buffing is an art in itself

dlilazteca · Mar 15, 2014

I know buffing is an art that must be learned, so I figured to do a search and this popped up.

I'm interested, it goes hand in hand with gun engraving, I know it takes years to master, so I was thinking, there has to be some shared knowledge somewhere.

What do you think, I want to learn.

http://www.eastwood.com/art-of-buffing-i-ii-and-iii-dvd-set.html

I also found this

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1568365187/ref=mw_dp_mdsc?dsc=1

Carlos De La O III

dlilazteca · Mar 16, 2014

Oh well, just ordered the set, boy my collection is growing.

Carlos De La O III

JJ Roberts · Mar 16, 2014

Carlos,If you think buffing is a wise thing to do when come to guns forget it,your only going to round off sharp edges,dish out pin and screw holes and any letters or serial numbers.This work must be done by hand or you'll get in trouble and get a bad name.J.J.

Sam · Mar 16, 2014

Indeed. Hand polishing skills are absolutely necessary for gun engraving. I don't know of a study source on the subject though. There must be something out there...the custom gunmakers might have book or video they can recommend.

Brian Marshall · Mar 16, 2014

There once was a time when it took 3 YEARS to serve a polishing apprenticeship...

Proper polishing a flawless mirror finish on a flat plate is not something that will be easily learned from a DVD.

Time and lots of experience are required. Not something the average hobbyist has access to. Or use for...

Brian

DakotaDocMartin · Mar 16, 2014

Ker-ping! @#$%!!!! (Lesson on buffing wheel grab) :biggrin:

RDP · Mar 16, 2014

[QUOTEKer-ping! @#$%!!!! (Lesson on buffing wheel grab) ][/QUOTE]

LOL, got the T shirt, :biggrin:

Richard.

Sam · Mar 16, 2014

When I was with New Orleans Arms, I would use a variety of files with chalk to keep them from loading up, then onto rapid breakdown stones. It was a very tedious and extremely time consuming process to keep everything flat and true with sharp corners, etc.

For production engraving you probably don't have to be so persnickety, but for high-end work the prep is as important as the engraving is.

mitch · Mar 16, 2014

DakotaDocMartin said:
Ker-ping! @#$%!!!! (Lesson on buffing wheel grab) :biggrin:

you left off the couple seconds of straining your ears to hear what deepest corner of a dirty shop it shot off to...

dlilazteca · Mar 16, 2014

I understand that, for someone like me doing it by hand is the easiest way, but think about it, the gun manufacturers don't do them all by hand, my gunsmith is a fourth, generation gunsmith, he, polished a 1911, for me part was done by hand, and some with a polishing wheel, sissel I believe he called it, he kept the edges true, he showed me a little, just a quick rundown, said I could go back and he would teach me. Gerry and I studied his work, saw some minor areas around the trigger guard that needed touching up, but otherwise it was good.

Of course I'm going back to learn, but I also want to have a little know how, that's why I bought the dvd, I just want to cut the learning curve. I know it takes years to master, but I have to start somewhere.

Carlos De La O III

dlilazteca · Mar 16, 2014

sam said:
For production engraving you probably don't have to be so persnickety, but for high-end work the prep is as important as the engraving is.

Sam

That is true.

I just want to learn, what the limits are.

Carlos De La O III

silverchip · Mar 16, 2014

Mine is KER-PING-BANG-KLINK-TINKLE--------------AH@&!($@!_($@#%&$%%^&!!!!!

Beladran · Mar 16, 2014

didn't colt use wood wheels that was leather wrapped?

