What's the best method to remove scratches from an SS handle?

[trane fan]

I want to remove some scratches from the handle of my SS/PE Spyderco Rookie. One of the scratches is a little deep due to my having accidentally run a Phillips screwdriver across it when I relocated the clip. I've seen threads involving the use of sandpaper, whereby the person started with a larger grit and worked their way down to a fine grit to finish the project. Is this the best method? If so, what are the grit specs? Does anyone have a better method?

 

[Charlie Mike]

Gotta Dremel?

 

[VampyreWolf]

Dremel, felt wheel, Veritas Green, 3rd speed setting... small circles to get it warmed up, then just go with the grain in the SS handles. The black stuff can be rubbed off or you can keep polishing until it's gone. Mirror polish takes about 15-20min(from dropped in pocket with change carry)

 

[trane fan]

Sorry, no dremel. Any other ideas?

 

[glockman99]

Use 400 grit wet/dry sandpaper on a sanding-block (or if the scratch is really bad, start with 320 grit), and be SURE to sand with the grain. Change the sandpaper often. Finish with a 3M Scotch-Brite scouring pad.

 

[VampyreWolf]

Trane> love having a dremel. Can buy a cheap one here for about $30-40, but without all the tips and toys. We already have a clamp base(clamp to benchtop), extension cord/tip thing, and drillbits for it... just bought a cheap one with about a dozen tips(including the sanding drum one), 6 felt pads, and a container of cutting disks... only 30cdn, just for my knife projects. 8K-30K speeds. 120v, 1a. 6 speeds.

 

[Practical Use]

Why remove scratches??? Sounds like knife is just getting broken in.

Next thing you are going to tell me is that some people have knives they just look at and don't even use.

 

[NFMee]

Accoding to Sal, Spyderco used Scotch-Brite pads to put the satin finish on their SS scales, so that's what I'd use, and what he recommended to return the handles to the orig look. Unless you have deep scratches (which you would have to learn to live with unless you want to remove a lot of width off the scale) that should work

 

[kile]

Unless you have deep gouges in the handle, a scotchbrite pad, the green ones that you can buy at almost any store, will wipe out the scratches in seconds. and make your handle look brand new again. A word of caution though, don't try to use it on your blade, it is much courser than the finish on the blade, and kind of makes them look crappy.
Kyle Fuglesten