Durable finish

T

Tomaz L.

Joined
Jan 20, 2005
Messages
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I've been experimenting with Japanese-style polishing lately. I'm pretty happy with the results so far (even though it's an awful lot of work) but the resulting finish isn't very durable at all. It scratches very easily. Perhaps acceptable for a high-end showpiece but not for a working blade. So what kind of finish would you suggest for a utility knife? Hopefully something that doesn't take too much time and doesn't require too much fancy equipment?
 
How 'bout a hand rubbed finish. Like 600-1200 grit. Just run the sandpaper with a solid backing, like micarta, along the blade horizontally until you have a nice satin finish. You can touch it up when it gets small scratches from use.
 
Mirror polish is a good finish for tool steel blades since it gives less chance for water to stand on the metal. Gun Kote is a hardy coating that from all accounts will hold up well to working conditions. Hot or cold gun bluing is a good finish for working knives too.
 
On carbon steels I like a light etch, seems to blend better with the eventual patina that develops from use.
 
Mirror polish is a good finish for tool steel blades since it gives less chance for water to stand on the metal.
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Sounds good in theory, but I find my satin finish carbon and tool steel blades are far more corrosion resistant than mirror polish. It may be because, as you note, liquid cant "stand" on mirror polish and it is "held" on the rougher satin finish. As long as that liquid is oil, as mine tends to be, the knife stays cleaner. My satin D2 blades resist patination, and when they do darken, it seems to come off more easily (if that's what you like).
 
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