Info Favorites Register Log in
myArmoury.com Discussion Forums

Forum index Memberlist Usergroups Spotlight Topics Search
Forum Index > Off-topic Talk > shiny finish to satin Reply to topic
This is a standard topic  
Author Message
Joel F.




Location: meadville,pa,u.s.a
Joined: 11 Sep 2007

Posts: 4

PostPosted: Fri 14 Sep, 2007 12:59 am    Post subject: shiny finish to satin         Reply with quote

What is the easiest, most effective way of changing a bright,shiny,polished finish on a blade to a flat/matt more realistic finish?
2112x1
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team


myArmoury Team

PostPosted: Fri 14 Sep, 2007 4:54 am    Post subject: Re: shiny finish to satin         Reply with quote

Joel F. wrote:
What is the easiest, most effective way of changing a bright,shiny,polished finish on a blade to a flat/matt more realistic finish?


Gray Scotchbrite pads. Happy Work down the length of the blade in long strokes. If you want something even more matte in finish, green Scotchbrite pads are more agressive.

Happy

ChadA

http://chadarnow.com/
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Troy G L Williams




Location: Moody, Texas
Joined: 20 Jun 2007
Likes: 3 pages
Reading list: 3 books

Posts: 79

PostPosted: Fri 14 Sep, 2007 5:01 am    Post subject: Re: shiny finish to satin         Reply with quote

Chad Arnow wrote:
Gray Scotchbrite pads. Happy Work down the length of the blade in long strokes. If you want something even more matte in finish, green Scotchbrite pads are more agressive.


I hope this isn't considered off topic, but would that work with helmets and other armour as well?

v/r,
Troy Williams

"It’s merely a flesh wound." -Monty Python and the Holy Grail
View user's profile Send private message
Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team


myArmoury Team

PostPosted: Fri 14 Sep, 2007 5:05 am    Post subject: Re: shiny finish to satin         Reply with quote

Troy G L Williams wrote:

I hope this isn't considered off topic, but would that work with helmets and other armour as well?


I would think so. Just be careful about the directions of your strokes so you don't end up with strange patterns.

Sandpaper also works for swords and armour and you have a lot more choices in grits.

Happy

ChadA

http://chadarnow.com/
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Troy G L Williams




Location: Moody, Texas
Joined: 20 Jun 2007
Likes: 3 pages
Reading list: 3 books

Posts: 79

PostPosted: Fri 14 Sep, 2007 6:02 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

By the way, welcome to myArmoury.com Joel! This is the best site. Very informative.

Thanks Chad. I would be a little worried about unwanted non-historically correct designs. Eek! Is there a way to tell which way to go with the scratch pads/sand paper? What is the best grain to use? I would think going from the guard to the tip would be the best direction for the sword but armour? Confused

v/r,
Troy Williams

"It’s merely a flesh wound." -Monty Python and the Holy Grail
View user's profile Send private message
Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team


myArmoury Team

PostPosted: Fri 14 Sep, 2007 6:44 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Troy G L Williams wrote:
Thanks Chad. I would be a little worried about unwanted non-historically correct designs. Eek! Is there a way to tell which way to go with the scratch pads/sand paper? What is the best grain to use? I would think going from the guard to the tip would be the best direction for the sword but armour? Confused


With swords and daggers, most people go straight down the blade from guard to tip. With armour, I don't know as I don't have a lot of armour. For less complex pieces, straight up and down might work. For complex curves and flutes, etc., I have no idea.

Hopefully someone will chime in about sandpaper grits. Each Scotchbrite color pad has a rough equivalent in a sandpaper grit, but off the top of my head, I don't remember what they are. If someone were to post that it would give you a starting point to go up or down in the grit range to find a finish you like.

Years ago, I polished a Del Tin blade by going progressively from 400 to 1500 or 2000. I got a very pretty finish and wasted a lot of time. Nowadays, gray Scotchbrite is good enough.

Incidentally, I've had good luck combining gray Scotchbrite with Metal-glo metal polish for a finish a little nicer than the Scotchbrite alone. It also works well to remove staining from cutting certain things.

Happy

ChadA

http://chadarnow.com/
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Roy T.





Joined: 10 Jul 2007

Posts: 6

PostPosted: Fri 14 Sep, 2007 6:50 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Try 220 wet sandpaper as starting point. Finer grits will give you a softer satin look. Be very careful of the direction of your strokes, as stated in the other response. The paper will last much longer if you do use it wet. I am currently working on a hanwei 'bastard' sword which comes with a polished fuller. I used 220 dry to reduce the shine to that of the surrounding blade, much better to my eye. You really can't mess it up to much, if you see swirl marks just go over it again with the paper,using a direction consistent with your desired results.
View user's profile Send private message
Thom R.




Location: Tucson
Joined: 26 Jul 2007
Reading list: 30 books

Posts: 630

PostPosted: Tue 18 Sep, 2007 3:08 pm    Post subject: 220 is too aggressive for final finish         Reply with quote

I think 220 is way to aggressive for any kind of final finish. On any sword. You can do a lot of damage using 220 paper and some hard finger pressure. One of the advantages to the scotch brite pads (there are also many similar products made by 3M specifically for sanding including sanding sponges) is that the sponge prevents you from hitting it too hard with finger pressure.

Although I do have a shapton 120 the 220 is definitely THE workhorse for grinding and shaping. Its the basic grit level for anyone wanting to remove a little metal but in a controlled fashion. 220 in my experience you have to be very careful with applying even pressure the whole stroke or you will definitely get an uneven result.

IMHO, leaving a sword blade at 220 will leave too much roughness and therefore too much area exposed on the sword surface and can exacerbate long term corrosion. Try using even just a 20 power handlens on a sword after 220.

Of course this is all my personal opinion, is not a criticism, and your mileage may vary. But back to the original question the important thing in this case is to work the process in reverse, i.e. I would start high and work lower. You are doing the process in reverse of a normal polish......so start high and work backwards until you get what you want. Remember, "the shine" comes from the uniformity of the surface polish, the more scratches, the more diffused the light coming off the steel. I would start with a wet paper 1500, and then if you have to - work back towards 440.
View user's profile Send private message


Display posts from previous:   
Forum Index > Off-topic Talk > shiny finish to satin
Page 1 of 1 Reply to topic
All times are GMT - 8 Hours

View previous topic :: View next topic
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
You cannot attach files in this forum
You can download files in this forum






All contents © Copyright 2003-2024 myArmoury.com — All rights reserved
Discussion forums powered by phpBB © The phpBB Group
Switch to the Basic Low-bandwidth Version of the forum