Removing staining on satin Infi

[Will York]

Only way to do that Will is to re-establish the original scratch pattern and grit. I've had some success with a maroon scotchbrite pad and a gentle touch, but the only proper way is to get the whole blade refinished.

Thanks for that, yoda. And yeah, that's about what I was thinking--just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

BTW, is there a good online source for all the different color/grits of scotchbrite pad? My local Home Depot-type stores only carry a couple of color/coarseness options.

Thanks for the thread, kuanomar--a lot of useful tips and info in a compact, easy-to-reference place. I'll be coming back here.

w

 

[PeterPHWS]

To remove those little scratches Will I use a polishing belt on a belt sander and glue some good hide leather to the platten so the side of the knife can be gently pressed against the hide without causing too much steel loss...but essentially you risk giving the knife a mirror finish if you do too many passes...if I don't want a mirror finish then I use a well worn lighter grit belt to recreate the satin...

Another way is to use a japanese wet stone set up and using the very fine grits and the "paste" stone to create a flux mixture...pull the knife in a solid one direction very gently over the paste and it does the same thing...again you can create a mirror finish if done too much...the difficullty is using kydex sheaths...they do cause some of these scratches...but for me the risk on this system is altering a really good razor edge by catching the edge either with the belt or the stone...so usually I just use Flitz and a good shoe polishing duster...never use paper towels...too abrasive and likely to cause the fine scratches...

By the way...I love the job Ban has done on your S5LE...I saw his post on the Scrapyard Forum and instantly realised that my DIY at home stuff is a million miles away from what can be achieved...superb job!:thumbup:

 

[Will York]

To remove those little scratches Will I use a polishing belt on a belt sander and glue some good hide leather to the platten so the side of the knife can be gently pressed against the hide without causing too much steel loss...

...so usually I just use Flitz and a good shoe polishing duster...

...I love the job Ban has done on your S5LE...I saw his post on the Scrapyard Forum and instantly realised that my DIY at home stuff is a million miles away from what can be achieved...superb job!:thumbup:

Peter-

Thank you for the comprehensive and, as usual, very thoughtful approaches to the problem. A couple of follow-up questions, if you don't mind:

1) What type of polishing belt do you use on your belt sander and if you use a supplier I might contact on the internet, who is that? and

2) When you say you "...just use Flitz and a good shoe polishing duster..." by 'duster' are you referring to one of those light, microfiber cloths or perhaps a shoe polishing brush? The idea of a shoe brush and Flitz came to my mind from that description and seemed like a promising way to avoid polishing too smoothly--and getting the mirrored surface you warned against.

Good thoughts--I've seen the photos you posted of the leather-mounted platen--excellent idea.

Thanks for the nice compliment about Ban's work, and I do think the Busse community is lucky to have someone with his talent, experience, refined techniques and equipment to customize INFI blades professionaly with no down side. But you are far too modest about your own talents in that regard.

Thanks again,
Will

 

[resinguy]

Thanks for the nice compliment about Ban's work, and I do think the Busse community is lucky to have someone with his talent, experience, refined techniques and equipment to customize INFI blades professionaly with no down side.

There is one downside, the loss of the warranty. If you want a modded knife (I have two by Ban, and reground several myself), then you have to accept that own your own warranty, and have to trust the INFI and your common sense to avoid damage.

 

[Will York]

There is one downside, the loss of the warranty. If you want a modded knife (I have two by Ban, and reground several myself), then you have to accept that own your own warranty, and have to trust the INFI and your common sense to avoid damage.

I think it's good to re-state that caveat from time to time, primarily because it probably is a dollar-value factor on re-sale. I thought about including it in my reference to Ban's work.

The reason I didn't is that I find the Busse warranty is no longer a significant factor in how I value INFI blades, believe it or not. Certainly, when I first discovered Busse knives more than ten years ago, the warranty was supremely important to me. Then, as time went by and I saw how consistently the warranty was honored by Jerry, no-questions-asked, I was more and more drawn to Busse knives above all other alternatives.

But my experience with INFI knives has given me such confidence that I can rely on them without question in the field, that my concern about what happens if I do break one has faded, happily, to a non-issue. The reality is that I've never had to send an INFI knife in for warranty work due to damage. And the number is so small, of INFI blades you see here on the forums that are pushed far enough into insanity to actually fail--and the stresses required to break them so severe--that I doubt I ever will.

The reliable performance of a knife in the field in a life-or-death situation IS hugely important to me. And Ban has demonstrated that he has the knowledge and techniques to modify INFI blades without weakening them--at least of all the ones he's done to date, I know of none that have failed due to damage by him in the modification process. That's what I meant by "no down side", although you are certainly right that the dollar value of the warranty is forfeited.

 

[PeterPHWS]

Hi Will,

The belt I use to get the scratches out or to give a mirror finish if I want to is a Micro Finish MX 240 Belt which I get from Belgium as being within the EEC I don't have to pay import duty....however for belts in the USA there are a number of great posts on the Scrap Yard Forum if you use the search mechanism for "belt sanders" or some of the "sharpening threads"....Horn Dog is a good poster on this topic and it was Vic ( Horn Dog ) who inspired me to try my hand at this. You actually have more choice and better belts in the USA...:thumbup:

On the issue of Flitz...I meant a micro fibre cloth but your notion of using a shoe brush is a good idea....especially in getting the main staining off from the tanin/sap from trees...maybe an old tooth brush might work just as well...

On the issue of warranty loss...like you I am happy to trust the knives...and also I think Jerry would'nt leave anyone in the lurch if at all possible...the knives are so good there is'nt much of an issue on this side of things...and it goes down well with all of us who own them and probably brings in more business than it costs...:thumbup:

 

[Will York]

Thanks again, Peter. :thumbup: