More noob adventures-how do you deal with scratches on knives?

[bdaabat]

Q: How do you deal with knife scratches?

The reason for asking: I've offered free knife sharpening service to neighbors and friends. Several of the knives that people have brought have some nasty scratches from previous sharpening experiences (not me).

I'm also still learning and unfortunately, I caused a scratch on a knife yesterday. BAH!

The knife owner was very nice about it, but I felt like .

I've seen videos of people getting scratches out, but all the videos I've seen involve someone using couple different buffing wheels. I do not (yet) have a buffing wheel.

What do folks do to get scratches out without them??

Bruce

 

[Valkyr]

Various types of tape. Blue painter's or packing tapes seem to be popular. These options to prevent them.

For removal, scotch brite type pads in one direction. Also various polishing compounds can help. Depending depth of course.

To me, not a concern since the scratches show use and character.

 

[Tjstampa]

I tape a client’s knife before sharpening no matter its condition when received. It usually takes me more time to tape and clean afterwards than it does to sharpen the knife.

 

[bdaabat]

I tape a client’s knife before sharpening no matter its condition when received. It usually takes me more time to tape and clean afterwards than it does to sharpen the knife.

That's been my experience as well. I started taping using painters tape (it's cheap and handy), then realized how much time I was spending taping and removing tape. Stopped. Then, 20 knives later, I scuffed up someone else's knife.

Sigh.

Am now thinking that perhaps gaffers tape might be a bit easier to work with and remove (although more $).

Bruce

 

[Gottagofishn]

I used painters tape on my new OTF Kershaw Livewire (love it BTW) and grazed the edge on a 600 grit CBN a couple times. It ground right through the painters tape just that quick. Now I wrap in painters tape with duct tape over any high risk areas.

When I was a total noob I ground too much off a Wusthof utility knife. That was a $125 lesson. The owner said it was fine but I insisted on replacing it. Now it’s a test knife. The experience taught me to be very aware of how much steel I remove grinding. Marker every or every other pass really helped with that. But, errors are good teachers.