Blade Etch Removal

[DeSotoSky]

Has anyone ever removed text off a blade? Difficult? How did you do it?

 

[Lesknife]

I have and it’s not that difficult but the most difficult part is getting the right grit sanding paper or whatever media you’re using to match the blade finish. If it is a satin finish you’ll need to sand in the same direction as the factory finish is. I practice on some old junk knives to get a feel for it before I work on the nice one. If it a mirror polished blade then depending how deeply etched you can start with a fine grit and then to a ultra fine grit. Then I use a polishing compound and buff it to a mirror shine. I’ve only done one and it turned out good like it never had any etching.

 

[Jeff of the North]

Has anyone ever removed cheesy text off a blade? Difficult? How did you do it?

I used Emery cloth to remove "China" from a Selkirk and then continued down that side of the blade. The sheath seems to attract contaminants that scratch the blade and the Emery cloth cleaned it up nicely.

 

[AZbuckNM]

Has anyone ever removed cheesy text off a blade? Difficult? How did you do it?

I sent a 112 up for a spa treatment and asked them to remove it. Came back looking great!

 

[DeSotoSky]

Is the etch an oxide that would come off with a "rust" remover?

I know I'm a broken record on this but I can't fathom why Buck insists on etching the cheesy "Limited Edition" on the blades of otherwise expensive and good looking knives and of course Smoky Mountain seems to think a blade etch can make any knife extra special. Sometimes it prevents me from buying knives I would otherwise like to have. Is it just me?

 

[jbmonkey]

not just you. too much is too much. sometimes less is more.

 

[Wildcat]

im with ya. blade etch’s hv kept me from buying a few blades.

 

[DeSotoSky]

Would a scotchbrite wheel work? What grit?

 

[JAGcustomknives]

Would a scotchbrite wheel work? What grit?

Light deburring 3M 7S is what I use

 

[Jeff of the North]

Would a scotchbrite wheel work? What grit?

I don't know what grits they are but I have used the small colored wheels on my Dremel to satinize chrome golf clubs before. Grey, red then green in order of finest to coarsest, I believe.

 

[pjsjr]

Is it just me?

Nope, I feel the same way. It has to really special if it is etched...like the take-apart 112.

 

[bertl]

Here is a 551 King Charles II before and after I removed the clutter from the blade. I used a variety of grits from about 400 to 1800. With a mirror polish I didn't have to worry about matching texture.

Bert

 

[DeSotoSky]

Light deburring 3M 7S is what I use

I was thinking about buying a buffer/polisher anyways for other needs. What speed do you recommend for a scotch-brite wheel, 1750 or 3450? Any recommendation for wheel width and diameter. The practical options appear to be 6" vs 8" diameter and 1/2" vs 1" width.

 

[JAGcustomknives]

I was thinking about buying a buffer/polisher anyways for other needs. What speed do you recommend for a scotch-brite wheel, 1750 or 3450? Any recommendation for wheel width and diameter. The practical options appear to be 6" vs 8" diameter and 1/2" vs 1" width.

6" or 8" at 3450rpm and 1" wide. The 6" should be available with standard grinder arbour holes but the 8" are typically large arbour and require an adapter.

 

[brownshoe]

Be careful, pros have severely hurt themselves buffing blades.

 

[DeSotoSky]

Be careful, pros have severely hurt themselves buffing blades.

Thank you, noted.

 

[TAH]

im with ya. blade etch’s hv kept me from buying a few blades.

Case in point...