Help with marks on my blade

[pitted_soul]

Gang,

I have an Edge Pro Apex, you can cuss me, but it's what I have and use right now.

It has lefts some marks on the side of the blades from rubbing from the platform while sharpening. Not on the bevel, just the side of the knives.

I am moving to freehand sharpening, no need for that advice or suggestion.

Question: For my mirror finished knife, how can I get that mirror finish back on the side of the blade?

 

[mengwong]

The classical answer: stones, finishing on j-nats.

Search @KasumiJLA’s recent posts to get a sense of the process.

The scandalous short-cut?

Sandpaper and diamond lapping film, finishing with metal polishing compound.

No time for that? A bench buffer! More power to you.

 

[cooktocut]

I have the Edge Pro as well. I have also had a few errant marks from coming too far down with one of the stones. I have never worried about it. Tbh, to me, the amount of work required to fix it just doesn't seem worth it. Now, if it happened on one of my especially expensive knives, or one that I liked more, I would probably feel differently. So, if you're dead set on it, you're going to have to remove the handle and go through a progression of sandpapers starting from a low grit and ending on a much higher one, with scratches going in opposite directions on each new grit, etc. I can't say for sure, but I'd imagine no matter what you do, that the finishes will not quite be the same on both sides of the blade, so you may have to do both even though there's only a scratch on one side. There are much more experienced polishers in here that would be able to give you more info tho. TLDR... you have your work cut out for you. Polishing is pretty much the most tedious aspect of knifemaking.

 

[pitted_soul]

I have the Edge Pro as well. I have also had a few errant marks from coming too far down with one of the stones. I have never worried about it. Tbh, to me, the amount of work required to fix it just doesn't seem worth it. Now, if it happened on one of my especially expensive knives, or one that I liked more, I would probably feel differently. So, if you're dead set on it, you're going to have to remove the handle and go through a progression of sandpapers starting from a low grit and ending on a much higher one, with scratches going in opposite directions on each new grit, etc. I can't say for sure, but I'd imagine no matter what you do, that the finishes will not quite be the same on both sides of the blade, so you may have to do both even though there's only a scratch on one side. There are much more experienced polishers in here that would be able to give you more info tho. TLDR... you have your work cut out for you. Polishing is pretty much the most tedious aspect of knifemaking.

Ok, it wasn't from an errant stone swipe, this is just the rubbing on the knife side from the platform that the knife rests on during the sharpening process. I have some tape over it, but it still leaves permanent rub marks on the blade sides. It isn't gouging or making a deep mark, it seems largely superficial, like my concerns over this.

I was wondering if something like a dremel tool with a buffing head and some polishing compound would work?

Thank you for the reply.

 

[cooktocut]

Oh, gotcha. I’ve never had that problem. I started off using small strips of microfiber, now I use a small square of leather. Microfiber caused the blade to slide more than I wanted, the leather does the trick nicely.

Anything you do to remove it will leave a very noticeable spot on the blade. What you’re describing will probably do the trick, but it will not blend in with the surrounding surface.

I would try something like Cape Cod polishing cloth before jumping to a dremel… easier to control and will have the best chance of lessening how noticeable it is without contrasting too much with the surrounding metal.

 

[Rangen]

Ok, it wasn't from an errant stone swipe, this is just the rubbing on the knife side from the platform that the knife rests on during the sharpening process. I have some tape over it, but it still leaves permanent rub marks on the blade sides. It isn't gouging or making a deep mark, it seems largely superficial, like my concerns over this.

I was wondering if something like a dremel tool with a buffing head and some polishing compound would work?

Thank you for the reply.

Know that even experienced and avid polishers will cringe a little at the words "mirror finish."

 

[mengwong]

In a different strand of the multiverse, Mister Migaki teaches the Kiridashi Kid to “buff on, buff off.”

 

[pitted_soul]

Know that even experienced and avid polishers will cringe a little at the words "mirror finish."

My sharpening vernacular isn't "there" yet. I'll remember this post so in a few years I can cringe at myself and think how far I have come as I pet my JNats and drink slurry.

