# Help a noob polish his Aritsigu A-Type Gyuto.



## kungpao (Jul 6, 2013)

I'm hoping to get some advice on how to polish up my Aritsugu A-Type 240mm gyuto. This will be my first time doing so, and the knife is special to me so I'm a bit nervous about messing it up. I understand the basics of progression from course to fine grit wet/dry sandpaper, but am curious about a few things not mentioned in tutorials. 

The markings on this blade look like they will rub right off with a sink sponge if I wanted them to. I'm looking to hopefully keep them intact during polishing. How do I go about doing this without leaving an area of the knife around the logo unpolished? I'm also wondering how long of a time to spend polishing with each grit level. Does anyone know from experience or educated guess what the Aritsugu proprietary semi stainless carbon polishes like? Do you think it would be possible to get a mirror-ish finish? Thanks again, this hobby and forum are becoming quite exciting for me!


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## NO ChoP! (Jul 6, 2013)

When using sand paper, you start at the lowest grit necessary to remove the heaviest scratches. You do not progress to a higher grit until you have removed all scratches from the previous grit. It's that simple, just a lot of elbow grease. If your knife is basically scratch free, and you would like to bring the factory finish to a mirror polish you could skip to 400, 600 or even 800, dependent on the factory scratch pattern.

I think most switch from high grit wet paper to buffing wheels/pads and compounds to achieve true mirror. 

Salty has a vid out there where he mirror polishes a gyuto, I think using car polish.


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## greasedbullet (Jul 6, 2013)

I don't see why you would not be able to go as high as true mirror if you want. After 800 grit you start to get mirror-ish. As for the Logo part I have no idea.


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## kungpao (Jul 6, 2013)

Well I saw a couple of people polish thiers about half way up the front side of the knife, around where the shinogi line would be on a single bevel. I'm going to give it a try and post pictures later this evening. Wish me luck! :cool2:


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## Pensacola Tiger (Jul 6, 2013)

kungpao said:


> Well I saw a couple of people polish thiers about half way up the front side of the knife, around where the shinogi line would be on a single bevel. I'm going to give it a try and post pictures later this evening. Wish me luck! :cool2:



That "polish" is a result of some very major thinning of the right-hand side of the blade and subsequent scratch removal. A few years ago, when the Aritsugu was the "flavor of the month", this thinning was in vogue. It resulted in a very asymmetrical geometry and was favored by more than a few users for its performance when thinned like that.

Rick


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## kungpao (Jul 6, 2013)

Now that you mention it I recall the thread that I saw them in being rather old. I'm not yet at the level where I feel confident enough to thin the knife out to such a degree, but I figure I'll give it a go with the wet/ dry paper. Thanks for the heads up!


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## tk59 (Jul 6, 2013)

I polished mine just half way up on stones, as described by PT. It's still one of my absolute best performers.


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## zitangy (Jul 7, 2013)

kungpao said:


> Now that you mention it I recall the thread that I saw them in being rather old. I'm not yet at the level where I feel confident enough to thin the knife out to such a degree, but I figure I'll give it a go with the wet/ dry paper. Thanks for the heads up!



I have the same concerns too...
a) Better to err with a higher grit. only damage will be more elbow grease adn drop mto lower grit when necessary.

b) Once it is all smooth and you see fine lines.. go easy on teh pressure and ensure that you are using a high grit.

c) steel polish too is an abrasive.. but a gentle one.

d)I have chosen teh buffer wheel route. Not too expensive for a hobby if you are into polishing things.. Steel ( knives_) small wood items, Handles included. @@ Safety first always!!! fingers may not be replaceable!

have fun...
d


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## Seb (Jul 7, 2013)

I have a 210mm A-Type and I only reset the bevel angle with only a Cholera 400, probably not the best choice since it is slow. It was really really hard work! I don't even want to think about thinning the whole side! Ow! 

OP, you probably saw pics of KCMA's 270mm.


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## zitangy (Jul 7, 2013)

kungpao said:


> Well I saw a couple of people polish thiers about half way up the front side of the knife, around where the shinogi line would be on a single bevel. I'm going to give it a try and post pictures later this evening. Wish me luck! :cool2:




I do it this way...

Starting with 220grit 3M sandpaper cut to about width of thumb.. adn abrade in the width shape of your desired outcome. You will see the old vertical lines slowing being replaced with teh horizontal lines ( parallel to the edge). IF you like, do teh grit progression if you like finer lines till it disappears.. Then Autosol and polish till you get a clear reflection.

