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  #1  
Old 09-22-2002, 01:16 PM
cordless101's Avatar
cordless101 cordless101 is offline
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Location: Palmer, IA
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carbon fiber

What'd I do wrong? Just put some cf on GPC kit and it doesn't look that good. Doesn't polish up and lost the checker effect on the sides where I rounded it and filed some off. Doesn't look good at all.

Charlie
  #2  
Old 09-22-2002, 03:41 PM
Osprey Guy's Avatar
Osprey Guy Osprey Guy is offline
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Charlie-

That Carbon Fiber should look spectacular, but you need to work it, and that doesn't happen so quickly... I offered some advice to "Jocke" recently. The following is an copy of that advice:

"I recommend you sand the Carbon Fiber with the scales removed from the knife. As you get close to the size and fit you desire, just set the CF(carbon fiber) scales in place on the knife from time to time to check the fit. Doing it this way will protect the bead-blast finish on the bolsters. (If you plan on polishing the bolsters, then you will not have to be so concerned about "scuffing" them with your sandpaper. Still, sanding with the scales off of the knife is the best policy)

If you can find it, purchase sandpaper through the various grits up to at least a 1500 grit...2,000 if possible. Most auto supply stores in this country carry that for fine work on auto bodies. As you move up through the grits you will see scratches appear in the CF. Keep at it they will eventually disappear (400-600 grit is best for those scratches without having to go back and forth between all the grits). Taking it all the way to the 2,000 grit will give it a showroom finish. I've used a very fine plastic scratch remover from 3M products to final finish...this will leave a gorgeous lustre in the CF. You might even want to add some Rennaisance Wax afterwards (I love that stuff...it's the best!)

Use a lot of "elbow grease" (it means hard work-sanding) and you can't go wrong!

Good luck!...and please make sure to wear the appropriate respirator...you don't want to be sucking up CF dust!!!"


Charlie-
If you follow the steps I've outlined, you will be thrilled with the final outcome I promise you. Just keep in mind we're talking hours of good, hard work. Good luck!

Dennis

Yeah Baby
  #3  
Old 09-22-2002, 08:31 PM
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cordless101 cordless101 is offline
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OK

Thanks dennis, I'll give it a try tomorrow. Hope it comes out...

Charlie
  #4  
Old 09-22-2002, 09:34 PM
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Osprey Guy Osprey Guy is offline
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A couple of things to add to the above:

When you're doing the initial shaping of the scales, DO NOT grind the scale material (in this case CF) all the way down to what you feel is the final shape. You'll quickly discover that you've created a problem for yourself.

You need to leave enough room to accomodate the final sanding with all the various grits of sandpaper. This process chews up more material than you might think.
After all that hard work, it's a drag to wind up with areas that are too thin...

Also: I failed to mention above where to start with your sandpaper grits...Although CF is much different than wood or bone or coral, etc. I sand them all in similar fashion. Depending on how fine a finish I want, here's the order I normally use:

Depending on what you used for initial shaping, in most cases you won't need to be doing any further rough removal during final sanding. If you need it, 180G or 220G should be course enough.

I start out most of the time with 400Grit (sometimes 320 if required). I use 400G for the bulk of my sanding.needs.*
*in general, the scales for the kits are so small, there's no need for heavy removal of any kind, except for initial shaping. 400 Grit may take a little longer than starting with something more coarse, but it gives me a lot more control over final outcome...each to his own.

Then I work through these: 600g, 800g, 1000g
and finish with either 1500g or 2000g.

My last two knives I used this really cool stuff I get from Woodcraft called "Ultra Sand" sanding sheets. It's similar in ways to steel wool but comes in different specific sanding grit capabilities ranging from Fine (320), Very Fine (400), Super Fine (600-1200 depending on pressure applied), and my favorite for incredible final finish, "Ultra Fine" (7,000 Grit!). You cut off whatever you need with scissors. It easily conforms to any shape you're working.

Hope this helps.

Dennis

Yeah Baby!

 

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