polishing titanium in a tumbler?
polishing titanium in a tumbler?
I'm sure this is a dumb question because I am not a knife maker so much as a tinkerer but I was wondering if anybody has a process for polishing titanium in a vibratory tumbler? The goal being to take it from a bead blasted finish (160 grit glass bead) to a polished finish without rounding out edges or de-shaping anything. This particular knife is a balisong with cutouts and holes drilled in the handles so it would be pretty much impossible to polish down in the nooks and crannies by hand or with belts. I have been looking at how jewelers polish metal jewelry and gem stones and I was curious if a similar process might work on titanium. What I have in mind is using Silicon Carbide Tumbling grits mixed with some plastic beads for filler. A grit progression from 220,600,800,1000,1200 and possibly finishing with walnut shells and rouge if the 1200 is not shiny enough. I may be fool hearty and completely off base here and I acknowledge that fully but if anyone has any recommendations I am all ears. Thanks Guys.
- New_Windsor_NY
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Re: polishing titanium in a tumbler?
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- 1967redrider
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Re: polishing titanium in a tumbler?
I would be surprised if you could polish titanium without some special medium, due to its hardness. But I'm no knife mechanic.
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You're going to look awfully silly with that knife sticking out of your @#$. -Clint Eastwood, High Plains Drifter