There are many options for polishing a knife to a mirror finish. Some of them are aggressive, others are softer and neater. Polishing can be carried out using ordinary sandpaper, natural stones, wet and dry paper. The most careful work is carried out using special pastes of domestic and foreign production.
Manual polishing
Masters from all over the world in the past did not have specialized equipment, but they performed their work efficiently. But how to polish a knife without special equipment? After heat treatment, the craftsmen used natural abrasive materials (such as stone or metal fixtures).
Manual polishing helps to achieve a perfectly smooth surface. In this way, you can get the correct shape of the blade. Even using a special polishing and grinding device, it is not always possible to achieve a similar effect. It is believed that manual polishing is the final processing of a knife.
How to polish a knife at home correctly using the manual method? Before proceeding to manual processing, it is necessary to polish the knife on a tape, the grain of which should not be less than 320. Using sandpaper, scratches are first removed. They may appear on the surface of the product after machining.
Sandpaper Features
How to polish a knife to a shine with sandpaper? The first step is to polish at an angle of 90 degrees. In this case, irregularities may appear on the surface of the knife. This may occur due to the accumulation of grain on the abrasive material. Sometimes bumps cannot be removed with paper with little abrasion. In this case, it is necessary to switch back to a coarser material.
In order to carry out work as qualitatively and carefully as possible, it is necessary to provide high-quality lighting, and the whole process should be carried out under a magnifying glass. When all the shortcomings have been eliminated, you can go back to standard processing.
In the polishing process, you can use sandpaper of various types. The main thing is that the transition between grit is insignificant. First, the material is treated with a grain of 600, then it is increased to 800. You can stop, or you can continue polishing with a material with an index of 2000.
Abrasive stones
How to polish a knife blade with a stone? Abrasive materials of this type have different grain sizes. The most popular indicators are 320, 400 and 600. To level the knife properly, experts recommend using Indian bench stones.
Such a simple device is used to this day, although it was first used in the Stone Age to remove excess material from weapons. At that time, not only stones were used, but also sand and soil.
For polishing, only those stones were used that are harder than a knife in their structure. Some masters prefer a square shape, while others like a round shape. The most popular polishing stone is sandstone.
How to use stones?
When polishing, rough and thin stones are used. Coarse material has a grain size of 80, and fine - 15. It is possible to examine the structure of a stone in detail under a microscope. How to polish a knife in this way? Rough stone is used to remove the scratches that most often appear on the knife after the file. Another type of stone is usually applied before heat treatment. To prevent the stone surface from clogging, periodically it must be moistened with water.
To understand how to polish a knife to a mirror shine, you need to pay attention to Arkansas stones. Their grain size can reach 1000. This material is ideal for finishing. If polishing is just beginning, it is better not to use such stones, since they work slowly. You can achieve a mirror shine using Japanese wet stones. In addition, on sale you can find not only natural, but also quite high-quality artificial stones.
Quick polishing by hand
It is possible to polish a knife qualitatively manually. Movement must be done along the blade. It is this tactic that helps you get the job done as quickly as possible. Often, a double-sided grinding machine is used for these purposes .
To polish a knife blade is obtained due to the rapid friction. This method has many disadvantages. The surface of the knife turns out to be imperfect, on it you can notice gross undulations and scratches.
Similar deficiencies can be eliminated, but for this all scratches should have the same direction. After rough processing, it is necessary to prepare a small piece of leather and a special polishing compound, with the help of which finishing is carried out.
Use dry and wet paper
Polishing work is carried out with both dry and wet paper. The material should be slightly moist so that it does not deteriorate or become greasy during polishing. For a certain type of work, only dry paper should be used.
How to polish a knife at home with paper? To do this, it is recommended to purchase a whole set, which usually consists of fifty sheets. This option is considered the most economical. It should be borne in mind that waterproof material is more durable than non-waterproof. Paper polished with crushed silicon carbide is perfect for polishing metal products.
To work with the material was convenient, you must proceed as follows:
- the paper is folded in half;
- the material is clamped to a small steel plate;
- If you fold the paper in half and attach it to the plate, it will not slip during operation.
Previously, experts recommend making small templates and blanks. If the master needs to process the area near the handle, small strips do not fold, but apply them across the entire width. So that the tape does not tear during the polishing process, the back side of the material is pasted over with a masking tape.
Mirroring
Knives of any type look amazing when they have a perfect mirror surface. But how to polish a knife blade at home so that it has such an excellent surface? Each master uses his own polishing methods. Whatever method is used, the ideal surface of the knife indicates a high level of skill.
