can remove the plating. Use paste wax instead.
Knives are not plated, as a rule.
 
Hi folks.
I have restored a few knives for the country lads up here (I live in the country) that use them during the hunting season. Depending on the shape of the blade and knife I will start as low as 80 grit and work my way up to around the 800 or so depending on how bad the blade is. I do use my Dremel polishing for doing the blade next to the bolster as it is easier to fit in there. After the sanding I use Auotsol polish and then start that process by hand. By the time I am finished the blade looks like a mirror and then I start the sharpening. As I go with the finer sandpaper the scratches will start to disappear depending on how deep they were to begin with. Now there has been some that are very deep and hard to get out but most will disappear. It is a lot of work but the end result is worth it. I have tried the Dremel for polishing, as was said above, does not do a very good job. You can use it for the bolsters (which I have) and I have had good results with doing it that way as long as the bolsters where not in to bad a shape.
I have found the best way so far is by hand except the couple of things that I do use the Dremel for.
Good luck on whatever way you can do it. The results as shown in a few pics are well worth it.
Regards
Tar :)
 
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