Hand sanding blade problem.

D

divewize

Joined
Sep 24, 2003
Messages
37
Whats up Smittys.

Im re gripping a set of kitchen knives for a friend and would also like to get rid of the lousy factory satin finish that looks like it was polished with barbed wire (henkles).

anyway I started with 80 then 120 then 220,300 400 but every time I flip the blade inbetween grits I end up with what looks like deep scrathes and pependicular to my final sanding direction.

im using a clean 2x4 as a base to sand on, could I be scratching the undeside of the blade while working on the other?? im sure thats it but???

also the scratches look like a scribe or tool made it rather than grit or dirt.

the said scrathes almost look Beneath the surface as I cant feel them with my finger nail and with a loupe they dont show up too good but with the naked eye and at the right angle the scatches stick out like the proverbial sore thumb. ive managed to sand out the first few I noticed but everytime I think the sanding is going good I look at the steel and see another mysterious scratch beneath my sanding.

Ive never been this picky before so I never noticed this problem ,

actually I never hand sanded alway used power in the past.


ANY thoughts will be welcome "John"
 
John,

hand sanding back to 80 grit after heat treat is tough work. I wish you the best!

I don't know what those deep marks are, but after I sand a side I cover it with masking tape before flipping it over. Some folks use rubber or leather between the blade and the board. However, I always seem to end up with some kinda blemish. The 30 seconds it takes to cover with masking tape can save a 30 minutes of fixup work.

Hope that helps,

Steve
 
GOOD IDEA

The 80 grit did ok at removing the factory barbed wire finish.

yes IT was hard going but now its these fine scratches that show up out of the blue maybe your tape method will work as Im probably scratching one side when I work on the other.


thanks bud ill try tape.
 
Take a board and inlet the area of the bolster and handle, so that the blade lies flat on it. Clamp all that in a vise, and sand away.

Keeping the blade stiff will make your work a lot easier, and you will need all the breaks you can get. :eek: ;).
I just looked at a Henckles knife in my kitchen. If you rub your nail down the blade, it's like a record. They must only finish to 40 grit.:rolleyes: :barf:

Can't figure the big price for those things.:confused: :D
 
Steve's on it. The masking tape trick helps alot (it took me a few years to figure that one out). Where were you Steve when I needed to hear/learn that?
Crex
 
I like both Mike and Steve's ideas. I have been taking a cotton hand towel (like the lady's put in the head), folding it and do my hand finishing with the knife upon it. Helps me keep from scratching the underside, handle and blade, and also helps to keep the blade in place. Locked in a vise would be better though, I think.

RL
 
You guys are absolutely right. It is really easy to notice when mirror polishing a hardened blade. You lay the polished blade down on about any hard or dusty surface and do any work on the knife, "poof!" goes the underneath polished side! You know what happens when you WIPE dust off a polished blade, too. POOF AGAIN!
 
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