Thread: How to preserve blade etching

Originally Posted by Immy

New to site how do I post a question or start a thread about razor restoration . Thanks Immy

QUICK HIGHJACK:

Immy - your profile says that you have started 6 posts already, beginning in January??

In case you have forgotten. No Need To Reply.

You always will have better and quicker results cross direction sanding, unless you are laying down a satin type directional finish. Because you lay down a stria pattern then remove it cross directionally, then lay down another and remove it.

I hand sand 10 – 20 strokes in one direction, then sand 90 degrees to the stria you just laid down, when you can. Circles will leave circular scratches that are hard to remove, and I feel I have better control directionally.

Once you remove all you staining, rust or pitting, then you want to lay an even stria pattern that will be removed by the next grit. You can feel when the paper stops cutting, replace it. Paper is cheap.

Often folks think a shiny 1k finish is stria free, but look at it at 100 or 400X and you will see the scratches, even high grit polish leaves stria.

Two questions:

1. How do you address the issue of the difference in appearance between the area you have covered in some fashion to preserve the etching...and the rest of the blade that now has a much "newer", cleaned up appearance?

2. Does steel wool just clean or would it eat into the etching? I suppose I could do an experiment, but I am hoping someone may have the answer.

An etch like the one in the OP will be fine with steel wool. The ones with frosting or goldfish are the ones that steel wool will eat up pretty quick. One of the things that happens with steel wool is it will polish into the etch, removing the black that makes it stand out so well. This can be put back with bluing or black paint. There are a few techniques that will re-color the etch.

Originally Posted by RezDog

An etch like the one in the OP will be fine with steel wool. The ones with frosting or goldfish are the ones that steel wool will eat up pretty quick. One of the things that happens with steel wool is it will polish into the etch, removing the black that makes it stand out so well. This can be put back with bluing or black paint. There are a few techniques that will re-color the etch.

Sorry if this question has been addressed elsewhere...but would 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper eat into the etch?

All sandpaper will eat into the etch, however the higher the grit the longer that takes. 2K grit would take a long time to make any difference in a deep etch. You can also get micro polishing pads from Lee Valley Tools that go to much higher grits.

Originally Posted by RezDog

All sandpaper will eat into the etch, however the higher the grit the longer that takes. 2K grit would take a long time to make any difference in a deep etch. You can also get micro polishing pads from Lee Valley Tools that go to much higher grits.

I am hoping a 2k sandpaper will help to even out some of the discolouration but not damage the etch on this razor. Then lots of polish and elbow grease! I will probably put some tape over the etch to preserve it as much as I can. I really like the feel of this razor.

If you use a hard backer like a wine cork or a pink eraser. The 2k wet and dry will ride on the top and not cut into the etch as much, but you are still removing material.

Shape a cheap pink or white eraser, with some 60 or 80 grit sand paper to the shape of you razor to make a custom backer for a particular razor. I buy them by the pack from the Dollar Store, I think there are 6 in a pack, about 2 in long and ¾ inch wide. Synthetic wine corks also work well, they too can be re-shaped.

Lapping film works very well when trying to polish around and in an etch, it is much finer than wet and dry 5um is about 4k, 3um/8k and 1um/16K. it is very aggressive. Thor Labs for Aluminum Oxide lapping film.

Soft backers or steel wool will flex and dig into the etch, not ride over it, like a high grit paper with a hard backer.