Avoiding random scratches.

Blankblank

Blankblank

Joined
Feb 16, 2022
Messages
615
This last knife I've made, I've been really noticing my blade collecting random scratches from being picked up, and put down on surfaces. I've noticed that happening on other projects too, but too a lesser extent, likely because the steel was more wear resistant, and because of the nature of the finish I was putting on the blades.

I'm wondering if there are any tricks you guys have picked up to avoid these kind of scratches? Like I've tried to make sure I have a polishing cloth around so I can set the blade on that, but it seems like I just set it down once, and bam i have a little scuff i need to deal with now.
 
Start with the most obvious. Clean the shop, or at least all bench/table tops. A wood surface alone won't scratch a knife. Wood with loose sandpaper grit will.
After you're done polishing to the grit you desire, wrap the blade in plastic wrap and tape it up.
When I get tired or in a hurry and start skipping steps, I often get to resend a blade. Develop a solid routine and stick to it. When you get tired or feel like you need to hurry, stop for the day. Save yourself some trouble...
 
Last edited:
I'm not neat like Keith Nix Keith Nix . So like, H Hubert S. I use tape. Green frog tape, actually. And a LOT of it.

I probably apply/remove tape 4 or 5 times making a single blade. Finish polish, put on tape. Epoxy scales, remove tape to clean blade. Put on tape. Shape handles, remove tape to polish spine, put on tape. Remove tape and etch. Put on tape. Remove tape for final delivery and cleaning.

Once the blade finish is on, I doubt you'd ever see an untaped-blade in my shop.
 
Sando said:
I'm not neat like Keith Nix Keith Nix . So like, H Hubert S. I use tape. Green frog tape, actually. And a LOT of it.

I probably apply/remove tape 4 or 5 times making a single blade. Finish polish, put on tape. Epoxy scales, remove tape to clean blade. Put on tape. Shape handles, remove tape to polish spine, put on tape. Remove tape and etch. Put on tape. Remove tape for final delivery and cleaning.

Once the blade finish is on, I doubt you'd ever see an untaped-blade in my shop.
Click to expand...
I promise I'm a slob in the shop. But when I'm finishing blades, clean matters. And tape, tape matters too 😉
 
Protective netting...many of the items we machine have ultra fine finishes and this mesh material has been an ideal barrier between the part and other surfaces.

www.uline.com

Plastic Sleeve Net, Protective Netting in Stock - ULINE

Uline stocks a wide selection of Protective Netting. Order by 6 p.m. for same day shipping. Huge Catalog! Over 41,000 products in stock. 13 Locations across USA, Canada and Mexico for fast delivery of Protective Netting.
www.uline.com www.uline.com
 
I keep a large bag of cotton balls sealed. Spray the blade with wd40 and blow off with compressed air, wipe with cotton ball and never re-wipe with same side of cotton ball.

Wrap with Teflon tape then wrap over that with electrical tape or blue tape.

The Teflon tape will not scratch the blade nor corrode the blade.
 
Anything metal or wood (especially if making guitars), always put whatever I'm doing down on a surface that's so soft that grit won't scratch it. When making guitars, this is a constant problem because they're often wood that's not that hard - everything will dent or scratch them, so I put them on a stack of old towels. Putting metal things down on just one towel is good enough to keep stray grit from being able to get any purchase.

Keep track of that old stuff that you normally throw away - old shirt, old towels, etc, and use it to rest things on when you're not working on them. The absolute worst is when you've laid something down in the middle of a polishing process, are working on something else, and then bump into something that should be kept safe and scratch it up or ding it into something.

For wiping anything off before final polish, I always keep the cheapest big microfiber cloths I can find. When they're clean, they get used for clean work. As they go through stages of dirty, I continue to let them get dirty, then wash them, and so on. Eventually one will get something gnarly on it like finish and then it's repurposed to gritty filthy stuff like metal shavings since that stuff doesn't come out in the washer.

Big microfiber cloths are only about 60 cents each on amazon - I don't get cheap and buy a couple when I know they'll get used and abused and pay for themselves many times over vs. screwing around with less effective paper towels.
 
AVigil said:
I keep a large bag of cotton balls sealed. Spray the blade with wd40 and blow off with compressed air, wipe with cotton ball and never re-wipe with same side of cotton ball.

Wrap with Teflon tape then wrap over that with electrical tape or blue tape.

The Teflon tape will not scratch the blade nor corrode the blade.
Click to expand...
That's a slick Idea
 
fitzo said:
Don't overlook the crap embedded in your fingertips as a source of scratching.
Click to expand...
Honestly yeah, probably between all the sharpening, grinding, sanding, and other stuff I so with abrasives and metal. I've got to have a good bit of abrasive on my hands.
 
Thanks for the replies.

D D-weaver Good ideas there. A lot of the scratching complications did happen during the polishing process, when I would take a break and set down the blade. I would pick it back up, and low and behold, it has a couple little scratches now. So I'll try this.

Definitely a lot of good ideas here. And yeah I've got to stop cheating out on my tape. I think, I'll be extra careful now, no need to waste tape. Then I'll end up dropping the blade on cement or something 🤣. I need to just go ahead and tape it up as soon as I get done polishing from now on.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top