How To How to remove scratches?

[Grasshopperglock]

I will take before and after pictures - in all likelihood the knife will never be sold but will be given to my niece, with the before and after pictures, when my time comes.

Then the sky is the limit. Hand polish it out. Start at 220 and end with 3500. Optically clear finish.

You can do it in a week. 3M brand wet and dry. Backing block.

 

[Retired Spook]

Then the sky is the limit. Hand polish it out. Start at 220 and end with 3500. Optically clear finish.

You can do it in a week. 3M brand wet and dry. Backing block.

Aren't people on the Internet just the greatest?

I appreciate the advise but I think I'll pass...

 

[Retired Spook]

Your Desert Dagger was made at the Kinryu factory in Seki Japan between 1991 and 2004. Because you have the nylon sheath it would be from the 1990s before they switched to kydex. SOG ended all their Seki contracts in 2006/2007. Kinryu itself closed their knife factory in 2017.
SOG has been purchased by GSM an outdoor products company whose main claim to fame so far has been lack of customer support.
As others have mentioned, your best bet would be a knifemaker, local to you or here on BF. Good luck.

So I spoke to SOG CS - they recommended "Barkeeper's Friend." It was all I could do to keep from laughing, however, I was exceedingly polite, and I said thank you...

And thank you for the info on the knife!

 

[Retired Spook]

Buy the supplies what you need for the job and buy a CHEAP knife for practicing at the flea market. Then when you think you're done and you're happy with the end result, finish those knives the way YOU want them.

Thank you, but it is looking like I will just live with the scratches.

 

[Grumpy Old Man]

I appreciate the advise but I think I'll pass...

https://www.txknifemakers.com/services

 

[Retired Spook]

https://www.txknifemakers.com/services

Interesting - and nearby too.

I will give them a call and see what happens.

Thank you

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Things like this are what I do, and I do them well. I'm not here to get business, as I have plenty.
I can't recommend sending your knife to a generic business if you need specialty work done. They may be able to do a great job, or you may be sorely dissappointed.
You need an experienced knifemaker or cutler to repair the knife properly.

 

[Stuart Davenport Knives]

Bill has it. With that said, looking at the horrendous uneven plunge grinds and uneven middle fuller, just leave it as it is. If the knife were ground better, I personally would be more inclined to get rid of the scratches if it were mine, but the way that close up photo looks.......nope.

 

[fitzo]

Do you have a Dremel or other rotary tool? Amazon sells small Scothbrite-style non-woven abrasive discs that you could experiment with. You'll probably have to do all the bevels with the smallest grit in order to match them up. Careful hand and patience and you might get what you seek.

Edit: plug in this number at Amazon search bar and you'll see what I mean: B075C72PGK

 

[Retired Spook]

The problem with proprietors in America these days is that they all talk a good game until you have to phone or email them for 2-years to get your knife or gun back - if they haven't already wrecked it. My knife isn't going anywhere I cannot drive to, and as my knife was mass produced and compares well to many of the example photos I have seen online, I am happy with the horrendous grinds. However, you can find some extremely well ground counterfeit Dessert Daggers online - that have near perfect grinds...

 

[Retired Spook]

Do you have a Dremel or other rotary tool? Amazon sells small Scothbrite-style non-woven abrasive discs that you could experiment with. You'll probably have to do all the bevels with the smallest grit in order to match them up. Careful hand and patience and you might get what you seek.

Edit: plug in this number at Amazon search bar and you'll see what I mean: B075C72PGK

I am not going anywhere near it with a Dremel.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

There are lots of makers in Texas who can do your simple repair with a Scotch-Brite belt. If you can't find one shoot me an email.

If you want to try it yourself:
1) Get a pack of scotch-brite pads from Amazon. Choose the assortment option. The description on Amazon will say "

Dura-Gold Premium 6" x 9" 10 Scuff Pad Variety Pack, 2 Each Maroon, Gray, Gold, Purple and White ".​

You probably only use half a pad of two grades to do the job, but the rest will come in handy for lots of things.
Try the maroon pad first. It is P320 grit. The gold is P150. Purple is P600 for final clean-up

2) Tape up the blade on both sides leaving only the hollow ground bevel that is damaged exposed. Blue painter's tape is what I use. Put a strip on each bevel meeting at the ridge line.
Put a soft towel or cloth on the edge of a 2X4 board. While repairing the bevels you will set the knife on the board so the knife edge is at the board edge. While doing the refinishing be cautious of the sharp edges.