Ron Spokovich · Mar 16, 2014

I've buffed many, many items over the years. The types of wheels and compounds available are far too numerous to list herein. The buffing techniques are likewise. Safetywise, some wheels are dangerous to use. . .a microsecond's inattentiveness. and your work goes to the floor, and sometime bouncing around the shop. No engraved item should be buffed after completion, except by hand. There are exceptions. I once restored a complete set of demonstrator SS cookware to factory new appearance, and the steps to do so can't be explained herein. Hang around with some knifemakers, if possible, and they may show you techniques. I know my commentary is somewhat vague, but there are many variables, and basics, to take into account. Experience is something only time gives you.

kguns · Mar 16, 2014

At the school in Liege Belgium they had a class named Limage or something like that,
It means File work, it included hand polishing.
Most of those guys were just a little different from the rest of the students.
Maybe because it was the longest course in the school 6 or 7 years. Engraving was only 3 years
At the old Colorado School of Trades the first thing they taught was hand polishing, up to MATCHLESS finish,
That's a mirrored surface with no detectable scratches in any direction when the piece is viewed.
It took me several weeks to get it right, but then again my instructors were old school.
A very important part of any quality engraving, it's the base which your work will be executed upon.
Learning to polish in my mind is as important as any function in engraving, you need to learn it and do it well.
It's all part of the program. I have a huge Baldor Buffer with 10" felt and muslin wheels, I use it to buff up home brew kegs, Moschetties, sorry Mitch I couldn't help myself and SS exhaust systems for my buddies, but it's never seen a gun

JJ Roberts · Mar 16, 2014

Kurt,Thank you thank you I hope you got your point across about hand polishing or we are beating a dead horse,it looks to me like our fellow engravers are in a big rush and I see many mistakes regarding guns if they don't slow down and learn there fundamentals. J.J.

BLW · Mar 16, 2014

Hi Carlos,
Like everything polishing takes time patience and practice
Sisal mop with cabrax or fast cut would be a first step depends on how fine an emery finish your starting with (good for stainless and hard metals)
if your starting with a good finish could skip sisal mop
rag stitched mop with tripoli second step or first step in soft metals and good finish (good for brass, copper, silver etc)
cotton stitched or loose leaf with green rouge final polish
This will do 90% of most polishing of course there is may other mops and compound available

The compound is what does the cutting not the mop so if you feel like its not cutting use more compound and don't push to hard let the mop do the work
Important don't stay still in one spot for to long as with emery your next mop goes across polish lines from previous

As mop runs forward only polish on lower quarter of the mop and keep work parallel with mop face (try not to use corners )
I would recommend not using a mop larger than 6-8 inches diameter and 2 wide to start and always keep the job moving
when you've got holes or engraving or lettering keep changing direction of polishing to prevent drag lines
it is good to practice on small flat plates to get a feel for how the mops and compounds work
Experience will teach you how to not cut into edges and not remove corners especially around intricate areas

Good luck

Brendan

RDP · Mar 17, 2014

Brendan, what would be a good emery finish to start that you mention?, thanks for the tips, I will give this a go for sure,

Richard.

BLW · Mar 17, 2014

Richard that is a very job specific question most of my work now is in precious metals so my emery finish is down to 320 or 600 for so a plain wedding ring, a wood plain that you do I would emery down to 180 or 320 then sisal polish. I don't like emerying that much so I do as little as possible and let the polisher do the work but I also have other polishing mops that are a coarser cut than the sisal. I made a trophy a couple of years back in Sterling silver, I was a spun bowl on the lathe due to annealing was quite heavy with fire scale. I used the sisal mop with fast cut to rip the fire scale of then polished with rag stitch and finished with what I call a calico mop (soft cotton) so no emery at all and mirror finish Hope this helps.

Brendan

Marrinan · Mar 17, 2014

Kurt, Our first project in machine shop was to take a 1.25 square piece of steel and make it I inch to plus or minus .001 perfectly square with files and emery paper polished paper to 1000 grit. Dr Bowlen believed in the old school. Oh ya we were in the old school. Keeping square was a real challenge. We also had the hand rubbed mirror polish on brass. Some years later I was building a chopper for a young lady who really wanted to be involved in the process. Her sportster, in what is now called old school style had aluminum cases and covers. I put her to work hand rubbing the primary cover to a mirror finish. We spent hours in my shop, her rubbing and me building the engine and frame. When she got the cover to perfect mirror finish I introduced the polishing motor-Had to run a couple of blocks until she cooled down enough to go back along my route and pick up the tools she had thrown at me. Every time some mention polishing a bike you could see the smoke start coming out her ears. She was good people and a life long friend until her number came up with a drunk in an iron box. Fred

buffing is an art in itself

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