Often, in order to achieve an ideal surface, the product is first hand polished to 800 grit and then a special grinding wheel is used. Such processing is necessary in order to remove all bumps and prepare the knife for the final mirror polish.
Work with grinding wheels carefully. Too much speed can ruin the product. In most cases, the grinding wheel should have a soft surface. For some types of work use solid. It is dangerous to work with loose polishing wheels. They have one unpleasant feature - they often capture blades and some other parts of the product.
Security measures
Many people think about how to polish a knife at home safely. The most important condition is not to install the polishing machine directly on the desktop. The fact is that in the process, the polishing wheel often grabs the blade, which can bounce and harm the master.
Experienced craftsmen, who often polish and polish knives, additionally install special protections on polishing wheels. In this case, the residual material in the form of a polishing compound and dust will fly to the floor, and not to the master.
Using GOI paste
This method is well known to the masters who make knives. How to polish a knife with GOI paste? To do this, select the appropriate type of polishing material, which depends on the type of metal. In addition, it is necessary to remember several polishing rules.
GOI paste has been used for over a hundred years. With it, polish metal, plastic, ceramic and even glass products. Previously, the paste was presented in green and was made from chromium oxide. However, this substance was found to be toxic, and at the moment the paste is made from aluminum oxide. The paste is presented in red and white.
Types of pasta
Previously, there was only one type on sale. But now experts have much more choice. The paste is made with different abrasiveness:
- No. 4 - it is used specifically for rough work that is carried out at the initial stage of polishing;
- No. 3 - helps to achieve a matte finish;
- No. 2 and No. 1 are used for finishing.
Green pasta is sometimes still on sale, but it is difficult to find. Previously, such a polish was produced both in liquid form and in the form of bars. In terms of effectiveness, two types of pasta are identical. Green has one advantage - low cost.
Polishing preparation
Before you understand how to polish a knife, you need to familiarize yourself with the preparation for this process. It must be remembered that the paste has many particles, due to which polishing is carried out. Sometimes they can accumulate and spoil the product. To prevent this from happening, you need to take a small amount of substance and rub on an old piece of metal. In this way, large pieces of grain can be broken, otherwise the surface of the knife is not polished, but scratched.
First you need to take a soft cloth and slightly moisten it in gasoline. In this case, the fabric should be as soft as possible. Flannel is great for these purposes. Often, the paste is applied directly to the polishing wheel. The product itself must not be applied. The knife should be lightly greased with special oil.
How to use pasta?
So how to polish a knife using GOI? When the fabric and paste are ready, you can proceed to the main actions. You just need to rub the product with this composition. Do not press hard on the surface of the knife. Otherwise, small scratches will appear on it.
For the same reasons, they are not recommended to make very sharp movements. Work is completed when the surface of the product is perfectly smooth. During operation, from time to time you need to stop and apply a little industrial oil to the knife.
If the surface of the knife has many flaws, in this case you will need to purchase several types of paste. First, the treatment is carried out with paste No. 4, due to which deep scratches are removed. After that, go to number 3, and then to paste No. 2 and 1. The last type of paste helps to finish grinding and achieve a mirror surface.
At the end of the work, you need to rinse the knife in running water. Experts recommend using kerosene, which is available at the pharmacy, rather than water. The knife must be dried well. Some masters additionally cover the surface of the knife with a zaponlak. This substance helps prevent oxidation of the material. The last stage is polishing the product with genuine leather.
Knife handle processing
If everything is clear with a blade, then how to polish a knife handle? In this case, you must act with extreme caution. For these purposes, use sandpaper of the finest grain size. Care must be taken so as not to damage the handle. This is a pretty fragile item.
Now about the material. Which is better to choose to perform this operation? GOI paste will be an excellent tool for polishing. But which type to choose for processing the handle of the knife? In this case, you need to use the paste numbered 1 and 2. To make the handle shiny, you need to polish it with a small piece of leather.
If the handle is made of wood, it is necessary to additionally impregnate. This will help to preserve its original appearance for a long time. Usually, the impregnation is carried out using regular or special oil, which is sold in the store for artists. In addition, you can simply cover the handle with a protective varnish.
Conclusion
So, we figured out how to polish a knife properly. As you can see, there are many ways to do this operation. The main thing is to properly prepare for the procedure and follow the recommendations of specialists. This is the only way to achieve the desired result.