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Post by adamthedrummer on Jun 17, 2013 3:24:41 GMT
Well I did something stupid... I managed to put some nice scratches in a katana today...and the mothers mag wouldn't take them out. So I tried to wet sand the scratches out and ended up with a patch of really fine scratches... should I try finer paper? Or would metal glo do the trick?
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Post by William Swiger on Jun 17, 2013 4:01:01 GMT
One thing I have noticed when using sandpaper on swords is I could never get the level of the original polish back. I could keep going over the blade with different grits but would always have small scratches that were uniform over the blade.
Bought a few used albions and if held up to the light, could see where the previous owners had used a very fine grit to remove some stuff on the blades in places. Not much to do about it on mine unless I sanded the whole blade. Then the blade would have uniform tiny scratches.
You could try a scotch pad and oil. Albion uses this when people send their blades in for service.
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Post by adamthedrummer on Jun 17, 2013 11:02:26 GMT
Which colour of scotch brite would be correct?:-)
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hhmoore
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Post by hhmoore on Jun 17, 2013 11:33:03 GMT
Theoretically, one would work progressively finer grits, in alternating directions - taking out the previous scratches (& leaving smaller ones) with each turn; then finish with a polishing compound. The thing is - short of doing the entire blade, so it's even - you'll still be able to see the spot. Scratches are a part of life on a sword that gets used - why worry about polishing it out, if you're only going to cut with it again?
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Post by adamthedrummer on Jun 17, 2013 11:44:41 GMT
This is true... however if the factory polish could be reachieved why not try?? Think I'll give the whole blade a go over and try scotch brite...but which grit? Light grey or white??
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hhmoore
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Post by hhmoore on Jun 17, 2013 11:46:35 GMT
I've read grey, never knew there was a white. (before I got swords, I didn't know Scotch Brite came in colors)
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hhmoore
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Post by hhmoore on Jun 17, 2013 11:54:14 GMT
Found this online
3M lists the white pads as for gentle, no-scratch cleaning of the most delicate surfaces. Typical applications: glass, plastic, fine china, porcelain, ceramic, non-stick surfaces and glass cookware. <shrug>
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Post by drdata on Jun 17, 2013 18:23:40 GMT
+1 on hhmore's advice.
There is no shortcut. For a sword that is used its best to live with the scratches. IO find scotch bright leaves a mat finish. For a mirror polish its as stated, but I would add, one you hit 800 sand in one direction only using oil as a lube over length of blade. After 2k grit perhaps some mother polish on a buffing wheel to get to mirror.
You cannot rush this. Easy to leave some 220 scratches that are stubborn when using 600 thinking "i'll get those later with the 800, 1k, etc". Nope, this will only leave shinny scratches... DAMHIK.
Its critical to alternate at the lower grits. This allows you to find every last one of the previous scratches before you move up.
HTHs
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Post by Rob Dorsey on Jun 17, 2013 18:50:10 GMT
Greetings, I sharpen and polish my swords, see: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=13498 and, viewtopic.php?f=19&t=12950All the explanation is contained therein. However, I will comment that to me, 600 grit paper is the coarsest I ever use. My finish is 5000 grit paper from Germany. Best, Rob |
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Post by Lord Cobol on Jun 17, 2013 19:10:58 GMT
I'm a bit puzzled by the the Scotchbrite chart and its relation to retail reality... stores near me carry green "heavy duty" and blue "non-scratch". Green scratches steel a lot. Blue has no obvious effect from brief rubbing, so I'd rate it as much less abrasive than 1000 grit.
The good news is, manufacturers get mirror polish and do it without pushing the labor cost too high. So if you get the right stuff and use it correctly, it must be possible for you to do the same, without taking forever. The bad news is (A) that the right stuff might be pricey -- high end fine sharpening stones can cost more than low end katanas and (B) I'm too much of a noob to tell you how to accomplish this magic.
So how expensive was your katana and can you afford to experiment on it?
I have my first expensive sharpening stuff on order. I'll be practicing on a $7.57 machete and I may have more to say in a week or two.
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hhmoore
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Post by hhmoore on Jun 17, 2013 19:24:11 GMT
I don't necessarily buy the numbers on the ScotchBrite chart either...and I'm not sure I'll rub fine glassware or ceramics with 1200 grit sandpaper to find out, lol. Suffice it to say that the (light) grey is the one generally used on swords. Not sure why the blue was listed separately, but it appears that is the next step up, then white. Still, the principle is the same, work your way through the ranks, in alternating directions, until you reach the level of finish you desire.
I've read about using aluminum foil - to touch up the finish without scratching, but I don't remember the details..
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Post by Lord Cobol on Jun 17, 2013 20:09:55 GMT
Aluminum foil + water or vinegar is good for removing rust, and might (technically) be a really fine polish, but it doubt it would polish much. At least it won't add new scratches when you de-rust.
When I (finally) discovered it while de-rusting a co-worker's wall-hanger, it didn't remove the scratches I had caused by earlier attempts with abrasives (including green scotch-brite). But it got rid of the rust and left the shine on areas that I hadn't already scratched.
Also, I think whatever polishing effect it has comes from the very fine black slurry you get when it removes rust. If the steel isn't already rusted you don't get that slurry, so no polishing either (I think).
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Post by adamthedrummer on Jun 17, 2013 20:27:33 GMT
Well its an 1095 beater.... so not a super valuable sword but still.... I'm very mad at myself for ruining the polish... duh!!! :-)
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Post by adamthedrummer on Jun 17, 2013 21:54:03 GMT
It was suggested by a motorcycle customizer to take a buffing wheel with some turtle wax polishing compound to it....might heat up the blade tho.... mess up the temper. :-)
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Post by adamthedrummer on Jun 19, 2013 19:22:27 GMT
Well I etched the blade to create some tarnish then socked the aluminum foil to it and guess what?? Scratches are gone, so I figured might as well finish the etch and did the whole blade, looks amazing. :-)
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Post by tabiris on Jun 20, 2013 13:43:25 GMT
If the scratches aren't all that deep, this might work: |
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Post by Rob Dorsey on Jun 20, 2013 14:15:40 GMT
Honestly guys, please don't use Scotchbrite or a buffing wheel as these will ruin the polish of your blades and require heroic effort to correct. No kidding...Please.
If I can't convince you to go to the links I posted above then maybe you'll accept a thumbnail version. Get yourself some 600W&D some 1000 and some 2500 W&D paper. If you go to Amazon they have it all and 5000 as well. Start with the 600 and light oil, (Remington Remoil, a gun cleaning product, is good) and polish the blade until all visible scratches are gone and the blade is a consistent color. Then the same with the 1000 until a consistent surface and then the 2500. Now you are pretty damn close so if you truly have the blade up to a 2500 polish you can go to a good wax based metal polish like Flitz and shine it up. Rather than Flitz I use 5000 paper to finish mostly because I am sharpening the blade as I polish it.
You will get a mirror finish from this process.
Best of luck, Read the posts,
Rob
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Post by adamthedrummer on Jun 20, 2013 18:34:30 GMT
Well the aluminum foil worked pretty darn good, missed a few because the tarnish was impossible to see through but it worked. :-)
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"The more silly, inept and incompetent your enemy thinks you are, the more startled they will be when you kill them" - Attributed to Sun Zsu
