White Liner issue

[izafireman]

Hopefully someone will be able to help with this?

Made a couple of knives recently and used white G10 liners. How do I stop the liner from becoming dull/showing dirt which seems to get pushed into the surface when buffing the handle?

Thanks
Pete

 

[Nick Riggi]

Only have worked with white G-10 a few times- I try to only work with "natural"color belts and sandpaper when close to finishing and hand sanding.
Silicon Carbide belts tend to stain on the white. I also finish sand wet with the higher grits of the light colored paper

But inevitably, even some microscopic metal shards and shaving can get embedded into the G 10.

 

[J. Doyle]

I've never had too much issue with white g-10. I think the key is to sand thoroughly at every stage. I think a lot of people quit sanding to early at each stage with micarta and g-10.

I made both knives below with white g-10 and carbon fiber. I only use Norton black ice paper. I sanded these to 1000 grit. No issues at all. I didn't get any black smearing into the white at all.

 

[EdCaffreyMS]

This is a problem with most light or white colored handle or spacer materials. The answer isn't easy...... first DO NOT BUFF..... it will just push that junk in as you've found/seen. It's all hand finishing, generally with a sandpaper that IS NOT black...... I use the red colored for situations such as this. Then it's a lot of time/effort.

Since you've already done the buff thing, SOMETIMES you can get a lot of it out with acetone and a toothbrush....but you won't get it all. Hand finishing, with fresh (no black) sandpaper, and using a new piece often.

There's a reason that most experienced makers simply do not use light or white colored handle matierials...... except on very high end pieces..... because you spend a ton of time and effort, generally for little return.

 

[BossDog]

All white takes a lot of work. I don't buff it with any compound. If I buff, I buff it dry or with wax only. I have used thin superglue to seal things up with moderate success and I switch to blonde colored sand paper.

J. Doyle, nice knife.

 

[izafireman]

Thanks for the replies gents. All makes sense as the marks were not there until the later stages of finishing the handle when I took it to the buffer.
I agree with what you say Ed in that unless it is a one off knife that requires more effort it isn't worth using the lighter colours and risk messing a knife up at the final stages.