Finish work knife sanding- lengthways or shot, what do you prefer ?

3

3RiverBlades

Joined
Jun 9, 2012
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Hey got a question for yall,

I have 2x72 belt sander and for the longest time I use it for everything including finishing work on my blades. I have watched professionals use files and sanding block to finish and final sanding in a LENGTHWAYS pattern (from point to handle). I have also heard that this is the optimal type of sanding for a better look. I do realize this will take much longer to finish but are looking for the best possible look.

Can anyone explain if they have used this technique and why?

Is this necessary?



Thanks!
 
If you have a well done grind to 220 grit or finer, it doesn't really take that long to put a hand rubbed finish depending on the type of steel. Some steels in my experience are much more difficult to hand sand than others. I think it depends on the type of knife whether you should do a machine of hand finish.
 
I read a Fowler article in Blade which stated that a longitudinal finish before heat treatment was the best way to avoid stress risers, and that made a lot of sense to me. The logical followup post heat treatment would be a longitudinal finish. Personally, I prefer a straight up hand polish to anything else- user knife or otherwise. I don't mind adding my own scratches :)

As for finishing from tip to handle, well that just sounds dangerous! I've only made a couple of knives and to me it seems more intuitive to finish from handle to tip. But I really don't have much experience making knives at all, so take that as you will.
 
Handle to tip. LIFT UP replace at handle(ricasso) and again to the tip.
I like the handle to tip finish because it can't be done by machine.
It shows hand work and the extra care that has gone in to the knive.
I also like it if the finish folows the line of the edge and not the spine or middle.
All just personal taste
 
For my last grit I actually do the tip to ricasso stroke and rock the sanding block up as I hit the plunge. I find that's the only way to get rid of the last little inconsistencies that arise from placing the block on the blade at the plunge. Maybe it's my block that's part of the problem.
It's no more dangerous as the edge is the real scary part and that's near your fingers either way.
 
Besides a better look its the easiest finish for the end user to maintain, A machine finish will show scratches far less
but if you want to clean the blade up, pretty tuff to go crossways by hand. Close to the right grit on a lengthways
hand finish and you're back to original finish.
Ken.
 
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