Lowest bevel grit?

Mark Barone

Mark Barone

Well-Known Member
Being a beginner and having limited tools, what is the lowest grit level that is acceptable on a bevel? ...
pre sharpening the secondary bevel. Having limited tools and experience a mirror finish may be lighyears away for me. Also vertical versus horizontal grind lines. Is there a function?
 
I agree with Johan.

The thing to remember is that 99% of the work is getting the bevel flat with no dips and waves. Draw filing works wonders. It is amazing how well draw filing works. Get the bevel flat. Once flat, hand sanding is only about removing scratches.

The first grit of sandpaper is where nearly all of the work happens because you are removing deep scratches. For me, this is 320 grit. But in the past I started at 220.

Once you have the blade done at 320, 600 is a walk in the park.
 
John Wilson said:
I agree with Johan.

The thing to remember is that 99% of the work is getting the bevel flat with no dips and waves. Draw filing works wonders. It is amazing how well draw filing works. Get the bevel flat. Once flat, hand sanding is only about removing scratches.

The first grit of sandpaper is where nearly all of the work happens because you are removing deep scratches. For me, this is 320 grit. But in the past I started at 220.

Once you have the blade done at 320, 600 is a walk in the park.
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I asked about sanding the other day Retro and John and a few others put me onto Rhynowet Redline papers. A sample pack arrived today, fantastic papers which will certainly make your hand sanding easier.... You will also see that many will satin finish their knives as opposed to mirror finishing, which to be honest |I don't think looks as good as a decent satin finish. A good hand satin finish oozes class I think.
 
Thanks, can I go from 60 to 220 on my belt sander, then finish handsanding ? ...or is that too big of a jump?
 
Retroguy said:
Thanks, can I go from 60 to 220 on my belt sander, then finish handsanding ? ...or is that too big of a jump?
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You could but you will waste a TON OF 220 getting the 60G scratches out. The rule of thumb is double the last grit. So 60 - 120 then 220 - 240 then I would go 400 or 500 up to 800. When all the sanding scratches are gone with the 800 get yourself a fresh piece of 800 and do some straight pulls full length of the blade to get the scratch pattern going one way and get rid of any Fish-Hooks in the finish.
 
Personally, I find that a 120grit ceramic belt is the magical sweet spot for removing deep scratches. 220grit is for surface finishing. Anything above 220 grit is for lessening the time spent hand sanding. That’s just my experience.

I also follow the 60 - 120 - 220 / A45
 
Retroguy said:
Thanks, can I go from 60 to 220 on my belt sander, then finish handsanding ? ...or is that too big of a jump?
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To big a jump for me. I usually go 40,80,120,220,400,600. Almost no hand sanding. Very minimal if you remove all of the previous grits scratches. I can generally hand sand a blade to 600 grit in about 15-20 minutes. Starting at 320
 
Very helpful tips. I need to find a technique to do as little handsanding as possible. I blew out my shoulder during my meatcutter years and the surgeon took out some stuff I think I need now. So this will only be a hobby for me.
 
Retroguy said:
Very helpful tips. I need to find a technique to do as little handsanding as possible. I blew out my shoulder during my meatcutter years and the surgeon took out some stuff I think I need now. So this will only be a hobby for me.
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I have both of my shoulders replaced and neither works like the original. Learn to remove the previous grits scratches completely, before moving up. Don’t skip grits and you’ll find a world of difference. Just to see if I could I got an acceptable mirror finish on a blade with no hand sanding at all. I did some hand sanding to make it right but I believe it’s posdible.
 
Kev said:
I have both of my shoulders replaced and neither works like the original. Learn to remove the previous grits scratches completely, before moving up. Don’t skip grits and you’ll find a world of difference. Just to see if I could I got an acceptable mirror finish on a blade with no hand sanding at all. I did some hand sanding to make it right but I believe it’s posdible.
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Good to know. I'll post pics in a few days of my next attempt. I stocked up on sandpaper so I should be good to go now.
 
Well if you haven't heard it before the old knife makers adage is "use the sandpaper like it is free"! We all know it's not but the idea is if it was free you would change to another piece as soon as the old one quits cutting.

Not only does new paper cut better but you don't end up with those oddball scratch's created by a paper galling. It actually happens to sand paper like it does with a file. A piece of sandpaper that has gualled will create scratches with each pass that will require going back at least two grits to get them out!!
 
The reason that you alternate "vertical and horizontal" (alternating your grinding or sanding by 90°) helps you make sure that you get all the grinding scratches out from the previous grit before proceeding onto the next grit. If you grinding machine doesn't allow you to grind the blade lengthwise without fudging things up you can finish one grit, cover the blade in black magic marker, then grind with the next grit until all traces of the magic marker is gone.

Doug
 
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