Polishing Stainless Steel Scratches

M

MatthewSB

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Feb 1, 2013
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I got a well used knife in a trade. It's 154CM and has scratches all over it, many that run along the edge of the blade from the kydex sheath, and many perpendicular to the edge from cutting who-knows-what. People say things like "start by wet sanding, then work your way up to polish" but don't get specific. I've never "wet sand"ed anything before.

Anyone have a guide for polishing a blade from rough to finish?
 
Check YouTube, there are a number of videos on them. Also, try out on something you don't mind throwing away first. Good result comes with practice.
 
You want to start w/ grit no coarser than your coarsest scratches, but I can't recommend as there's no pix here. I do my coarse work w/ 320, then 400/600/1000/1500/2000/2500/3000. You can stop anywhere along the way.

This is coated s30v taken to 1000, I like the sparkle:

100_8757-1.jpg


This is M4 taken to 3000, from what started as a coated blade:

100_7916.jpg


M4 is more abrasion resistant than 154CM. This particular blade (525M4) took me a total of 5 hours intensive sanding over a couple days.
 
I assume that the sanding is done by hand, and not with a dremmel or something?

When sanding a blade, how do you not cut yourself on the edge?
 
Yes, hand sanded. No fear of being cut, as I apply the blade to the s'paper, on a flat surface. Almost like sharpening a knife by hand, cept it's laid flat.

You don't need every grade of paper either. You can skip grits, it just takes longer. Much of your time would be spent at the coarsest level-- once you get it flat and beyond the deepest scratches, working your way up the grits goes much faster.
 
Walk into a shop that does gun bluing. It'll take them 10 minutes to put it back to about what it was. Five, if it has a mirror finish.
 
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