Quote Originally Posted by UKRob View Post
I'm intrigued that you started with 400 grit and then went down to 80 - firstly because 80 seems to be very harsh but also, why go down when you would need to go back up again to remeove scratch marks?
Just to get a clearer view of the patina and see if there was any need to take it down to 80. The 400 grit removed much of the surface rust, while leaving the metal mostly unharmed. If the stamps on the tang would have been too shallow, I would have left them alone. I'm sure more experienced people don't need this extra step, but I'd rather be on the safe side The 80 grit seems harsh, but this Satene Abrasive is actually quite gentle and useful for the removal of pitting.