how to get an even finish (polishing)

I'm still confused about how to get an even finish on a wide bevel. I can get a nice even finish on a 300, even 600 synth but the higher grit the more difficult it seems. The problem isn't about removing coarser scratches but about streaks/misty/shiny/uneveness. Sometimes I can get a perfect looking kasumi and then totally mess it up in a few more strokes, I can get a different finish by having a lot of loose slurry vs clogging up the stone, direction of stroke, amount of pressure, etc etc. Synths & jnats both

What are the do's and don't's for polishing (for a kasumi finish, for an even finish)?

Here's me goofing off with a kitayama 8k and putting uneven/different finishes all over the wide bevel on a 210 munetoshi(yes, the knife has an overgrind):
Wild unevenness is easy, teach me how to get evenness
https://www.dropbox.com/s/qp6ff3xsgfqnhyr/munepolish1.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pjyktg2whqa16jm/munepolish.jpg?dl=0

PS: now that photobucket doesn't allow 3rd party hosting, what's the go-to?

I guess you're going too fast ;-)
Try first to get a healthy grind with even moves.
Don't use the Kitayama before you already have reached the result you were looking for.

edit: get an 1A top finish with your #600. Even moves is the key for even finish (we're only dealing with removing metal nicely)
Then go to say #1000 and #3000, every time a bit more parallel to the edge. Once again, take your time, be concentrated.
It should be enough for a kasumi like finish.

1A?

1 👍A👌🏻

nutmeg said:

1 👍A👌🏻

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I think its a german thing, i´d say "top-notch"? :doublethumbsup:

Anyway there is no real secrets to kasumi finishing, just even and consistent work.

thanks for the translation!

Itty bitty short even movements with Hyper attentiveness to the direct downward pressure under your fingers. A higher grit stone won't mask any imperfections from lower grits but amplify them. Muddier, less abrasive stones are also less likely to streak and facet.

Fingerstones

wbusby1 said:

1A?

Click to expand...

The Aussie version is "A1", but I got what you meant

Badgertooth said:

Itty bitty short even movements with Hyper attentiveness to the direct downward pressure under your fingers. A higher grit stone won't mask any imperfections from lower grits but amplify them. Muddier, less abrasive stones are also less likely to streak and facet.

Fingerstones

Click to expand...

So can you use a polishing stone to show up where you haven't done a good enough job with your 600?

Are there any synthetic finger stones or only naturals?

I avoid Naniwa superstones as they are great polishers for a shine and only the 10K grit leaves a clear shine on a wide bevel. Below you get a clouldy spots in some areas.

I use sandpaper used and thus less abrasive with the mud from the respective stones that gives the shade that you desire and leave on only the last 2mm shiny..

have fun...Z

Softer more muddy stones are much better at creating an even finish than that kitiyama. My misty finish progression is the Gesshin 400 then king 800 then Gesshin Jinzo Aoto. The trick is to build mud then use extremely light pressure. Like, weight of the blade only. I stop there for the wide bevel and move up in grit for the edge only.

Try to use soft stones and give each inch of your blade same pressure and time.

wbusby1 said:

What are the do's and don't's for polishing (for a kasumi finish, for an even finish)?

Click to expand...

Try the polishing techniques in Jon's video. His kasumi finish looks very even and consistent.

You'll want to flatten your stone first because you want even contact between the bevel and stone. I like to use light pressure to produce a shinier surface.

[video=youtube;k6Dc3rMct_w]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6Dc3rMct_w[/video]

As others have said, I find that the right combination of focus, small movements and controlled finger pressure are key to achieving an even finish, regardless of your end goal. But don't forget we are also dealing with a fairly complex set of variables here: hand-made and finished knives with all their levels of unevenness; natural stones with all their variability within regions/quarries/strata/individual stones; and, the fact that a given steel reacts differently to changes in grit size, pressure, repetitions, and other things. Probably why polishing a Japanese sword takes weeks! Besides, once you get it perfectly even, it will discolor the first time you use it anyway, For me its in the learning/evolving, not the end result ...
Tom

Thanks for all the information here guys!!!