How to remove emery cloth marks

[BB3]

I have a schrade walden that had some patina on it. I don't know about you guys but I would rather have the original look so I was able to remove it. But now I notice that someone must have used some emery cloth on it because there are a lot of little scratches up and down the blade. How can I remove these so it looks as original as possible.

[Elvis]

If the blade has a flat grind you can use very fine "body shop" type sandpaper on a piece of marble or other very smooth stone. Start with 400 or 600 grit and work your way up to 1000. By then you should see the mirror finish start to return. Most auto body paint stores carry up to 2000 grit. Always rub the blade from tip to tang (never side to side) until you get the finish you want.

[muskrat man]

if the lines are running from spine to edge those are what remains of the factory finish.

[BB3]

The lines are running up and down so I'm pretty sure there not original. But thanks for the info and I will try the auto body sandpaper. I'll let you know how it goes.

[BB3]

I've found two different packs of grits for sale. Which one do you think would work the best, the 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500 grit package or the P320, P400, P600, P800 package?

[RandyFew]

Guy's, you just taught me something, and I am much appreciative. That is the main reason for my nightly sessions with AAPK.
Thanks,
Randy

[orvet]

Here is a blade from an unused Schrade Walden 825 with the original finish on the blade.
Notice how the lines in the blade run from the spine of the blade down toward the edge.
This is what MM was referring to.

Are these the lines you were referring to?
If so that is the original finish on the blade. Schrade called this a "glaze finish."

Some patterns were polished on the mark side of the main blade and glaze finished on the pile side and on both sides of the secondary blades. It depends on the pattern and when it was made. In later years all sides of the blades were glaze finished as in the example I have shown.


If you are trying to restore an original looking finish to the blades, without having access to the original wheels and grinding compound Schrade Walden used, (I wish I had those!), you can achieve a similar finish by using a Scotch Brite wheel on your buffer. I have yet to find a Scotch Brite wheel that produces exactly the same scratch pattern, but the extra fine Scotch Brite wheel comes the closest of the ones I have tried.

[BB3]

The lines are not running from edge to spine. I have a uncle henry 897 with those lines. The lines on the walden are going up and down. I would just like to remove the marks created by the emery cloth, but I will keep my eye out for one of those buffers to make it look like the original edge to spine lines.

[orvet]

BB,
When you say the lines run up & down, do you mean from the tip to the tang?

[BB3]

Yes, the lines run from the tip to the tang. You can tell they were done unprofessionally because the lines end before reaching the very tip of the blade. I just want to remove those lines and make it look untouched.

[orvet]

Without a Scotch Brite wheel it will be difficult by hand.

Elvis suggestion works well on flat ground blades, but I think your blade is slightly hollow ground.
You will need something that will take out the lengthwise scratches and replace it with a spine to edge pattern. The only other way I would think to do it would be to wrap 320 or 400 grit automotive wet or dry sandpaper on some sort of a round object that is not too hard.
Perhaps an old cork fishing pole handle. Just be sure you sand from spine to edge consistently to achieve the new proper scratch pattern.