Any way to preserve etching?

Well my scale dillema is solved, now on to the blade.

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/%7Ejcwellma/Butcher1

It is all scratched from a lifetime of rubbing against bakelite. You can barely see the etching now anyways, and I'm sure if I sand it, it will disappear. Maas and bronze wool shined the blade up quite a bit, but the scratches are still there. Is it possible to preserve the etching? Thanks guys.

Use painters tape and cover the etching. You can get everything around the tape. You might have to settle for some imperfections.

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Originally Posted by Kenrup

Use painters tape and cover the etching. You can get everything around the tape. You might have to settle for some imperfections.

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Most of the etching is covered in scratches. :(