polishing powder

I always see this powder on many videos and I've never actually understood what this thing was made of. Is it synthetic? Is it natural? Is it both? Can I make it by myself? What's the main purpose of using this powder?
Also, has it got any side effect on the knife?

-Fabio

 

As you might expect, polishing powders are used to polish the side of the blade. This may be done to remove patina, polish out sharpening scuffs/scratches or just to enhance the finish of the blade.

The commercial versions are usually aluminum oxide or silicon carbide of different grits.

Some like to collect the stone residue from a sharpening session and let it dry to make polishing powder. Personally, I've found it to be to much effort when using synthetic stones, considering that the commercial versions are relatively inexpensive. I might consider it if I was using a natural stone.

Rick

 

I will often use this or that oxide to clean up my blades...but the only reason I do it is because my knives are all clay hardened and show a hamon, and the ultra fine grits and different oxide types do various things to bring the line out and improve the visibility of its properties. On a through hardened knife I can't imagine a purpose, except perhaps to load a strop with for sharpening.

 

advice needed please: have this blade which is slightly rusted (yes cried my eyes out) and don't want to ruin the beautiful lines. Can i use your idea to make some powder off a 3000grit (?) stone and use that to take off this gunk? the cork from an old wine bottle to rub it in?

 

Any polish you apply, you will have to apply to the entire blade or it will be very, very obvious where the damage was. You could try rubbing the entire blade down with Barkeeper's Friend (it seems to remove rust when I've used it for the purpose)...then very carefully use a 3m 5000 grit sponge backed polishing pad to wipe the entire blade lengthwise. I would use a wooden dowel or a small piece of flat steel as a backer...then use long, even strokes starting as close to the ferrule as you can get, and not ending until you are past the tip. Once you're happy with the finish you can either redo the etch with vinegar or lemon juice...or let the patina build up naturally, exposing the pattern as it goes.

Hope that helps!

 

thanks a lot, worked perfectly