There are several ways to finish the surface of the blade with your own EDC knife. Among them, the mirror finish is highly recommended because it is beautiful and has the effect of preventing rust. This time, I will introduce the tools and methods necessary for the mirror finish of my own knife!
Self-made knife blade
Blades of self-made knives made of various steel materials
The blades of self-made knives are made of various blade steel materials. The shape and steel material of the blade will change depending on each usage and design, but some things are functionally designed and various ideas have been made. Among them, the surface finish of the blade has a great effect!
How to finish the blade?
How to finish the blade is the polishing condition and special treatment of the blade surface. The self-made knife cuts out the blade and finally erases the scratches with fine sandpaper. It can be classified into rough finish and hairline finish according to the degree of scratches on the surface created in the process. This is an important point because the function and appearance will change depending on the finishing method.
How to finish the blade of your own knife
Hairline finish
Hairline finish is a method of roughly finishing the surface with # 600 to # 1000 sandpaper. The name comes from the fact that sandpaper scratches are thin and fine like hair along the blade. The scratches are not completely gone, and the scratches are thinly visible, giving a strong metallic feel. This hairline finish is a standard for general finishes.
Black oxidation treatment
Black oxidation treatment prevents corrosion by pre-applying iron oxide, that is, black rust, to the surface of the blade. Unlike the red rust that we often see, black rust is a stable rust and has the effect of preventing bad corrosion. When used correctly, it gives various effects such as corrosion prevention and anti-reflection. Since it can be oxidized with chemicals that can be handled at home, it can be processed with a self-made knife.
Mirror finish
Mirror finish is a mirror finish, and as the name implies, it is a finishing method that makes the surface of the blade as beautiful as a mirror. The mirror finish makes it very beautiful for the purpose of looking at it, and also has the effects of being easy to remove even if it gets dirty and resistant to rust. Even if you custom your own knife, it is recommended because you can finish the mirror relatively easily if you have all the tools!
What is a mirror finish?
As the name suggests, it looks like a mirror!
By doing a mirror finish, the surface will be so beautiful that you can’t think of it as a knife blade. The reflection is just like a mirror, and when used with a knife such as a design knife, it becomes more beautiful and becomes a work of art. Functionally, thanks to the small number of scratches on the blade surface, it is less likely to get dirty and rust. Recommended surface treatment for fishing knives!
Can you do it with your own knife?
Mirror finish is an excellent surface treatment that can be done even with a self-made knife with all the tools. There are roughly two ways to get a mirror finish, but both have good and bad parts, so it’s best to try the one that suits you best. You may be addicted to the finished mirror finish.
How to finish the mirror of your own knife!
Compound finish
Picard metal polish 300g abrasive
A compound is a liquid or powder containing abrasive particles that is used by impregnating it into a cloth or buff. There are many types of compounds, and there are a wide range of compounds, from work compounds to industrial compounds. The most famous is the compound called “Picar”, which is widely used. The polishing power of the compound is not so strong, so it is not possible to achieve a perfect mirror finish, but the compound can also finish a reasonably clean surface.
Blue stick finish
There are several ways to finish the mirror of your own knife, one is to use a solid abrasive called a blue stick. This is a method of attaching a felt called a buff to a high-speed rotating power tool such as a double-headed grinder or a drilling machine, and polishing while rubbing a blue stick of abrasive. The merit is that it can be polished powerfully, so it can erase all scratches to some extent, and the price of the abrasive is low. On the contrary, the disadvantage is that the condition of the mirror surface can only be cleaned to some extent.
Diamond paste finish
The diamond paste finish allows for a high quality mirror finish. Since it is polished by diamond particles, it can be finished with a very fine and beautiful surface. Since you work by using a small power tool called a lutor, you can easily work on a desk or the like. The advantage is that you can get a beautiful mirror finish, and the disadvantage is that it is a little more expensive.
Tools needed for the mirror finish of your own knife! Part 1
Double-headed grinder
It is necessary because you work with buffs such as compounds and blue sticks. If you have a large item, it will be stable, but since it is difficult for ordinary households, a tabletop or a small item is fine. If you don’t have a double-headed grinder, this is a bit more aggressive, but you can use a drill press instead.
Leutor
The Leutor is a small power tool that is small but powerful. By attaching a buff to the tip of the lutor, you can handle compounds, blue sticks, and diamond paste. Prices range from pin to pin, so choose the one that fits your budget. There are different types of felt at the tip, but the type that presses the lutor vertically can give a beautiful mirror finish.
