Worker-Help Wanted

C

Clay Kesting

Joined
Oct 10, 1998
Messages
648
The scan of James' embellished Worker started me thinking. I came by a second-hand worker last week and I would like to refurbish it, maybe get it engraved or etched as a gift for one of my daughters. The scales are pretty scratched and unfortunately I don't have access to a buffer at the moment. Can anybody (Drew?) give me suggestions for using wet'n'dry to polish the sides? What grit would give a finish similar to the original factory finish? I noticed in the scan there seems to be sanding marks running lengthwise along the scale. I am concerned about the sanding water getting inside the knife, although I guess I can give it a good rinse when I finish.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. My eldest daughter has her eyes on the knife already.

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Take care,
Clay

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....in Australia it's tomorrow already.

 
You can use wet&dry paper and a hard sanding block to get a nice satin finish. Start with 220 grit, maybe, and see if that easily removes the scratches. Then switch to 320 or 400 grit for a lengthwise satin finish that won't show every fingerprint right away. Do the finishing strokes lengthwise, one-way, so you don't have scuff marks from the backstrokes. You can tape the blade and use it as a handle when you do the work. And wash out the dust.
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- JKM
www.chaicutlery.com
AKTI Member # SA00001
 
Brian, James thanks for the replies. I haven't seen the Scotch Brite pads here, other than the green ones used for cleaning cookware. I do, however, have a large supply of wet'n'dry at work so I guess that's the way I'll go
smile.gif
.

I'm getting quite excited about this project. Now the search is on for a suitable inscription or design. Something which sums up the meaning of life in a short, pithy phrase
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Take care,
Clay

Don't worry that the world might end tomorrow....in Australia it's tomorrow already.

 
Dang, guess I missed my chance. What they said, LOL!

I'm curious what's used to apply the original finish. I've had good luck with a gray ScotchBrite wheel, but it's definitely a finer finish than the original. Mr. Mattis' guess of 400-grit sounds about right to match the original look. But what puts that finish on in the first place? Japanese men with sanding blocks? A coarser abrasive wheel? A surface grinder maybe? Ah, the mystery...

-Drew
 
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