 

[Rangen]

My sharpening vernacular isn't "there" yet. I'll remember this post so in a few years I can cringe at myself and think how far I have come as I pet my JNats and drink slurry.

It's not the terminology they will cringe at. It's deep knowledge of the horrible road you have to traverse to get to that goal without using power tools.

 

[ethompson]

Know that even experienced and avid polishers will cringe a little at the words "mirror finish."

The idea of "mirror" polishing makes my eyes twitch

 

[pitted_soul]

Thank you all for the input. I have a direction to go on this now.

@ethompson I have discovered that you are our Stone guy. Once I am a little deeper down the rabbit hole, I'd like to explore them. I have been reluctant to freehand but now I have some knives that have inspired me to do so. From what it sound like, it can be good to start with synth and then move to stones if so compelled. Does that sound right?

 

[ethompson]

Thank you all for the input. I have a direction to go on this now.

@ethompson I have discovered that you are our Stone guy. Once I am a little deeper down the rabbit hole, I'd like to explore them. I have been reluctant to freehand but now I have some knives that have inspired me to do so. From what it sound like, it can be good to start with synth and then move to stones if so compelled. Does that sound right?

For sharpening that can definitely make sense. Natural stones are totally unnecessary, but they are fun in my opinion!

As it relates to working on a mirror finish like the original post in this thread - natural stones or any stones are a bad choice I think. Polishing pastes and sand paper is the way to get to a mirror polish.

 

[pitted_soul]

For sharpening that can definitely make sense. Natural stones are totally unnecessary, but they are fun in my opinion!

As it relates to working on a mirror finish like the original post in this thread - natural stones or any stones are a bad choice I think. Polishing pastes and sand paper is the way to get to a mirror polish.

Yes, I am a knife enthusiast but just now really getting into Kitchen knives, similar but different.
And, yes, again, I am taking the previous advice and getting the cape cod cloth and a few other polishing goodies. That'll suffice for these current needs.
Cheers!

 

[Delat]

Fixing a few small scratches in a mirror polished blade sounds like a Sorcerer’s Apprentice thing. First you think it’ll take maybe a little super fine compound but then you notice the finish doesn’t quite match and the objectionable area has spread and next thing it’s 3 months later, you’re surrounded by stones, sandpaper, and powders, your fingerprints have rubbed off, your hands are sore as hell and you haven’t noticed your wife moved out 6 weeks ago.

 

[Mr Kooby Shemayrew]

In a different strand of the multiverse, Mister Migaki teaches the Kiridashi Kid to “buff on, buff off.”

Is that Mr. Ha Migaki by chance?

 

[Nemo]

This thread is a shadow of itself without photos.

Which knives are we talking about here? Are they true mirror polish or a semi-mirror or migaki finish? This makes a huge difference because a migaki (or even a semi-mirror polish to an extent) will hide some of the imperfections in your refinishing while a true mirror polish will show up every scratch from lower grits that you failed to remove.

Are they wide bevels? If so, are the scuff marks on the wide bevel or the blade road? If they are on the wide bevel, stones CAN be used but be aware that many wide bevels are slightly concave, so it may be some work on a coarse stone to flatten the bevels. If the scuffs are on the blade road, you will need a sandpaper progression. Be careful not to cut yourself. I always dull the edge (gentle breadknifing on a fine stone) before doing this.

Do you have any idea which grit caused the blemishes?

I used to use an EdgePro. I can remember being very nervous about freehand sharpening. The good news is that it's not that hard to learn to make a decent edge freehanding. Take the plunge. The better news is that you will have years of joy gradually progressing through higher and higher levels of sharpening aptitude. It's a pretty big skill tree, most of which isn't available on guided systems.

 

[mengwong]

Fixing a few small scratches in a mirror polished blade sounds like a Sorcerer’s Apprentice thing. First you think it’ll take maybe a little super fine compound but then you notice the finish doesn’t quite match and the objectionable area has spread and next thing it’s 3 months later, you’re surrounded by stones, sandpaper, and powders, your fingerprints have rubbed off, your hands are sore as hell and you haven’t noticed your wife moved out 6 weeks ago.

This is why the term “finish” is always used ironically.

Indeed it’s possible this is how we got “irony”.