Fixing a couple scratches

R

Randydb

Joined
Sep 27, 2014
Messages
1,108
Okay,
I understand getting a mirror finish...sanding with ensuing grits of paper up to 1200 to 2000 range then fine cut polish, swirl remover, buff. Removing previous grit scratches and sanding in different directions to tell when you have done it.

I let one of my students sand the handle on a knife I was working on and she was very proud of the job she did, but she managed to get the blade in a few spots...so scratches there. Do I have to sand the whole blade on that side up through the grits or can I just do the area she messed up?

Thanks
Randy
 
I'm looking forward to someone chiming in on this. I've accidentally gotten a few scratches on some previous blades while finishing the handle but left them because they were working knives haha they were right in front of the handle and I didn't want to make my issue worse by trying to fix them.
 
Honestly before I started sanding them I would try to buff them out with some green compound. If they are not too deep that should take them out.
 
Remember a wise man once said "you do not sand scratches, you sand everything that is not the scratch".

You have to sand down the blade until it is at the level of the scratch then work on your finish again.
 
AVigil said:
Remember a wise man once said "you do not sand scratches, you sand everything that is not the scratch".

You have to sand down the blade until it is at the level of the scratch then work on your finish again.
Click to expand...
So basically can't just do it in the area that has the scratch...need to do the whole side. Dang, I am going to make sure I tape the entire blade before I let my students help me in the future.
 
It you sand/buff only in the area of the scratch, it will make a slight dip in the blade surface that may show worse than the scratch.

When assembling and finishing the handle, do the front of the scales off the knife before assembly. The tape up the blade well after the scales are mounted. This will avoid damaging the blade in handle finishing.
 
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith said:
It you sand/buff only in the area of the scratch, it will make a slight dip in the blade surface that may show worse than the scratch.

When assembling and finishing the handle, do the front of the scales off the knife before assembly. The tape up the blade well after the scales are mounted. This will avoid damaging the blade in handle finishing.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I figured that out afterwards! Oh well, I think I will start with some green compound and see if that works. If not, maybe start with 1200 or 800 and try to get the scratches out with the finest sand paper possible. Less grits to work up the scale with then.
 
What grit was she using when she put the scratches in? That is the grit you should try to remove them with instead or going all the way back to perhaps 400. Just a thought.
Tim
 
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