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The Newbies Arena Are you new to knife making? Here is all the help you will need.

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  #1  
Old 12-16-2016, 09:47 AM
nflknives nflknives is offline
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scratches in the blade

again, im very new so guys, dont beat me up to bad lol
So i ordered some steel and i have the blade shaped and a beveled edge, been through heat treat and all that, however, even with up to 400 grit sand paper on the belt sander, i still have scratches i cant get out. The 600 grit paper does not seem to even touch them if i try to go higher to try to slowly remove them...HELP!!! Can i back down to 220 and start going up higher again until they are removed?

Thanks for any input! and yes, of course i am using a 1x30 belt sander, i know its not the best by any means but didnt want to put alot of $ into a possible hobby until i decide if i want to continue with it or not.
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Old 12-16-2016, 10:14 AM
jimmontg jimmontg is offline
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Yes, go back

Use the 220 until the scratches are gone, but here is a trick I learned, if you have some cutting oil use it as it works better. Something like Tap Magic or the cutting oil you can buy at Home Depot or Lowes will help the sandpaper to cut better. Then work your way back up. Nothing else to do, since you are new and I don't know your skill level or even what type of grind it has, but the cutting oil works better than water on the silicon carbide sandpaper though it makes a mess.

Excuse me, I misread your message. I thought you were hand sanding it. Do not use oil on your grinder if you do it will make a total mess. OK the above directions are for hand sanding. If you can grind straight then use the 220 belt, a new belt not a used one and take it carefully down change the belt if it gets dull, then use 320 and then 400, but your knife will be kind of thin by then. I suggest you use the 220 belt then hand finish by putting a horizontal satin finish on it with a stiff piece of flat steel or hardwood with the sandpaper taped at the ends. I hand finish most of my knives that way, takes some time, but the finish is worth it. A linear 400 grit satin finish looks nice.

Last edited by jimmontg; 12-16-2016 at 11:29 AM.
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Old 12-16-2016, 10:36 AM
Lee Barnhill Lee Barnhill is offline
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Jim is correct,it will be a lot easier next time if you are trying for a mirror finish I go to 400 grit before I heat treat


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Old 12-16-2016, 11:40 AM
nflknives nflknives is offline
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i am very novice but i know my way around tools, as ive always been a wood worker. Just the steel sanding is new to me. These scratches are probably 1/64th deep, and i assume they came from the cheaper sander/grits. The knives are a 58 hardness according to the shop that check them so i think i have most everything write except for the sanding issue. I think alot of it has to do with the cheap sander im using for this.

I will try to start back with 220 and work back up to 600, im not going for mirror finish at all as im an avid outdoorsman, however, 3 of these the wife wants for her dad and granddads, so id like them to be a little less scratched
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Old 12-16-2016, 03:36 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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The 1x30 belts are very small (duh!) and that means they wear out very fast. So, do as the others have suggested and try some hand sanding. I would suggest using black silicon carbide sand paper, the kind auto shops use which should be available at any hardware store. Since you pretty much have to be doing a flat grind start your repair sanding with 220 wrapped around a steel bar/big file/hardwood block and sand lengthwise on the blade (which should be across the grind lines you have from the 1x30. Follow that with 400 grit and so on as far as you want to go with it.

Ideally, when you have a bigger grinder and more belt choices, you would change directions with each grit,i.e., 60 grit across for the initial grind, 120 lengthwise, 220 across, 400 lengthwise and follow that with a little 400 or higher hand sanding lengthwise. Top that off with a Scotchbrite belt used lengthwise and you have a very attractive and serviceable finish for a field knife ...


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Old 12-16-2016, 05:42 PM
nflknives nflknives is offline
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thanks guys!! what bigger sAnder so yall suggest for a newbie that may or may not stick with the hobby that won't break the bank
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Old 12-16-2016, 06:36 PM
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Ray Rogers Ray Rogers is offline
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There's really none that will be truly good for knife making. Anything with a 2" wide belt that you can afford would be better than most. Many new makers start with a Grizzly at about $500. That's the least expensive 2x72 belt sander you can get that is made for knife makers. It isn't great but thousands of nice knives have been made on the Griz ...


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Old 12-16-2016, 08:50 PM
Doug Lester Doug Lester is offline
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Just remember when grinding/sanding a knife blade remove all the scratches from the previous grit before going onto the next grit. This is a situation where close enough is not close enough.

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Old 12-16-2016, 11:43 PM
jimmontg jimmontg is offline
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Yes, on the hand sanding, make sure the previous scratches are removed. I take my knife to 400 grit by hand and then use 500 grit or 30 micron diamond compound to shine it up, it will also show any scratches you may have missed. I put the diamond on leather. Just me and some makers will tell you not to use it. I use it after my 400 grit finish and it makes it shine if that is what you want. It just smoothes out the 400 edges. If you want a satin finish then use 600 grit paper for the finish.

I know, its more than you wanted to know, but I have a 1x42 sander and have to make up for it with handwork except when friends (Damon) or the college down the hill lets me use their big 2x72 sanders. But just to let you know, you can make a good knife with just files and sandpaper friend nflknives.
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Old 12-19-2016, 10:38 AM
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What Doug said.....if the grit you are using does not get the scratch out, what makes you think a higher (finer) grit will?? Simple mechanics.
I rarely use a grinder. Forge to 90% finish - drawfile to clean flat - hand sand in stages from 320 to 600. All done without power except for lights to see by. Learn to do it that way and a grinder will be simple to master later if you get more serious.
Lighting is a big key here, makes it easier to spot and remove stubborn scratches.


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  #11  
Old 12-19-2016, 01:25 PM
nflknives nflknives is offline
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i got the scratches out by following yalls advice! Thanks for not beating this newbie up to bad!
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Old 12-19-2016, 06:53 PM
jimmontg jimmontg is offline
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Am glad to hear it

When you get it finished please put up a picture.
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