DIY Rock Tumbler - I use it for Stonewashing Knives

This is a system that flexes your belt sander to tumble knives in rocks; in order to achieve a stone washed finished like this blade here:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c5daa7380b.jpg


DIY Rock Tumbler:
https://youtu.be/TvzW7ZVGg3A

How to Stone Wash a Knife:
https://youtu.be/761hHVnE9i8

Cheers,
JK

:rocker:

Well done! I‘ve just built myself one, too but I‘m using a drill to power it.
What I like most about stonewashing is how simple it is. You can buy a real tumbler with expensive ceramic media but you could also put the knife in a box with stones you just picked up and shake the hell out of it - results are pretty much the same :D

Aint that the truth! :thumbsup:

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Thanks JKeetonKnives! We've added your Rock Tumbler to our Knife Making category,
as well as to your builder page: JKeetonKnives's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-rock-tumbler-35"> <img src="/uploads/226337/homemade-rock-tumbler-35.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-rock-tumbler-35">Rock Tumbler</a> <span> by <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/builder/JKeetonKnives">JKeetonKnives</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/tumbler'>tumbler</a>, <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/finish'>finish</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
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Nice Job. You could probably cut up a bicycle inner tube and use rubber adhesive if the rubber bands don't hold up long term.

Thanks, J! This is very helpful. I don’t make knives, but forge other items, some of which I polished in a small lapidary tumbler, which broke down after not a lot of use. I certainly like the stonewashed effect! So I am keen to make something similar to yours. Do you find yours noisy? I couldn’t stand it running on my sander, but think I shall use my Tormek.

Very good idea! Thanks

Hey Philip, It does make some noise. Similar to if you were lightly shaking the container by hand. Almost like a "rain maker". Works best a low speeds. I'm also thinking of adding some baffles to aid mixing.

hey man, where did you get the stencils for your makers mark?

Right here - Welcome to the Marking Specialist! | T.U.S. Technologies, Inc.

Cheers