IF you lack patience .. then do it over the next few days adn rub and rub . Eventually you will get there pretty fast SAFETY : BEst to have a pad behind the sandpaper adn place the knife absolute flat on a table top.

I prefer this way as once metal is removed, you cant put it back. and once it is smooth.. I do not know how thick the cladding is and would only use smooth sandpaper thereafter.

have fun


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## JBroida (Jul 7, 2013)

Seb said:


> I have a 210mm A-Type and I only reset the bevel angle with only a Cholera 400, probably not the best choice since it is slow. It was really really hard work! I don't even want to think about thinning the whole side! Ow!
> 
> OP, you probably saw pics of KCMA's 270mm.



if it was KC's that was all done on stones... from the beston 500, to the bester 1200, to the naniwa super stones 5, 8, 10, and 12k. I remember that setup because we were working together at the same restaurant back then.


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## Marko Tsourkan (Jul 7, 2013)

kungpao said:


> I'm hoping to get some advice on how to polish up my Aritsugu A-Type 240mm gyuto. This will be my first time doing so, and the knife is special to me so I'm a bit nervous about messing it up. I understand the basics of progression from course to fine grit wet/dry sandpaper, but am curious about a few things not mentioned in tutorials.
> 
> The markings on this blade look like they will rub right off with a sink sponge if I wanted them to. I'm looking to hopefully keep them intact during polishing. How do I go about doing this without leaving an area of the knife around the logo unpolished? I'm also wondering how long of a time to spend polishing with each grit level. Does anyone know from experience or educated guess what the Aritsugu proprietary semi stainless carbon polishes like? Do you think it would be possible to get a mirror-ish finish? Thanks again, this hobby and forum are becoming quite exciting for me!



To polish a knife effectively, you need to secure it to a surface, so it is stable. You can use a clamp of sorts. Because of a distal taper, you will need to shim the tang, so the knife lies flat on a surface. 

A-type has a fairly wear resistant steel, so you would need to apply pressure on the blade to remove scratches. I don't think you can do it while holding the knife in your hand. 

One of the best way to polish a knife is using a polishing block. It could be a piece of wood 16" long. In the middle you would want to glue some sort of padding - cork, rubber,leather, etc. Padding is essential for polishing. 

Cut your paper in strips that are as wide as the padded area. Wrap the area with the strip and use a paper clip to fix paper in place. 

With two hands on the block, you sand the knife in back-and-forth motions. A-Type is finished with vertical scratches, so you will need to put enough elbow grease to get the initial scratches out, and then to refine the horizontal scratches through a progression of grits. 

Use glass cleaner to wet the paper, it will cut longer.

*Be careful not to get too close to the cutting edge with your hands! If you have your knife elevated with edge of the knife over the edge of the elevation platform, if you slip, you might ram you hand, typically area of your palm of a big thumb, into the edge, sustaining a nasty cut. Been there a number of times.*

A-type could benefit from thinning a lot. You might want to consider paying somebody to thin and refinish the blade, and spare yourself anxiety and aggravation (and possible injury). 

Good luck.

M


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## Anton (Jul 7, 2013)

Marko Tsourkan said:


> To polish a knife effectively, you need to secure it to a surface, so it is stable. You can use a clamp of sorts. Because of a distal taper, you will need to shim the tang, so the knife lies flat on a surface.
> 
> A-type has a fairly wear resistant steel, so you would need to apply pressure on the blade to remove scratches. I don't think you can do it while holding the knife in your hand.
> 
> ...



Does anybody have a picture of how successfully you have held your knife down/camping.? I've tried a couple of ways and while they've worked it continues to be very awkward.. Perhaps it's just the way it is?


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## Marko Tsourkan (Jul 7, 2013)

You would not be able to do it in your kitchen. You would need to have sort of a work bench.

I use a drill press wise, which holds block of wood (polishing platform). Elevation allows me to get a C-clamp under. Onto the platform I clamp a blade by the tang (shimming the tang before hand). 

Vise should be bolted down to the bench, so it doesn't move.The platform should be fixed firmly in the vise so it doesn't' move as you apply considerable pressure on the blade while polishing. 

These are things where you have to pay utmost attention so you don't mess up your blade or injure yourself.


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## SpikeC (Jul 7, 2013)

The odds of preserving the logo on the blade are pretty slim.


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## TB_London (Jul 8, 2013)

I'd do it over time by thinning for a while when I was sharpening. If you're going to hand rub the finish I'd knock the handle off and clamp it to a board per marko's suggestion. Have the edge of the knife in line with the edge of the board, likewise the tip. Then work through the grits, I'd start about 100 and then go as high as you want with micromesh.


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