How to Hand Rub a Steel Knife

Sharpen the knife and deburr and strop the edge according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Deburring and stropping are the processes required to remove microscopic burrs and raised edges as a result of sharpening. This is accomplished by dragging the sharpened blade backward along a piece of leather, called a strop, rubbed with polishing compound. The stropping procedure must be completed before hand rubbing the blade. Sharpening and stropping are done to the blade's edge. Hand rubbing is to polish the blade's body.

Secure the knife in a leather-padded vice. Extend the blade if it is a folding knife.

Use the 320 grit sandpaper and use hand pressure to sand out major scratches, pits and gouges. Move in multiple directions as necessary to achieve a surface free of major scratches.

Wipe the blade clean. Apply a few drops of oil on the blade, then use the 400 grit paper to sand the blade in one direction. Use finger pressure and do as many strokes as necessary until all the small scratches from the 400 grit sandpaper are going in one direction.

Polish the blade with increasingly finer grits of sandpaper. 1500 or 2000 grit may be necessary. Wrap the sandpaper around a rubber sanding block to ensure even pressure is applied during each stroke. Move only in one direction, usually parallel with the blade's length.

Once one side of the blade has a mirror-like surface, repeat the procedure on the other side of the blade.