3) Cut one each of the gold, maroon, and purple Scotch-Brite pads into 1"X3" strips.
Hold the knife along the board edge with one hand and a strip of the maroon pad with the 1" end on the exposed area of the blade. With your fingers on the end of the pad, pull it straight off the edge with moderate pressure. Look at the scratch pattern and decide if you need the coarser grit, or if it looks about right. Repeat until the scratches are gone. After about five pulls, turn the pad over and use the side your fingers were on. After five more pulls, cut off the haff inch you were using to keep the grit fresh. When too short to hold securely, take a new strip. DON'T try to make a piece last longer for this repair. You want fresh sharp grit on each pull. ONLY pull straight from the ridge line to the edge ... NEVER up and down the blade (for this type finish).
If the pattern looks good, work your way up that side of the blade to get an even pattern all the way to the ricasso. If all went well, you are done. If not, you may have to redo the other bevel to get an even look. If needed, a final light pass with the finer purple pad will even out all the bevels color wise.
Realize that the newly brushed places will be a bit brighter/whiter for a while until the patina.

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

It is pretty clear that the scratches are from a slightly botched sharpening job. Don't feel bad, we all do it.

There are lots of makers in Texas who can do your simple repair with a Scotch-Brite belt. If you can't find one shoot me an email.

If you want to try it yourself:
1) Get a pack of scotch-brite pads from amazon. The description on Amazon will say "

Dura-Gold Premium 6" x 9" 10 Scuff Pad Variety Pack, 2 Each Maroon, Gray, Gold, Purple and White ".​

Choose the assortment pack.​

You probably only use half a pad of two grades to do the job, but the rest will come in handy for lots of things.
Try the maroon pad first. It is P320 grit. The

2) Tape up the blade on both sides leaving only the hollow ground bevel that is damaged exposed. Blue painter's tape is what I use. Put a strip on each bevel meeting at the ridge line.
Put a soft towel or cloth on the edge of a 2X4 board and set the knife on the board so the knife edge is at the board edge. While doing the refinishing be cautious of the sharp edges.

3) Cut the Scotch-Brite pad into 1"X3" strips. Hold the knife along the board edge with one hand and a strip of the pad with the 1" end on the exposed area of te blade. With your fingers on the end of the pad, pull it straight off the edge with moderate pressure. Look at the scratch pattern and decide if you need the coarser or finer grit, or if it looks about right. Repeat until the scratches are gone. After about five pulls, cut off the haff inch you were using to keep the grit fresh.
If the pattern looks good, gently go up that side of the blade to get an even pattern. If all went well you are done. If not, you may have to redo the other bevel to get an even look. Realize that the newly brushed places will be a bit brighter/whiter for a while until the patina. A final light brushing with the fine pad will even out all the bevels color wise.

 

[Retired Spook]

I have no doubt the scratches are from sharpening because neither of the blade edges appear to be factory edges - not that I am any expert on factory edges they just do not look machined to my old eyes.

So, let us pretend I am going to do what you suggest - I am not, but let us pretend - how would you suggest restoring the blade edges thereafter?

In the meantime I'm going to shoot you an email. [Edit - OK well maybe not - I guess I do not have the credits to be able to send you an email?]

PS: I ordered the abrasive pads just for the heck of it - I will follow your instructions on an older knife.

 

[Seedy Lot]

To soften unwanted scratch lines I have had decent results using a pea size amount of Tormek honing compound on a rust eraser and scrub away. It leaves a satin and not a mirror finish.

 

[Alex Topfer]

If this is a collectable thing i would leave it. A few scratches in a factory finish is better that a completely refinished one
And if you're going to use it I would also leave it, cause you'll just scratch it up again

IMO, whetstone for restoring the edges. Unless you're looking for an excuse to buy one of those fancy jig thingies

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

A trick to avoid scratches in sharpening blades is to tape up the blade all except the edge. That way a misplaced stroke won't scratch the bevel.
sapelt@cox.net

 

[Retired Spook]

A trick to avoid scratches in sharpening blades is to tape up the blade all except the edge. That way a misplaced stroke won't scratch the bevel.
sapelt@cox.net

I wondered if there was some machine method that would produce results similar to a factory edge?

 

[Bill DeShivs]

I wondered if there was some machine method that would produce results similar to a factory edge?

It was either sharpened on a rotating stone wheel or a grinding belt. If you attempt to put a factory-type edge on it, you will have a small amount of blade loss.

 

[David Mary]

R Retired Spook if you weren’t opposed to shipping to Canada I’d take care of this for you inexpensively. It would take me less than ten minutes. Border services don’t confiscate fixed blades.