polishing titanium in a tumbler?
Posted: Sun Oct 20, 2024 7:40 am
I'm sure this is a dumb question because I am not a knife maker so much as a tinkerer but I was wondering if anybody has a process for polishing titanium in a vibratory tumbler? The goal being to take it from a bead blasted finish (160 grit glass bead) to a polished finish without rounding out edges or de-shaping anything. This particular knife is a balisong with cutouts and holes drilled in the handles so it would be pretty much impossible to polish down in the nooks and crannies by hand or with belts. I have been looking at how jewelers polish metal jewelry and gem stones and I was curious if a similar process might work on titanium. What I have in mind is using Silicon Carbide Tumbling grits mixed with some plastic beads for filler. A grit progression from 220,600,800,1000,1200 and possibly finishing with walnut shells and rouge if the 1200 is not shiny enough. I may be fool hearty and completely off base here and I acknowledge that fully but if anyone has any recommendations I am all ears. Thanks Guys.
