MICHAEL
Elite Cafe Member
I would appreciate it if someone had the time to do a tutorial for the tips archive on metal prep and buffing of firearms and knives. I know absolutely nothing about preparing a firearm for engraving and very little about buffing.
I have been buffing some old knives I have to gain experience to eventually buff pits and scratches off of firearms and knives for engraving. I have two 3/4 HP buffers from harbor freight. Four stiff 1 inch wheels and two loose polishing wheels. I have 320 grit, 400 grit, 500 grit, and white polishing compound. I used wheel prep before applying compounds to each wheel. All wheels came from Jantz and compounds from Brownell's. I have one knife polished to a mirror finish but I can still see where some rust pits were and if I look very closely I can see very fine scratches. The steel is German Steel. The brass bolster polished very nicely and I will engave it when my skill has improved. Also plan on doing scrimshaw on the deer antler handle. I was wondering if I need to start with lower grit or maybe use 220 wet/ dry sandpaper with oil? Oh, I almost forgot. My polishing wheel only has about 1/2 coverage with the compound. I got out my wheel prep and it is solid like rubber. It's been in the basment in a plastic bag with the air removed. Do I need to get another one and can I apply it to the parts of the wheel where compound is not sticking? I tried to apply it to the wheel and it didn't work. Any help will be much appreciated. thanks in advance!
P.S. I'm not planning on engraving a firearm. Just in search of knowledge. I print alot of the info from the website and read it on my breaks at work. That way when I am able to engrave a firearm I will have know how to prep it and can also build those skills as I go along. The buffing started because my wife wanted me to engrave a flower on her key chain she got as a gift from work. It had laser etching on it she didn't like and I buffed it off. It had what appeared to be a nickle or chrome finish but was a coppery color underneath. Any problems engraving copper? Thanks again.
I have been buffing some old knives I have to gain experience to eventually buff pits and scratches off of firearms and knives for engraving. I have two 3/4 HP buffers from harbor freight. Four stiff 1 inch wheels and two loose polishing wheels. I have 320 grit, 400 grit, 500 grit, and white polishing compound. I used wheel prep before applying compounds to each wheel. All wheels came from Jantz and compounds from Brownell's. I have one knife polished to a mirror finish but I can still see where some rust pits were and if I look very closely I can see very fine scratches. The steel is German Steel. The brass bolster polished very nicely and I will engave it when my skill has improved. Also plan on doing scrimshaw on the deer antler handle. I was wondering if I need to start with lower grit or maybe use 220 wet/ dry sandpaper with oil? Oh, I almost forgot. My polishing wheel only has about 1/2 coverage with the compound. I got out my wheel prep and it is solid like rubber. It's been in the basment in a plastic bag with the air removed. Do I need to get another one and can I apply it to the parts of the wheel where compound is not sticking? I tried to apply it to the wheel and it didn't work. Any help will be much appreciated. thanks in advance!
P.S. I'm not planning on engraving a firearm. Just in search of knowledge. I print alot of the info from the website and read it on my breaks at work. That way when I am able to engrave a firearm I will have know how to prep it and can also build those skills as I go along. The buffing started because my wife wanted me to engrave a flower on her key chain she got as a gift from work. It had laser etching on it she didn't like and I buffed it off. It had what appeared to be a nickle or chrome finish but was a coppery color underneath. Any problems engraving copper? Thanks again.
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