Does anybody polish out sharpening scratches on their knives

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Prize78

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Hi all

Was just wondering, does anybody here bother to polish out and sharpening scuffs or scratches on their knives. I'm sure we must have all scuffed the knife where we weren't supposed to at some point, just wondered if it can be polished out, and if so, how to go about it? Would it be a case of wet/dry sandpaper??

(perhaps this is more suited to the "sharpening section" (sorry mods)
 
Sure, all the time. You can use any kind of sandpaper that works and stone slurry. Anything that works, basically, and suits the knife.
 
sandpaper progression is the easiest solution, its always fun too, it brings out those beautiful vertical grind marks :tease: seriously though,wet/dry sandpaper lubricated with some windex.
 
Cool. I've got 1000 and 6000 grit JNS stones and some 1200 wet/dry.
Any specific procedure I need to follow?
 
You'll want to start with maybe 200 grit and work your way up to the 1200...I usually finish around 800 but depends on the finish you want...just experiment and have fun.

Cheers

Edit to say that I'm referring to the wet/dry sandpaper. It's the easiest method to get a consistent finish.
 
I start with coarse ScotchBrite (brown/mauve); after that, depending on the finish I'm looking for, different grades of automotive sandpaper on linen, and worn sandpaper with stone mud. With carbons that get a patina there's no need for a high polish. The same with soft stainless clad steel where a high polish won't hold.
Anyway, when working with Scotchbrite or sandpaper, stay away from the edge.
 
Is the best bet with the sandpaper to wrap it round a wooden block?? And is it heel to tip movements only??
 
Prize78 said:
Is the best bet with the sandpaper to wrap it round a wooden block?? And is it heel to tip movements only??
Click to expand...

A wooden block has no give, and will only get the high spots of the blade, not to mention the difficultly of polishing a convex grind. I use a high density foam rubber block meant for automotive work:

818I1-ME42L._SL1500_.jpg

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PEPCGI/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I can't always be bothered because it is so much fun; at least not every time I sharpen. I will take the blue scrunchy sponge with some bar keeps and wrap it around the spine wiping away from handle to tip. This way, whatever scratches I create will be parallel to the spine. If I really want to restore a finish, then it is sandpaper with windex and backing with some give as PT suggests.
 
Can I ask, what is the significance of the windex over water with the sandpaper?? I don't think I can get windex in the UK?
 
Prize78 said:
Can I ask, what is the significance of the windex over water with the sandpaper?? I don't think I can get windex in the UK?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure either! First I've heard of it, so curious too.

Windex is just a blue window cleaner. I suppose you could google the contents and find out, but my guess is vinegar could be an ingredient? That hardly seems magical though.

(Often here, on KKF, people refer to products available in the US, but which aren't always known or available elsewhere. I guess Windex is one.)
 
Asteger said:
(Often here, on KKF, people refer to products available in the US, but which aren't always known or available elsewhere. I guess Windex is one.)
Click to expand...

Windex is called Glassex in Europe. At least where I live.
 
There's a viscosity difference between windex and water. Prob why it's a preferred lubricant.

If you have Micro mesh (?) producfts available they have padding that will protect fingers from edgess and allow smooth sanding. Worst cut I've gotten from knife was while polishing blade.
 
I've got a decorating sand block that is quite spongy. Maybe I could wrap some sandpaper around that as it will still give plenty. And then, heel to tip in one movement?? I don't fancy any more cuts. I ended up with two on the same thumb yesterday whilst sanding down a broken point. My own careless fault entirely!
 
I do not bother to remove any scratches after sharpening. Usually there is none though.
However, after thinning I like to refinish the knives. I just did one yesterday, started with 80grit -> 200 -> 800 using automotive sandpaper and water.
 
Heel to tip sounds good. However, replicating a very nice uniform finish that follows the spine is still quite tricky, unless you're making the polish very fine and all marks are erased (not a heel-tip Shig kasumi finish, for eg). Sponges might help, with some way to guide your motions/hand to get the uniformity. I do it by finger (never cut myself) but it can be painstaking, and I've wondered what techniques and contraptions might be used by the makers to be more efficient and uniform. (I've never seen a maker perform a finish.) Here's a photo of a Shig on some kind of wooden mount which looks to be used for polishing/finishing and which might give some indications or clues:

3088shigefusa.jpg
 
Ruso said:
I do not bother to remove any scratches after sharpening. Usually there is none though.
However, after thinning I like to refinish the knives. I just did one yesterday, started with 80grit -> 200 -> 800 using automotive sandpaper and water.
Click to expand...

