Help With 440C Finish

Randy Lucius

Randy Lucius

Well-Known Member
Working on a 440C blade. I can’t get a clean finish on it to save my life. It has a “smeared film” look to it. Almost like WD40 residue. Went up to 800 grit. Bad. Started over at 220 and back to 800. Still looks like crap. I’ve tried every finishing technique I know of. No luck. I’m ready to throw this #%€¥&@$ through the back shop wall. Any ideas?
 
I've hand sanded 440c a bit. I start with 120 grit, then 180, 220, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000, 2500. I use regular Windex as a lubricant and I change sanding direction with each grit. I wipe the blade clean frequently. Sand with one grit until you can't see the scratches from the previous grit. Finish it with Mothers carnuba wax. Hope this helps.
 
I think I replied to Chris's thread. I used 440-C for years and always put mirror finishes on it. then one batch started showing wierd stuff like the both of you describe. I ordered 440-C from several different places with the same results, even glass beading it showed a messed up finish. I just decided not to use it anymore and switched to 154-CPM
 
Bruce, I don't think it is you, I used to use nothing but 440 C , the last two that I made have been real hard with the same heat treat as allways, hard to finish and not that great of a finish, I don't think we are getting the qualty of 440 C we once did. Deane
 
bladegrinder said:
I think I replied to Chris's thread. I used 440-C for years and always put mirror finishes on it. then one batch started showing wierd stuff like the both of you describe. I ordered 440-C from several different places with the same results, even glass beading it showed a messed up finish. I just decided not to use it anymore and switched to 154-CPM
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That's very interesting. I've not had that problem, but it's been awhile since I used it. (440c that is). Did you ever discover whar caused the problem? Did it ever occur on other types of steel?
 
chrisstaniar said:
Can you get a picture of what it looks like? I've had similar issues with 440c and posted something a few weeks ago about it.
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I’ll try. May be hard to see. But it looks like you sprayed WD-40 on it and “halfway” wiped it off. This is my first experience with 440c. Bought some CPM-154 and it’s been awesome.
 
Bruce McLeish said:
That's very interesting. I've not had that problem, but it's been awhile since I used it. (440c that is). Did you ever discover whar caused the problem? Did it ever occur on other types of steel?
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I've only seen it on 440c. I get my heat treat done by Paul Farner/Paul Bos that does Buck Knives. I haven't done a lot of other types of stainless.

Mine didn't look like it had been sprayed with WD40 but looked like it had "lines" in it.
 
ok, not the same as I had.

This is a pic of what I experienced (not to hijack your thread). The dark lines inside the highlighted areas.

IMG_4628.jpg
 
chrisstaniar said:
ok, not the same as I had.

This is a pic of what I experienced (not to hijack your thread). The dark lines inside the highlighted areas.

View attachment 72421
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Yeah. That is different. It seems my problem is in the steel and not necessarily my sanding process. Only thing is I have some more of that steel. Not sure I want to invest any more time in it and wind up with the same problem.
 
The only way I could describe what I saw in my batches were kind of striated clouds. they did not grind or sand out, and could even be seen thru glass beading. I could only assume it's how it was made with some kind of problem mixing the different alloys during the melt.
I can't tell by the picture but it's probably the same thing I was dealing with.
As for me I just switched to CPM-154 and never looked back.
 
bladegrinder said:
The only way I could describe what I saw in my batches were kind of striated clouds. they did not grind or sand out, and could even be seen thru glass beading. I could only assume it's how it was made with some kind of problem mixing the different alloys during the melt.
I can't tell by the picture but it's probably the same thing I was dealing with.
As for me I just switched to CPM-154 and never looked back.
Click to expand...
That sounds exactly what I looking at. Probably used my first and last 440c. The CPM-154 finished beautifully so I’m sticking with that too.
 
Mine wasn't the sanding process. These would only show up at the higher grits (600+) and aren't fish hooks (i.e. directional changes). Trying to sand them out was pretty much impossible. You'd get rid of some and others would appear. Very hard to see thankfully.
 
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