SISAL WHEEL 10 inch
- Thread starter HELLGAP
- Start date
EdCaffreyMS
"The Montana Bladesmith"
I'm gona be cynical here...... if you get a bunch of them, and stitch the edges together.....it will make a great door mat! 
OK, fun over....sisal wheels are very coarse, and used for "cutting" operations, generally with heavy grit compounds. As you can tell from my first quip, I really don't care for them....at last in the knife shop. They give an individual too much temptation to NOT finish things down as they should be prior to buffing....and most of the time, in order to make things look good, you have to go back and machine or hand sand once you've used them.
If your gona use them, do it on steel or harder materials....they can literally chew up softer materials.
OK, fun over....sisal wheels are very coarse, and used for "cutting" operations, generally with heavy grit compounds. As you can tell from my first quip, I really don't care for them....at last in the knife shop. They give an individual too much temptation to NOT finish things down as they should be prior to buffing....and most of the time, in order to make things look good, you have to go back and machine or hand sand once you've used them.
If your gona use them, do it on steel or harder materials....they can literally chew up softer materials.
HELLGAP
Dealer - Purveyor
Ed i use alot of cpm 154 and its tough I know its a funny choice for a rookie but this is what happened. I buffed the livin hell out of a blade that was sanded to 400 before heat then sanded to 1200 after but I kept noticing 2 small but deep scratches here and there . I went back and buffed then couldnt gewt thewn out went back to 500 strucktured abrasive belt I then buff again and by now finishing had taken me 2 hours and I usually take 10 min to knock the scale off and buff. Ithought the sisAL wheel might help if I need to be more agrresive but I dont need more scratches to get out later. SHould I take them back. I also bought another 8 inch sewn cloth for trying greasless compound . I coulnt find any so im ordering from jantz tommorrow. The stuff you keep in the fridge. I talked to george tichbourn and he has helped me a little but I saw the sisal wheels and though maybee good. what ya think . I just read buzek s post hmmmmmmmmmmm
SBuzek
Well-Known Member
I use alot of cmp154 also.Deep scratches won't come out with anyting finer than 220 grit paper.When I started out I also tried finer grits and buffer to remove scratches,it don't work. All scratches must be removed at the 220 grit stage thne move on to finer grits. I use 3 times as much 220 grit paper than any other and make sure all scraches are out before moving on to the next grit.A hard thing for a new guy to learn and it took me a while to figure out that I had to spend more time at 220 and get those scratches out.
When I started I relied on the buffer alot,now I barely use it.Not trying to be a smart***,I just see you doing the same as I did starting out.Slow down and take more time at the lower grits.Those scratches will come out.
Stan
When I started I relied on the buffer alot,now I barely use it.Not trying to be a smart***,I just see you doing the same as I did starting out.Slow down and take more time at the lower grits.Those scratches will come out.
Stan
sissal wheels are still widely used in commercial, high volume applications. They don't buff so much as they remove metal. They work fairly well for convex blades. On a hollow grind, you will wash out the grind line. On a flat grind, you will have to move fast and evenly to keep from putting divots in your grind. Try using them with black compound (big grit stuff) on a convex after a 120 grit belt. It will clean up the 120 and leave a fairly decent satin finish. There are lot's of different sissal buffs. It will take a little experimentation to see what will work for you with yours. I've used them in the past but prefer slack belt grinding myself.
Typically, they are fairly thin so you stack a few together. You will get loose strings occasionally, cut those off or they will whip your fingers raw.
Typically, they are fairly thin so you stack a few together. You will get loose strings occasionally, cut those off or they will whip your fingers raw.
At the risk of embarrassing myself with an incredibly dumb question here....is there any easy way to identify a sisal wheel (or any other kind) by sight/feel?
I bought a used cheap Harbor Freight buffer recently that came with wheels but I don't know what they are. One has sewn concentric circles, and the other just has loose layers of fabric. I haven't used it yet, and I'd like to make sure I have appropriate wheels before I do so.
I bought a used cheap Harbor Freight buffer recently that came with wheels but I don't know what they are. One has sewn concentric circles, and the other just has loose layers of fabric. I haven't used it yet, and I'd like to make sure I have appropriate wheels before I do so.
Sean Cochran
Well-Known Member
Kelly, I dont have a lot of expirence with a mirror finish, just because I dont care for it very much, but after reading this post I ordered the Norax belts from Tracy. I have to say it worked very well. The idea is, IMO, to spend as little time as possible at the buffer. By getting the scratches smaller and smaller you get a good finish without washing out the grind lines. I ususally just hand finish, but I really like the Norax belts. Just my $.02
Sean
Sean
G
George Tichbourne
Guest
In the last 20 odd years of metal polishing I have never found a use for them that couldn't be handled with belts or greasless compound.
George
George
Carey Quinn
KNIFE MAKER
PJ,
The wheels you got on the HF grinder are some kind of muslin. They may be of questionable quality but should do OK. Get some good buffing compounds and a wheel rake from our favorite knife supplier and get to work.
Remember buffing is the final step. It's kind of like shining a pair of shoes. You'll never get a pair of work boots to shine worth a darned but good smooth leather is a piece of cake.
That HF buffer is probably running at 3600 rpm so make sure to brace your elbows against your sides, hold on to your material firmly, and only buff on the bottom half of the wheel. The loose buff will be grabbier than the sewn buff so pay extra attention to what you are doing.
Be careful, go slow and have fun,
Carey
The wheels you got on the HF grinder are some kind of muslin. They may be of questionable quality but should do OK. Get some good buffing compounds and a wheel rake from our favorite knife supplier and get to work.
Remember buffing is the final step. It's kind of like shining a pair of shoes. You'll never get a pair of work boots to shine worth a darned but good smooth leather is a piece of cake.
That HF buffer is probably running at 3600 rpm so make sure to brace your elbows against your sides, hold on to your material firmly, and only buff on the bottom half of the wheel. The loose buff will be grabbier than the sewn buff so pay extra attention to what you are doing.
Be careful, go slow and have fun,
Carey
Mike Carter
Well-Known Member
Be very, very, extra, double careful with that loose wheel. Those things will snatch a blade out of your hand faster than you can beleive.
Buffers are dangerous at any speed and with any wheel but the looser the wheel, the more it grabs.
Buffers are dangerous at any speed and with any wheel but the looser the wheel, the more it grabs.
Thanks for the tips, guys! I know this buffer is not ideal but it's what I could afford and justify for now. The wheels did not come with the buffer from HF per the original owner, but I don't know any more than that the ordered them "online somewhere." The sewn wheel looks 'soft' so I assume it isn't Sisal.
Should I just discard the loose wheel and get something else, or is it worth keeping and using for anything?
Should I just discard the loose wheel and get something else, or is it worth keeping and using for anything?
Mike Carter
Well-Known Member
Most of the soft wheels, sewn or loose, are cotton. I use the loose wheels for handles. Just a real light buff with pink no-scratch compound really put the shine on wood, bone or ivory. Even with buffing the handle a loose wheel wants to grab it.
CDHumiston
KNIFE MAKER
I bought a nice Sisal wheel and after a couple trys using it it went into the cabinet to never be seen again. It was way too rough for me, didn't do any polishing and tried to vibrate the knife out of my hands.
If anyone wants to try and 8" Sisal Wheel, I be glad to give it away, you pay shipping...
If anyone wants to try and 8" Sisal Wheel, I be glad to give it away, you pay shipping...