Best/Easiest way to remove Scratches on Blades?

S

sniper78

Joined
Jun 19, 2011
Messages
62
I have caused some scratching on my F1 by using sandpaper to sharpen. How would I go about buffing these scratches out? I don't have a buffing wheel or a dremel tool.

Suggestions?
 
Use finer grits of sandpaper. Whichever grit you've used thus far, start with the next grit higher, and go up from there until you get the finish you want. Generally speaking, grits in the 400 - 800 range will leave a satin finish, and 1000+ will begin to polish. I'm assuming your F1 was originally satin (not polished), so I'd focus on the 400 - 800 grit, at least. Take it slow & relaxed, don't rush. And a rubber eraser (like an art/drafting type) is a good 'sanding block' around which a piece of sandpaper could be wrapped. Keep the strokes all in one direction (such as from spine to edge, or lengthwise; whichever you prefer).
 
sniper78 said:
Sorry, I failed to mention that my F1 is high polished(almost mirror) 3G stainless.
Click to expand...

Then I'd take it up to 2000 grit or better (your preference). Polishing afterwards, with Simichrome or something similar, will take it up another notch.

Don't worry too much about the finish right now. Assuming you intend to really USE that newly sharpened blade, focus on keeping it sharp. The finish can be restored over time, each time you touch it up, for instance. You don't have to do it all at once. Taking it slow & easy will yield much better results in the end.
 
don't bother with laminated blades in general, whatever you do the softer cladding will takes scratches quite easily from use. if you want to keep it pristine you'll have to repolish it after every rough use.
 
Well just remember, you don't remove scratches. You remove everything around them. So repeated polishing will yield a wavy or rippled looking mirror finish. Put masking tape on the blade to protect it next tme you sharpen, or just leave it on the bench, it won't get scratched there. I know it sucks when you put a scratch on your shiny new blade, especially when doing something like sharpening, but if you ever plan on using it, it will get scratched.


-Xander
 
fast14riot said:
Well just remember, you don't remove scratches. You remove everything around them. So repeated polishing will yield a wavy or rippled looking mirror finish. Put masking tape on the blade to protect it next tme you sharpen, or just leave it on the bench, it won't get scratched there. I know it sucks when you put a scratch on your shiny new blade, especially when doing something like sharpening, but if you ever plan on using it, it will get scratched.


-Xander
Click to expand...

Correct me if I'm wrong (and I may very well be since I've only but gone up to 1000 grit in sandpaper), but couldn't you fix that by regrinding the finish starting with a lower grit? This is actually something I want to know since I'm wondering whether it's worth the money to get anything higher than 1000 grit sandpaper to make my cheap knives look nicer.
 
shadowspawn said:
Correct me if I'm wrong (and I may very well be since I've only but gone up to 1000 grit in sandpaper), but couldn't you fix that by regrinding the finish starting with a lower grit? This is actually something I want to know since I'm wondering whether it's worth the money to get anything higher than 1000 grit sandpaper to make my cheap knives look nicer.
Click to expand...

Yes, you absolutely could, but then you'd need a grinder, buffing wheel and some skill to go with them :) With sandpaper you might be sanding for a loooong time.
 
Oh yes believe me I know. But I digress. I don't like using power tools of any sort including grinders and sanders. I've literally spent hours once trying to reset a bevel on a cheap kitchen knife my grandma wanted me to sharpen using nothing but a 400/600 grit whetstone only for the tip to break off within the next week. I got it done eventually but told myself I'll never do that again lol.
 
You don't HAVE to use power tools to put a new finish on your blade. I also don't use them (save for an occasional pass with a Dremel & buffing wheel). Nothing against 'em, I just don't feel the need. And, doing it by hand has really helped me develop the PATIENCE that, I feel, makes a big difference in finished results. The job doesn't take all that long anyway, if the appropriate grit is selected to start. I've found, for most 'satin finish' blades, anything in the 400 - 800 grit range works well. To initiate that, I'd likely start at 400, which will do a pretty good job removing most of the heavier scratches. It also leaves a very attractive finish on it's own. Once you have a uniform scratch pattern, it becomes much easier to step up to the next grit (600) and refine it further. Beyond that, take it as far as you wish, in the same manner. Keep all strokes in one linear direction (spine-to-edge, or lengthwise, by preference). As I suggested earlier, a rubber eraser works well as a sanding block to wrap the paper around. It's soft enough to evenly distribute pressure, and will mold itself nicely to the blade's contours, which makes for a more uniform finish.
 
Last edited:
Hey,

There's a sanding product out there called Micro-mesh. It is a cloth backed sand "paper" with grits up to 12000. Working with higher and higher grits with a wet piece of micro mesh, the scratches will disappear. It takes time, but it truly works great!
Never A Dull Moment!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top