Rag-Wheel Fast Cutting Buffing Compound Wanted, and bright-boy (Brite Boy)

letter 4157

Rag-Wheel Fast Cutting Buffing Compound Wanted, and Bright Boy / Brite Boy

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I'm an easy-going middle-aged man, living in Tennessee (USA), who has a hobby/small business of sharpening just about everything except for saws. Most everything is done by hand and is done very in-expensively. I also have a reputation for being able to "on the spot design tools, jigs, etc. I believe God gave me the gift and I will lose it if I don't use it! So, I keep it hot!

I have a clientele of customers who bring me swords, machetes, etc. that have surface rust on the blades. Sometimes it is a deeply rooted rust. This entails a lot of "elbow-grease" rubbing and almost re-plaining the blades, to get that #1 glaze back into the metal. This ends up being quite expensive! HERE IT IS: My Question:

IS THERE A BUFFING COMPOUND WITH A FAST CUTTING ACTION STILL ON THE MARKET, THAT WILL DELETE RUST BEFORE THE TEMP. OF THE METAL CAN RISE TO KILL THE TEMPER OF THE BLADE?

Many years ago, my father used to get some of this compound (in a yellow and silver aluminum tube [that you had to keep sealed up or it would dry out and be no good]) thru HURTERS or HERTERS Catalog Co., but when it went out of business, we lost our link to the company. I have been using "Shuner" out of Georgia for several years, but they do not handle the compound. It was a dark red compound (in a stick form) that was applied to a rotating rag wheel. It would dress most any metal applied to it. I SURE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO BUY IT AGAIN! Also. . . does anyone still handle the bright-boy wheels {rubberized industrial diamond dust} I haven't been able to find the wheels or the erasers.

Wm. A. Lee
saw sharpening & etc. - East Ridge, Tennessee

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Believe it or not, Sears tool department sells a package of 4 different "grit" polishes as well as the buff wheels to fit on a grinder.

You might be able to find "bright boy" in the thomas Register. The library version is a lot easier than on line.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida

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It is doubtful that you will get this "#1 Finish," using just one operation. Buffing and polishing require several operations, each with finer grit abrasive. Each operation is done on a 90 degree angle to the previous operation.

When a blade acquires rust, there is a degree of etching into the bare steel. You may not be able to take off enough metal to hide that etched surface.

Used sabers from the Civil War are a prime example. They are all etched from contact with various liquids, including plain water.

You may be able to reach the desired high finish by ending up with a lapping paste on your dressed wheel during finishing.

Ed Budman
- Pennsylvania

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I purchased the "Bright Boy" wheel from J.S. Ritter [Portland, ME] some time ago. Since then, they no longer stock the wheels but will order as a special.

Ritter is quite responsive to special requests.

Brad Petritsch
- Waterville, Maine

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If you cannot locate any Bright Boy products, Cratex manufactures rubberized abrasives that are excellent. I am sure they have a variety of items that will fill your requirements. They are available thru the catalog tool distributors (J&L; Industrial, MSC, Travers Tool, etc.)

Good luck, and Peace...

Gary F Blades
- Bethpage, New York

March 15, 2009

I was also searching for bright boy products, and I think I found a couple places, but I haven't tried ordering yet. first is an Enameling supply company. easy enough to remember enameling.com second was a miniature train set supply place, I found this one odd, but it seems that people use bright boys to keep tracks clean so they will conduct electricity well (makes sense) acculites.com then down at the bottom of categories follow the Walthers link, then the track supplies link. It's cheaper through the train supply place, but I'm still a little skeptical. It looks like the right thing in the picture, but I've never heard of Walthers, and they don't say anything about it being rubber, just abrasive. Hope this helps. Wish I I could help on the other stuff

Kevin McTighe
- Ferrum, Virginia

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