Somebody PLEASE take a look at this grinder/polisher and tell me why I should/shouldn't use it to polish my pens. I would look for flannel or muslin wheels to do the work with. The rotation speed appears to be a continuously adjustable from 0 to 10K RPM. I would keep it at 1200-1700... no more.
Grinder/Polisher

Hi Andrew,

Make that 300 rpm max.... Even then you have to keep a check on the temperature of the pen.

Have you ever thought of adjusting a nail polisher to do the job? Works well, easy to handle to reach difficult places, very cheap, but needs a little thinking to make it work (how to attach polishing stuff etc.). What is safe for humans, should also be safe for pens. Nails are softer than pen resins, celluloid, or ebonite.

O, just in case you were thinkig of using it for nib smoothing or grinding, please don't. Rather use mylar and elbow grease, especially if you aren't experienced yet. A ruined nib cannot be fixed, other than replacing it or retipping. Also, the speed max applies here too.

HTH, warm regards, Wim

Hi,

My polishing wheel spins at 15000 RPM. Great results by the way, I have polished about 20 pens with good results.

Dillon

Yes but it depends also on the material being polished as well the amount of pressure applied. You might do another 50 pens with no problems and then melt a groove in number 71 & I bet that would require some explaining if it were another person's pen

K

Hi,

It also depends on the wheel. I use a very soft wheel.

Dillon

Hi Wim,

My only reservation about using a handheld polisher is that I don't trust myself. If the polisher is nice and stationary I can hold the pen in both hands and be able to control pressure, width of contact, etc. With one hand holding the pen and the other the polisher, well,... I am just not good enough. I am using the polisher to finish vintage pens, which I give away as gifts. I am reminding a lot of people what great pleasure it is to use a FP, instead of a ballpoint, gel, roller, and other yucky writing implements. I am getting mostly Parker 51s, Sheaffer Imperials, and Esterbrooks. The latter is easy... tough little buggers. The real nice ones I send to FP Meisters (thank you Richard!) and have them done professionally.

Kellemes Karacsonyi Unnepeket es Boldog Uj Evet kivanok mindenkinek! [I wish a Pleasant Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone. (in Hungarian - my mother tongue.]

Hi Dillon,

Even using a soft wheel is dangerous at those speeds. Temperatures may get rather high rather quickly, enough to melt a pen. Most repair people use rather low speeds, like I indicated.

HTH, warm regards, Wim

Hi Andrew,

Why not put the polisher in a vice? That way you have 2 hands free .

And I would like to wish you a very pleasant Christmas Season, and a very Happy New Year, too!

Warmest regards, Wim

Hi,

Be sure that you use the softer cloth wheels with the layers sewn together, not the felt wheels. Felt wheels BURN!!! at those speeds--even soft ones.

Dillon

Actually what you want to use are loose cotton buffs made for plastic. This buff is very specific and only found in supply places that cater to auto restorers. Any sewn wheel will be too firm and easily cut/burn plastic. Also use a very mild polishing compound with this wheel, again specifically formulated for plastic. All these wheels/buffs remove material, so go slowly and move the pen around to minimize heat build up.
Rob

Hi,

Exactly.

Dillon