Deep scratches on blade

[honketyhank]

I have started a project to give a Uncle Henry knife to each of my nephews. Given that I am a Henry, I think it is only appropriate. They are all well past minimum age for voting and several have strong feelings about "Made in the USA". No comment intended here or there on the subject. But I make the observation because I decided it would be a good idea if I bought older, pre-Schrade-bankruptcy UH's, thus avoiding the inevitable commentary. I don't feel inclined to go out and comb flea markets and garage sales to find them, so I pay a bit of a premium to get them on eBay. I look for what appear to be in good condition, but obviously used condition. I expect to spend time on each cleaning them up, polishing out scratches, sharpening, etc. All are SS bladed (Schrade+).

The project is proceeding well. Only one that I have sent back so far for inaccurate description, plus one that turned out to have been used to the point of wobbliness. I have been having fun and it keeps me off the streets.

OK. My question. On two knives, so far, I have found deep scratches about 1/16" from the blade edge, running from tip to tang. My attempt to photograph them on one knife is attached. In the one in the photo, I have been working on it for a couple of hours with 150 grit wet or dry and am making progress. But I think I still have an hour or more to go.

My question is this: What in the world makes scratches like this? The former owners must have drawn the blade along a hard sharp projection of some kind. But why repeatedly when it is so obviously damaging the knife? And it must be something that is common given that I have seen this on two different knives from different sources.

Just curious, and maybe a little frustrated.

Uncle Henry 807 (small stockman) - horizontal scratches. Hard to capture, but partially visible here.

[gwelker62]

A lot of scratches​ are due to someone who doesn't know to use a sharpening stone properly.

[Colonel26]

Maybe somebody was using one of those pull through sharpeners with the metal discs?

[Lansky1]

It is indeed frustrating how little care some give their knives by not giving them the respect we as enthusiasts would.

Good news - as you know, with a little elbow grease, you can get 90% of those surface scratches out using abrasives - those scratches must be deep ... I typically start with 320, 400, 1000 and 1500 grit and then use a buffing wheel & they blades come out with a mirror finish - you can get quality abrasives at an auto parts store, the buffing wheel and Tripoli compound at Sears. Doesn't take long at all either ...

[honketyhank]

Well anyway, here it is a couple hours later. Got most of the deep scratches out. Used 150, 240, 400, 600, 1000, 2000. Then hand stropped on leather with green stuff. Looks like I could use the buffer out in the garage and get rid of the last scratches except for a few traces of the deep ones. But enough is enough. Whoever gets this one will probably be playing mumblypeg or split with it anyway.

I'm glad I'm not trying to make money doing this. I just turned a $15 purchase into something I could probably sell for, oh, maybe $16 with less than 10 hours labor.

[tjmurphy]

A bench grinder takes them out nicely............or at least covers them up!! Just kiddin'. I hate getting a knife that's all nice and shiney except where some idiot drug the blade flat across a stone.

[KnifeSlinger#81]

Maybe somebody was using one of those pull through sharpeners with the metal discs?

I think that's the most likely scenario.

I have refinished many of my schrades due to scratches from poor sharpening, that's one thing I can't stand. Even for a user. I also do it to thin out behind the edge and make the edge bevel more narrow.

[SolWarrior]

You might want to try some Flitz polish (sold at your corner auto parts store) for an added touch up. It will bring out a nice shine and make the finer scratches disappear completely with not much elbow grease.