800-1k grit problems

[cosperryan]

So I am working on a restore and this is the first one that I am actually going for a near mirror. I didn't really plan for it but it kinda just happened. Anyways I am sanding with 1k now and the shine is looking wonderful but I have been at it for several hours now and there are still many 800 grit scratches. After 400 grit paper every stage went pretty fast until now and its like I am sanding and nothing is happening.

I don't know if it matters but this is how I sanded the blade. First I started with 180 and sanded the blade doing circles till most pitting was out. I wanted to leave some character to it. Then I did 320 toe to heel, then 400 edge to spine, and alternating each progressive grit. I made sure the previous grits scratches were all gone before moving on to the next, but god almighty its taking forever to get these 800 scratches out. Does this seem to be the norm? Should I try to going back to 800 and resending to maybe get those apparently deep scratches out and lighten up on the pressure and maybe use oil.

[Suavio]

Sounds like you might have jumped up one level of grit too quickly, but this kind of thing does happen from time to time. If you think they're 800 scratches perhaps go back lightly to 800 - are you using wet/dry? I sometimes use a little auto polish instead of water, helps with applying less pressure and avoiding scratches.

Hope you can work it out!

[cosperryan]

Yeah I am using wet/dry. I know they are 800 grit scratches because of the direction they are going. If they were 600 grit scratches they would be going in a perpendicular direction, and if they were 400 grit then I would have noticed it before. I guess I will go back down and use lighter pressure.

[Steel]

I use wd40 myself to help avoide deep scratches.

[Hirlau]

Don't forget the different levels of steel wool, they are also great for working a blade, useing WD-40 with it.