All About Pocket Knives

Looking to make my polishing chores easy on the old tendonitis. Getting my work area lined out & would like some advice on purchasing a buffer. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

If you are only going to get one buffer, I recommend a Baldor dual-speed dental polishing lathe.
They are tremendously expensive new, but used ones can be bought for around $100 on Ebay.
They use tapered shafts so you can change buffs easily.

I put this buffer together about 20 years ago using 8" H beam and 8" channel iron. Belt drive with a 1" SS shaft on pillow block Fafnir bearings. I burnt up the first used motor and replaced it with a 1 HP Baldor motor about 10 years ago. It is the most used piece of equipment in my shop. The whole initial project cost me less than $100 with some machining help from a friend. If you have access to a used steel yard, welding and some machining you can do something similar at far less money than a ready made machine would cost.

This buffer 10" is heavy, powerfull and runs very quiet and smooth. I use a 10" loose muslin wheel and a 10" sewn muslin wheel on it. I would put it up against any ready made buffer out there.

Wayne

I concur with the Baldor suggestion. I just have one of their standard buffers, but it's my most prized tool in the shop. Make sure to get the low rpm one, I think mine is 1800

Thanks a bunch fellas! The Baldor's look like a winner, & just within my budget.

http://www.baldor.com/catalog#category=33


glennbad, any pics of your setup? And, where's a good source for wheels & compounds?

I am not Glenn, but I can give you my input.

USA KnifeMakers Supply has the best deal now on buffs now.
http://usaknifemaker.com/buffing-wheel- ... -sewn.html
These are great for $3.88. If you want thicker use two together. If you want a loose buff, cut the threads.
You should use a different buff for each compound and keep brass off wheels you use on steel. if you get a sliver of steel in the buff and then buff brass or nickel silver it will leave scratches.

I experimented with a lot of compounds before I settled on the three I use. I think Jantz carries all three.
I use black emery for heavy cutting, Black Magic compound for most stuff and No Scratch Pink for all the fine polishing. Those 3 compounds take care of 98% of all my polishing.

I do have a special wheel & compound for use on plastics like Delrin, but that is a special application.

This is my 1 hp Jet buffer. I have a couple home made buffers as well.
Here is one of my home made buffers in the bottom left of this picture.
It is powered by an old washing machine motor.

Great info men...thanks!

Gary

Thanks Dale! I value your input. What speeds are your jet?

Jethro Bodine wrote:Thanks Dale! I value your input. What speeds are your jet?

The Jet is single speed 1740 RPM. I don't think Jet makes the buffer anymore. It was about $200 if I recall correctly. It is not as smooth as a Baldor but is less than half what a 1 hp Baldor knife buffer costs. They replaced it under warranty several times until I discovered the problem was the switch. I replaced the switch and it works super.

orvet wrote:

Jethro Bodine wrote:Thanks Dale! I value your input. What speeds are your jet?

The Jet is single speed 1740 RPM. I don't think Jet makes the buffer anymore. It was about $200 if I recall correctly. It is not as smooth as a Baldor but is less than half what a 1 hp Baldor knife buffer costs. They replaced it under warranty several times until I discovered the problem was the switch. I replaced the switch and it works super.

JET doesn't list the hp rating. Do you know what it is Dale?

Gary

Correction, the speed is 1725 RPM not 1740 RPM.

garyflorida wrote: JET doesn't list the hp rating. Do you know what it is Dale?
Gary

Yes, 1 HP. Mine says 1 HP on the motor tag.
The tags on most motors will show the serial and model numbers of the motor, HP rating, rotation speed, voltage required and whether the power requirement is single phase or 3 phase.
The motor tags, whether they are metal tags or decals like the one on my Jet buffer gives you most of the essential info on an electric motor. Things like voltage are critical. I am running the buffer on 115 volts rather than 230 volts because of the location, but if I ever get another shop or rewire this one I will convert the buffer to 230 volts. It's cheaper to run that way and I understand it is easier on the motor, though I am no expert on electric motors.