# The horror...the horror



## gnuke (Oct 5, 2015)

So I came home to see that the girl friend in an attempt to be helpful scrubbed my 6", Wilburn Forge, 52100 steel chef knife with a green, super abrasive scotch brite pad. While I realize it's not permanently screwed, I was looking for advice on the progression of polishing steps I should take to polish out the scratches. I have micro mesh pads from 1500-12,000 grit, but should I get some polishing compound as well? I'm not looking to get a mirror finish just to remove the crazy random scratch pattern of the green pad.

Thanks in advance,
G


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## daveb (Oct 5, 2015)

Should be an easy day. Did the pad scratch the blade or just randomly scratch the patina?

I would start with BKF to ensure blade is clean and patina free. (Polishing compound would do the same thing but would take a lot longer.) Then if required go to the Micro Mesh. Start mid range and move up/down to get desired results. When blade looks right move up through the grits. Cut some beef.


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## gnuke (Oct 5, 2015)

daveb said:


> Should be an easy day. Did the pad scratch the blade or just randomly scratch the patina?
> 
> I would start with BKF to ensure blade is clean and patina free. (Polishing compound would do the same thing but would take a lot longer.) Then if required go to the Micro Mesh. Start mid range and move up/down to get desired results. When blade looks right move up through the grits. Cut some beef.





It scratched the blade. That sounds like a good plan (esp regarding thee beef...very close to lunch time here).

Thanks for the help!

G


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## sharptools (Oct 5, 2015)

daveb said:


> Should be an easy day. Did the pad scratch the blade or just randomly scratch the patina?
> 
> I would start with BKF to ensure blade is clean and patina free. (Polishing compound would do the same thing but would take a lot longer.) Then if required go to the Micro Mesh. Start mid range and move up/down to get desired results. When blade looks right move up through the grits. Cut some beef.



This looks right and BKF is a great idea before hand.

Not usually how it compares to micro mesh pads but I usually go Wet sanding 220 400 800 1000 and 2000 sand paper. This takes it just under a mirror polish.


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## Smurfmacaw (Oct 5, 2015)

At least she didn't put it through a couple of cycles in the dishwasher.


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## sharptools (Oct 5, 2015)

Smurfmacaw said:


> At least she didn't put it through a couple of cycles in the dishwasher.



Quite true! The scotch pad really is not much of an issue. Just a little elbow grease to fix.


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## ThEoRy (Oct 5, 2015)

Might need automotive sandpaper if the scratches are deeper than the micromesh pads can alleviate.


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## WingKKF (Oct 6, 2015)

Or you could learn to live with it, treating the knife as a great tool rather than an art object and as a reminder to never let anyone else touch your personal knives and to have some guest/girlfriend knives. Be happy she did not put a large chip on it or bend or break the tip by abusing it on something.


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## Sabaki (Oct 9, 2015)

WingKKF said:


> Or you could learn to live with it, treating the knife as a great tool rather than an art object and as a reminder to never let anyone else touch your personal knives and to have some guest/girlfriend knives. Be happy she did not put a large chip on it or bend or break the tip by abusing it on something.



Exactly :thumbsup: use it as the great carbon knife it is and bring out the patina!


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## Adrian (Oct 9, 2015)

I agree. I see scratches on my knives as honourable battle scars. For those who like a perfect surface, an electric polishing mop set up with compounds, will deliver a very fine finish very quickly.


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## Smurfmacaw (Oct 10, 2015)

Adrian said:


> I agree. I see scratches on my knives as honourable battle scars. For those who like a perfect surface, an electric polishing mop set up with compounds, will deliver a very fine finish very quickly.


I find that I like playing with knives as a hobby. I like keeping mine pristine but I don't have the pressure the pro guys do. My wife is a little more laid back and her catrer can devolve a bit before she'll ask me to sharpen it. I still polish out any scratches just because I'm that way....otherwise I just keep them in good shape.


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## JohnnyChance (Oct 11, 2015)

I use the green side of the sponge or a scotch brite pad to clean a lot of my knives. As long as you go only go the direction the scratches from the finish are (heel to tip or spine to edge) the finish it leaves is actually pretty nice. Using light pressure and worn out pads sometimes helps not make the scratch pattern too drastic. And using carbon knives that develop patinas helps too.


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## Lefty (Oct 11, 2015)

I do what Johnnychance does. It actually makes to look nice, and realistically, scratches happen, and when they are there, you will find you use it as it is supposed to be used. I don't care at al about scratches on my knives


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## CompE (Oct 13, 2015)

gnuke said:


> So I came home to see that the girl friend in an attempt to be helpful scrubbed my 6", Wilburn Forge, 52100 steel chef knife with a green, super abrasive scotch brite pad. While I realize it's not permanently screwed, I was looking for advice on the progression of polishing steps I should take to polish out the scratches. I have micro mesh pads from 1500-12,000 grit, but should I get some polishing compound as well? I'm not looking to get a mirror finish just to remove the crazy random scratch pattern of the green pad.
> 
> Thanks in advance,
> G



The stated use for "Micro-Mesh" pads in the 1,500-12,000 grit range is for polishing wood, plastic and wood finishes to a high shine. They can give metal a mirror polish to metal, but I don't think the 1,500 will take out a visible scratch without a lot of work. (Maybe I'm just using the stuff wrong, someone else may disagree). Micro-Mesh MX, is intended for polishing metal, but even then, you will probably need to start with automotive sand paper, like ThEoRy suggested. Micro-Mesh MXD, which is intended for hard metal, stone and class polishing, is probably even better, but I've never tried it. In my searches, it's not widely available and very expensive.

Another option is to start with whatever sharpening stones you use. Use the finest stone that will remove the scratch and then work your way up the grits of the stones that you have before switching to the Micro-Mesh pads.


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