Buff
There are different types of felt at the tip, but the type that presses the lutor vertically can give a beautiful mirror finish. A felt buff is required for a mirror finish, so look for it at a hardware store or custom knife shop. The buff of the blue stick is basically a felt buff, so there is no problem.
Tools needed for the mirror finish of your own knife! Part 2
Blue stick
The blue stick is an oil-based abrasive that solidifies chemicals such as chromium oxide and surfactants. It is used by rubbing it on a tool called a felt or cloth buff. The blue stick also has several counts, and the one with the higher count is more suitable for the mirror finish. It is relatively cheap and has a large capacity, so it can be used for a long time with good cost performance.
Diamond paste
Diamond paste is an abrasive on a paste that is kneaded with artificial diamond particles. It has a very strong polishing power and has fine particles, so it has a beautiful mirror finish. Diamond paste is indispensable for a really beautiful mirror finish. However, the price is a little higher and the capacity of the product is small because it is finished beautifully.
How to finish the mirror of your own knife! No. ①
It is very important to erase the wounds!
For a beautiful mirror finish, it is important to leave no scratches on the surface. Even small scratches that cannot be found in the hairline finish will become very noticeable with a mirror finish. So, let’s polish it well so as not to leave scratches on each stage! File eyes are more beautiful when they cross diagonally than when they cross crosses, because there are no spots!
Replace the buffs for each count!
Some buffs that apply abrasives can be washed with water to remove dirt and abrasives, but very fine particles will remain. If you use a buff with coarse particles and a fine-count abrasive, the scratches will never disappear, so be sure to replace the buff with each abrasive!
How to finish the mirror of your own knife! No.②
First from the lowest count!
Diamond paste is indicated by several counts, but we recommend starting from about # 3000. This applies to all types of polishing, but be careful not to lose its shape as the lower the number, the better the polishing! If there is a scratch at this stage, it will never disappear, so please be careful!
Diamond paste is scattered on the blade
The amount of diamond paste to be applied should be about the amount of rice grains placed on the blade at a certain distance. The high speed rotation of the lutor causes frictional heating and the paste should melt and the abrasive should spread throughout the blade. If there are few, add a little. It is difficult to check if the blade is polished because the blade is not clearly visible when the paste is spread, but it should be polished firmly.
How to finish the mirror of your own knife! No.③
Don’t push too much
While polishing, it is easy to press the blade together with the lutor strongly, but even if you press it strongly, it may be scratched strangely, so do not do it. Diamond paste has a strong polishing power even if it is not pressed strongly, so it can be sufficiently polished. Be careful that the entire surface is properly buffed, so be sure to check carefully before polishing!
Let’s wash away the abrasive grains before going to the next count
After polishing, rinse with water or alcohol before applying the next paste. If the previous paste is attached, it may get caught and leave scratches. After rinsing, wipe it off with a non-fluffy wipe such as Kimwipe. If you wipe it strongly, it may be scratched, so let’s moderate it.
How to finish the mirror of your own knife! No.④
Be careful as it is heating
If you polish it to some extent, the blade will heat up considerably. The paste will melt better and the polishing itself will be very easy, but be careful not to get burned when wiping the paste. Also, if you heat it too much, it will seize and the surface will oxidize, so it is necessary to cool it once in a while.
The higher the count, the gentler
The more you polish with a high-count paste, the more the mirror finish will be affected by even the slightest polishing marks. When using the finished high-count paste, try to polish the surface of the blade as softly as possible. If you polish the entire blade from a certain direction without moving it back and forth, you will get a beautiful mirror finish.
How to finish the mirror! No.⑤
How many counts should I finish?
The final count varies from person to person, but a count of about # 30,000 is suitable for the final finish. If it is more than this, the effect will not change, so it is meaningless. If polishing with this count is successful, the mirror finish will be at a level where almost no polishing marks can be seen, so it is easy to judge success or failure.
When polishing marks remain by all means
If you are concerned about the polishing marks after polishing with the final count, it is possible that the polishing was insufficient at some count, or the steel material itself was not suitable for the mirror finish. Some steel materials have a large structure, so if you use a mirror finish, they will stand out.
Summary of mirror finish of self-made knife
Did you know how to finish the mirror? It is recommended to do a mirror finish because it will improve the quality of the work and improve the function. We recommend starting with a mirror finish with an inexpensive blue stick!
If you are interested in your own knife, check this out too!
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