Hand sanding progression

Justin Schmidt

Justin Schmidt

Joined
Feb 18, 2016
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So I've watched nicks hand sanding 101 probably 5 times at least. Both of them. I'm going to make a order from supergrit tomorrow and wanted to know what grit progression you use for the blade and handle? I'm looking for a nice clean stain finish blade and a shiny handle (unstabilized walnut) I only have belts up to 120 grit so that's probably where I will start. Thank you
 
For grits I do all basic shaping with 36 grit and then 100 grit for fine shaping. Then hand sanding on up from there. 220-320-400-600-800-1200-buff with white compound.

Then finishing is another discussion. Too many opinions. :eek: :D (mine being tung oil and then a beeswax buff)
 
What do you normally stop at to get the satin finish? I was thinking like 600ish maybe 400. I'm thinking about stopping at 1200 on the handles and I'm gonna use Danish oil.
 
for the handle I reach 800-1000 grain depends on the materials, progression: 220, 400, 600, 800 and 1000.
For the blade you can find a lot of information here on the site. I arrive at hand-satin till 2000 grain, passing through 400 and 800-grain cork belt
 
One trick on getting a good satin hand finish is to go past the desired finish grit and then sand backwards. Let's say a medium satin is desired, which is around 400 grit. Sand up to 800 grit, then go back to 600, then 400. This removes all scratches and only leaves the satin finish. It is also easy to touch up this way.

Many of us use the quick and dirty satin finish by sanding to 400 or 600 on the belt sander then hitting it with a Scotch Brite medium or fine belt. This is fast, easy, and can be touched up anytime.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
One trick on getting a good satin hand finish is to go past the desired finish grit and then sand backwards. Let's say a medium satin is desired, which is around 400 grit. Sand up to 800 grit, then go back to 600, then 400. This removes all scratches and only leaves the satin finish. It is also easy to touch up this way.

Many of us use the quick and dirty satin finish by sanding to 400 or 600 on the belt sander then hitting it with a Scotch Brite medium or fine belt. This is fast, easy, and can be touched up anytime.
Click to expand...
That's a great idea I'll do that.
I've thought about going that route but I just love the look of a hand finished blade. It just gives it more soul. I'm trying to use my hands as much as possible and not so much machines in regards to finishing the knife.
 
I think it was Burt Foster who showed me a hand sanded blade a few years back at Blade and asked me to guess the final grit. I guessed 400-600 and he told me that it was 220. He said that straight, even and clean is more important than final grit. Matt Lamey had made a fair number of big knives with hamon using his 400 grit "field" finish IIRC.
 
What I have done is to go to say wet 800, then dry 800 then back to 600, with the two dry passes done in one direction with a "clean" part of the paper for each pull or two.
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
One trick on getting a good satin hand finish is to go past the desired finish grit and then sand backwards. Let's say a medium satin is desired, which is around 400 grit. Sand up to 800 grit, then go back to 600, then 400. This removes all scratches and only leaves the satin finish. It is also easy to touch up this way.

Many of us use the quick and dirty satin finish by sanding to 400 or 600 on the belt sander then hitting it with a Scotch Brite medium or fine belt. This is fast, easy, and can be touched up anytime.
Click to expand...
 
jdm61 said:
I think it was Burt Foster who showed me a hand sanded blade a few years back at Blade and asked me to guess the final grit. I guessed 400-600 and he told me that it was 220. He said that straight, even and clean is more important than final grit. Matt Lamey had made a fair number of big knives with hamon using his 400 grit "field" finish IIRC.
Click to expand...

The more blades I hand sand the more I came to realize this. I have blades that look nicer at 400 grit than past blades have at 800. I also think this is why going up a grit and stepping back results in a nicer appearance, you're removing the squiggles at the higher grit and when you step back and get nice, even, straight scratchmarks from the previous grit, that's all you can see.
 
kuraki said:
The more blades I hand sand the more I came to realize this. I have blades that look nicer at 400 grit than past blades have at 800. I also think this is why going up a grit and stepping back results in a nicer appearance, you're removing the squiggles at the higher grit and when you step back and get nice, even, straight scratchmarks from the previous grit, that's all you can see.
Click to expand...
"Fishhooks" are the bane of a hand sander's existence. The sneaky little bastards really like to hang out up near the plunge.;)
 
kuraki said:
The more blades I hand sand the more I came to realize this. I have blades that look nicer at 400 grit than past blades have at 800. I also think this is why going up a grit and stepping back results in a nicer appearance, you're removing the squiggles at the higher grit and when you step back and get nice, even, straight scratchmarks from the previous grit, that's all you can see.
Click to expand...
Nick mentions something about it in his video. I think he goes from 320-500 then back down to 320 with even strokes.
Think I'm gonna come off the grinder at 220, send to HT, touch up with 220 on the grinder. Then start hand sanding at 120, 220, 400, 800, then finish at 400.
JDM are you still down in st Pete? I'm up by ocala I might have to make a trip down so you can teach me a thing or 30. ;)
 
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