Polishing a blade by hand sanding: Which direction to go?

MTHall720

MTHall720

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I have watched some you tube clips but still not quite sure. I want to use wet sand paper by hand. The question is when using horizontal strokes will it make a big difference if I sand back and forth, as opposed to just going one direction and lifting up the paper and then again going in just one direction.

Thanks for any advice on this.
 
when polishing, I always pull away from the cutting surface
and treat the paper like a stone.
 
Find a piece of glass or a nice flat tile. Cut up some 320 grit wet sand paper in small square strips spray some WD 40 and go long ways with the blade nice and even. If it seem like the blade is not 100% flat while your sanding. Find a strip of leather and lay your sand paper on top of that. This will give you a cushion to push the paper into the areas that could not be reached on the glass. I go 320 / 400 / 600 you should get a nice even finish . Once everything is done give it a few swiped on your stone and it will be ready to go.

I hope this was helpful . I use this method on all my hand forged blades and sometimes when I clean up some traditional folders.
 
All one direction or you will get "J" scratches and a uneven finish. I just did the primary grind on one of my scrapyard blades, just had the sandpaper held over the edge of my waterstone.

IIRC, this is at 2k

image.jpg
 
Just water, don't want to get WD on my stones it would ruin them. It's easier clean-up too.
 
knifenut1013 said:
All one direction or you will get "J" scratches and a uneven finish. I just did the primary grind on one of my scrapyard blades, just had the sandpaper held over the edge of my waterstone.

IIRC, this is at 2k

View attachment 432269
Click to expand...

I am sorry but the first line confused me. Are you saying to continually go (as an example) spine leading? And not back and forth or side to side.
 
Squashfan said:
I am sorry but the first line confused me. Are you saying to continually go (as an example) spine leading? And not back and forth or side to side.
Click to expand...

Yes, and in the case of the photo I was dragging from the plunge line at the heel to the tip.

Any change in direction will create a flaw in the finish
 
Bob Engnath suggested going in a different direction with each grit. The final grit (+-2000) going along the blade from ricasso to tip.
 
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