Sharpening/Scratches

[kershaw72787]

I have a Spyderco Merlin that has no tip on it and the top 1/4 inch of the blade is dull do to p oor sharpening. I posted a long time ago about sharpening it ubt have not yet got down to the guy with the grind wheel. So I am going to try it on my own. I have already tried to no avail. In sharpening it my coarse diamond file rubbed against the blade and puat some abbrasive scratches on it, the knife also has some minor scratches (ie. surface scratches) from general usage. So my questions are is ther any way to get some of these scratches out of the blade? And is there any way I can sharpen the knife on my own? I have a good quality light diamond file, an ok quality medium/heavy diamond sharpener (as in not sure if it is M or H), a porcelain stone, and an Arkansas stone. I can't quite seem to wear down the tip of the knife to follow the curve of the blade. Yes, the blade is a hawkbill, so I was nwe to sharpening it a year ago. Please help.


kershaw72787

 

[Big D1]

Here is how I get medium to light scratches out of my blades. I do not have any motorized buffing wheels or anything like that, so I use good ole elbow grease.

I have an old flat leather strop, and I will load a small area with Flitz metal polish. Then just rub the blade on the loaded area of the strop. It works great for removing scratches, but it will polish the blade into a mirror like finish. I will usually just do the whole blade once the scratches are removed to my satisfaction. I imagine if the scratches are too deep you will need a buffing wheel. I have removed some nasty looking sharpening scratches with my elbow grease method. A reg rouge from an auto supply house would cut faster, and it would do a faster and better job than the Flitz, I think, since it is more abrasive than the Flitz. You might want to try a green rouge first, which is less abrasive than the red.
Big D1

 

[Jack142]

I 'm not the expert on this but I got book from Bob Engnath, years ago when he was here at a knife show in Denver. I bought a unfinished blade from him that basically had to be "polished up" I used fine grit sandpaper and a good flat block ( I used oak wood for the block ) And the sandpaper was 600 grit to 1000 grit to 1500 grit. You can also use water when you sand with it. Sand in differant directions that way the finer sandpaper goes over the previous sanding you did.
Good Luck
Jack