Sanding sticks?

C Craft

C Craft

Well-Known Member
I often hear people talking about sanding sticks to use with polishing out a blades finish. Now I get the concept of these sticks! Some are used for the flat areas and some for the contoured and grind areas.
I want to make up some of my own and I am trying to come up with an idea that makes attaching sand paper to them, quick and easy to change the paper?:confused:
In the past I have made a few sanding sticks myself but they were basically one and done, throw away sanding sticks. They either did not holdup well or work well as the paper was constantly getting waded between the stick and the blade causing more problems than solving at times! :bud:
I want ideas on what you make them from IE wood, plastic,etc., there actual shapes and how you are attaching paper too them IE glueing,slots in the stick, etc., AND REMEMBER useless1
 
C-Craft,

I've been using (only on a couple blades so far) pieces of 1/4" micarta. I spray glued some cork gasket material to one to help give it some bite. When sanding I've been using 9x11 sheets so I just keep scissors and painters tape laying on the bench. Cut a strip of paper the skinny width of the micarta across the 9" side and rip a piece of tape about 3". Tape paper to the back side leaving the other end of the tape up and stretch paper tightly around then stick down the rest of the tape.

This has been working great for me so far and it only takes a couple seconds to change paper.

-Josh

Oh yeah, I also slightly broke the edges around the perimeter of the sanding flat on the micarta to prevent digging in
 
useless1
Seriously I would love to see pics of the sanding sticks you are talking about. That would give me more ideas about shape and design how thick the micarta was, etc, etc!
 
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When sanding, the paper only lasts for a few strokes.

I use a wooden paint stirring stick. I wrap the wet/dry paper around the stick, and when one side wears out, I flip it over. When the second side wears out, I tear off the worn parts and keep working my way around. No need to pre-cut, pre-glue, etc. I've heard of people wrapping the paper around a file, but with a stirring stick there's less chance of one of those "oops" moments if the file scrapes up against the metal.
 
Josh Dabney said:
Cut a strip of paper the skinny width of the micarta across the 9" side and rip a piece of tape about 3". Tape paper to the back side leaving the other end of the tape up and stretch paper tightly around then stick down the rest of the tape.
Click to expand...

I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around this.
 
Sanding sticks

C Craft,

Here's some pics but these are really just a pair of 1 1/2" x 5" micarta scales pretty much un-altered. I forgot I had spray glued cork to one and leather to the other just to try it out. You'll see the one pic with the tape peeled up to show how I get it stuck down and keep the paper nice and tight.

As NJStricker mentioned, you will go through some paper. I should've taken a pic of this too but at the lower grits I'll begins sanding with a 6" piece of 2x4 clamped in the vice. A pice of 1 1/2" belt strap is superglued onto the 2x4. I'll then lay a sheet of paper over the leather
Hose it down with windex
Hold the paper left handed and draw the blade over the paper right handed.

I'll work my way across the paper a blade width at a time then move the paper towards me and get fresh grit over the leather.

After I'm done scrubbing/sanding on the 2x4 I'll refine the scratch patten at the same grit with the micarta.

On a side note, I think many of the issues with hand sanding are produced on the grinder. Tha last two blades I flattened on the disk sander to 320 grit and the hand finishing part was not so difficult or time consuming but the result was great. I did only finish to 500 though but it wasn't too bad.

sander001.jpg

sander002.jpg

sander003.jpg

sander004.jpg


-Josh
 
I cut the sandpaper to the same size as the blocks or a bit over, and hold the strips on the micarta or hard rubber blocks just with my fingers. Frank
 
Years ago I made my "sanding sticks" out of the old brown Micarta (phenolic). I do mostly flat and convex grinds, and to that end I would make these sanding sticks in the shape of a triangle with 2 long sides and one shorter |> (sort of like that)

As far a holding the paper on, I purchased one of those paper cutters from Staples, and cut the sandpaper into approx. 1 1/2" stips. I then tightly wrap the paper around the stick. As one side dulls, I simply tear it off and go to the next side, and so on until that strip of paper is used up.

Lately I have changed to using aluminum for my sanding sticks. The change is because the sharp edges/corners on the micarta sticks would break/chip and cause issues with sanding. I also have numerous types/configurations of sanding sticks...from the solid triangles, to those with radius edges, to several that have various grades of hard rubber on the faces. Each has its own specific use and purpose.
 
I want to thank all who have responded to this thread! 2thumbs
Yesterday when I last looked at it was getting little response. I appreciate the photos because without them it is sometimes hard to picture what someone is describing.
To myself I feel sanding sticks are so very important to the finish process of a knife, and I have been frustrated to say the least with my own efforts in making something that works well, or was easy to fasten sandpaper too and keep it fastened. I want to come up with a concept that works and is reusable over and over not (one and done). That way I am not spending time making new sanding sticks with each knife!
I still would love to see any pics that anyone wants to post on this subject, no matter how simple or complex your sanding stick may be!
But now I have some ideas to work with!
 
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