Thread: White marks on blade after polishing

yesterday i had time to polish a blade which i found in a garage sell. it was pretty clean, just one or two rust marks for which i started from 1500 to 2000 hand sanding. then started to work with green paste. actually nothing so disturbing, blade is pretty clean when i look directly to steel. but when i move the blade for the sun be on metal, i see some white marks coming from polishing, like a "s" (for its shape). that's first time it happens to me. so i retried to clean the blade with some soft cleanex/cotton, but it's still right there. i retried this time to get them loose with polishing.

i did not have success i don't know if this even happened to you guys but i was asking to myself if this come from my discs and i need to change them and retry or, that's just normal and happens sometime with some steels?

i don't have a pic of this blade which i mentionned but here an other with smilar marks.




for this one, it ain't from polishing just was some dust and they are gone after i cleaned the razor. but i added this just for you guys see what it looks like (white marks).


thanks in advance for your advices

We both know something in your polishing system either caused it or revealed it from years ago.
I would take a different approach with a clean cotton cloth & some Mothers Chrome Polish (Wal Mart , auto parts store) then spend only a few minutes on it,,, check it, then immediately put some lubricant on it,,,,

Probably need to go a little deeper with your sanding, a lot depends on the rust, try some 600, 800 1 and 2k, then polish.

thanks for your replies. i didn't rather to go deeper below 1500 but tomorrow i will try with similar product which Hirlau mentionned, if they are still there, i will restart as your advice Euclid440.

thanks a lot guys

I have seen something similar when I use 1k paper, and the steel needs deeper, the random pattern may be from not using a larger, flat backer. I use a wine cork with a 3x3 in. 6mm craft foam backer. The foam conforms nicely to the blade contours and gives an even finish.

600 grit scratches are easily removed with 1k paper. Don’t know about where you are, but here in the US, high grit papers are easily found in Automotive Parts store or Automotive Paint Supplies. Rarely do you need to go lower than 600 and 1 or 2k can be polished with a good metal polish.

Take your time and be sure to sand up & down as well as sideways with a backer.