How do you sharpen without thinning? :)
 
Asteger said:
Heel to tip sounds good. However, replicating a very nice uniform finish that follows the spine is still quite tricky, unless you're making the polish very fine and all marks are erased (not a heel-tip Shig kasumi finish, for eg). Sponges might help, with some way to guide your motions/hand to get the uniformity. I do it by finger (never cut myself) but it can be painstaking, and I've wondered what techniques and contraptions might be used by the makers to be more efficient and uniform. (I've never seen a maker perform a finish.) Here's a photo of a Shig on some kind of wooden mount which looks to be used for polishing/finishing and which might give some indications or clues:

3088shigefusa.jpg
Click to expand...

Looks like I am on a good path as my contraption looks in principle very similar to the one of a master...

20150302_201021_zpsydrhw3e4.jpg


The wooden base needs to be of exactly half of the handle width (minus half of the width of the blade if I am exact). I also cut the wooden base in the shape of the blade I was polishing - few mm smaller actually. In this way a can adjust my angle of sanding a bit more as if the wooden base would be bigger.

And all in the comfort of my kitchen ;)
 
Stainless - on one hand sure, but more difficult to work with. I think the nice finishes come out best on soft iron cladding.

Krx - in my case, yes, I do something similar which is just to lay the blade on a stone of the right height, with a towel or something over it. Beyond this I just do my best to be uniform and parallel to the spine moving down from the heel. Having no handle would help give better access around the heel/choil/etc area, like in the Shig photo above. However, I often wonder if there's a way of guiding the heel->tip motion so that you're not just relying on 'touch' and your own eye, which is bound to be a little too human and imperfect.
 
Check out Nick Wheeler's video's on youtube for inspiration.
e.g.
[video=youtube;4I4x4QLpfnk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I4x4QLpfnk[/video]
[video=youtube;-X4Lfh8c1S8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X4Lfh8c1S8[/video]
[video=youtube;NJ4Mitbpyzc]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJ4Mitbpyzc[/video]
 
Asteger said:
Heel to tip sounds good. However, replicating a very nice uniform finish that follows the spine is still quite tricky, unless you're making the polish very fine and all marks are erased (not a heel-tip Shig kasumi finish, for eg). Sponges might help, with some way to guide your motions/hand to get the uniformity. I do it by finger (never cut myself) but it can be painstaking, and I've wondered what techniques and contraptions might be used by the makers to be more efficient and uniform. (I've never seen a maker perform a finish.) Here's a photo of a Shig on some kind of wooden mount which looks to be used for polishing/finishing and which might give some indications or clues:

3088shigefusa.jpg
Click to expand...

I don't know whether you've seen this movie, seek to 11:00

[video=youtube;zNPc6xBBiLk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zNPc6xBBiLk[/video]
 
this begs the question, which i asked before but got no answer, is a KU shig identical to a Kasumi in terms of it's materials and heat treat, but just finished differently?
 
riba said:
I don't know whether you've seen this movie, seek to 11:00
Click to expand...

Yes, thanks! Forgot about these videos and didn't watch them all the way through. (Maybe the music put me off.) Yep, that's how they do it. Saw other photos before, but forgot this.

I wonder what's on those 'pads' used for the polishing?

Unfortunately for us, would be a bit much to assemble the necessary contraptions at home. As said, it's not easy doing it freehand. I try to keep straight lines using a parallel edge (the stone or piece of wood I lay the knife on, and or the edge of table or counter) for support and/or guidance.
 
I've seen other posts using Windex as "lubricant" rather than water. Anyreason for this?

ramenlegend said:
sandpaper progression is the easiest solution, its always fun too, it brings out those beautiful vertical grind marks :tease: seriously though,wet/dry sandpaper lubricated with some windex.
Click to expand...
 
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