How To How to remove scratches?

R

Retired Spook

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Mar 23, 2023
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A few years ago I bought this SOG Dessert Dagger knowing beforehand that the blade had some blemishes. I got it for a good price and they are extremely hard to come by - in like new condition they go for big bucks.
IMG-1943.jpg

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This is a photo of the blemishes
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My questions is, would anyone know how to polish those scratches out and match the rest of the blade as close as possible? They are actually very light scratches but I do not have a clue how to match the rest of the blade.

Any help and I would be eternally grateful because other than these scratches the knife is in pretty good shape.
 
Retired Spook said:
A few years ago I bought this SOG Dessert Dagger knowing beforehand that the blade had some blemishes. I got it for a good price and they are extremely hard to come by - in like new condition they go for big bucks.
IMG-1943.jpg

IMG-1944.jpg


This is a photo of the blemishes
IMG-1945.jpg


My questions is, would anyone know how to polish those scratches out and match the rest of the blade as close as possible? They are actually very light scratches but I do not have a clue how to match the rest of the blade.

Any help and I would be eternally grateful because other than these scratches the knife is in pretty good shape.
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They look fairly deep, I don't believe you could "match" the rest of the blade but I could be wrong. If you wanted continuity you would have to sand/refinish the entire flat. Now you could lessen the scratches with some polish, but you'll still be able to see them.
 
That could be a belt finish, or a Scotchbrite finish, or a cutting compound finish-or something else. You aren't going to match it at home. A well-equipped knifemaker might be able to do it, but it will require testing to see what matches-if anything.
 
For good orders sake that is a SOG DESERT Dagger. A DESSERT Dagger would be one that you stab into a pie or cake served after a meal.
Anyway what every one says above. You could start with polish hand rub then try very fine grits of sandpaper (in the thousands)
and those scratches will become far less noticeable.
But I tend to think you would need a knifemaker to make it "perfectly" match the rest of the blade.
LOCxV9.jpg
 
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Thanks folks. The first thing I am going to do is contact SOG Specialty Group today and see if they can do anything or recommend someone.

G Grumpy Old Man that satin finish looks real nice but I would probably have to do all four flats on the blade and that isn't something I would do. Still a good video for future reference.
 
Someone with a surface conditioning belt might be able to help.
 
It looks like a hollow grind with a machine finish. There are a few ways to polish the bevels, but it would be tricky to match the factory finish.
 
Retired Spook said:
Thanks folks. The first thing I am going to do is contact SOG Specialty Group today and see if they can do anything or recommend someone.

G Grumpy Old Man that satin finish looks real nice but I would probably have to do all four flats on the blade and that isn't something I would do. Still a good video for future reference.
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I wouldn't even bother getting in touch with SOG - the original company has been sold on, and they no longer make that dagger. Additionally, all their knives are outsourced, so they don't actually have a workshop.

Best bet would be trying to find a friendly local knifemaker with a belt.
 
Welcome to Shop Talk. Filling out your profile will help us with better answers or an offer to help fix it.

I agree with navman. A surface conditioning belt - AKA Scotch Brite SC belt- is the best choice. Probably a blue belt to start with. I wouldn't recommend you trying it yourself unless you have plenty of skills and a VS grinder with a large contact wheel (you would have to figure out the size by testing).
 
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Retired Spook said:
Thanks folks. The first thing I am going to do is contact SOG Specialty Group today and see if they can do anything or recommend someone.
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Your Desert Dagger was made at the Kinryu factory in Seki Japan between 1991 and 2004. Because you have the nylon sheath it would be from the 1990s before they switched to kydex. SOG ended all their Seki contracts in 2006/2007. Kinryu itself closed their knife factory in 2017.
SOG has been purchased by GSM an outdoor products company whose main claim to fame so far has been lack of customer support.
As others have mentioned, your best bet would be a knifemaker, local to you or here on BF. Good luck.
 
It is definitely not hollow ground - a straight edge across the bevels shows no light.

Now, how to find someone that could do this, in 2023, that lives up to his word...
 
If you get that blade refinished it will lower the value and you risk it being screwed up, stuff happens.
On a collectible you leave it alone.
 
AVigil said:
If you get that blade refinished it will lower the value and you risk it being screwed up, stuff happens.
On a collectible you leave it alone.
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I understand - if not for those scratches the blade would be nearly perfect. I guess I am curious what may be possible.

Is the value not already diminished from the scratches?
 
If the knife is mainly going to be on the bookshelf as an exhibition display and occasionally to be "cuddled" when you watch action movies, refinish the blade. If, on the other hand, the knife will mainly be on the belt and in use, then what does it matter if it shows traces of use.
 
Removing the scratches is removing metal.

To match the finish perfectly is a dream. Counterfeit prevention sometimes entails finishes that simply can not be duplicated.

Removing those scratches would require an entire finish change. Something a collector will recognise. Leading to the asking of questions. Wondering how bad the, "damage" was in the first place. Lowering the value of the knife. Because if you refinish it. It's no longer a used car with a blemish. It's a wreaked car with a new paint job.
 
Grumpy Old Man said:
If the knife is mainly going to be on the bookshelf as an exhibition display and occasionally to be "cuddled" when you watch action movies, refinish the blade. If, on the other hand, the knife will mainly be on the belt and in use, then what does it matter if it shows traces of use.
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I have a couple of things in a safe that I just like having - and I would not pack a knife for the purpose that a knife similar to this one, might be carried, that glistens like the Sun.

Whom would you recommend to refinish the blade that isn't all talk?
 
Grasshopperglock said:
Removing the scratches is removing metal.

To match the finish perfectly is a dream. Counterfeit prevention sometimes entails finishes that simply can not be duplicated.

Removing those scratches would require an entire finish change. Something a collector will recognise. Leading to the asking of questions. Wondering how bad the, "damage" was in the first place. Lowering the value of the knife. Because if you refinish it. It's no longer a used car with a blemish. It's a wreaked car with a new paint job.
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I will take before and after pictures - in all likelihood the knife will never be sold but will be given to my niece, with the before and after pictures, when my time comes.
 
Retired Spook said:
I have a couple of things in a safe that I just like having - and I would not pack a knife for the purpose that a knife similar to this one, might be carried, that glistens like the Sun.

Whom would you recommend to refinish the blade that isn't all talk?
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Buy the supplies what you need for the job and buy a CHEAP knife for practicing at the flea market. Then when you think you're done and you're happy with the end result, finish those knives the way YOU want them.
 
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