Metal & tools
Polishing scratches out of stainless steel
With the grain. Always with the grain.
Stainless scratches blend out if you work in the direction of the brushed finish. Cross-grain sanding makes it worse: the new scratches catch the light.
The climb
The exact sequence, in order.
- 1320
Level the scratch
Hand block, with the grain. Wet, with a few drops of oil.
Reach for
3M Stikit 426U Silicon Carbide Roll, 120 Grit
- 2600
Refine and blend
Same direction. The brushed pattern should start to emerge.
Reach for
3M Wetordry Assorted Pack, 600 to 1500 Grit
- 31500
Final blending pass
Light strokes only with the grain. Stop when it matches.
Reach for
3M Wetordry Assorted Pack, 600 to 1500 Grit
Watch out for
The things that quietly ruin the job.
- ·Never sand across the grain on stainless. The mark will be visible from across the room.
- ·Test on a hidden area first: different stainless finishes match different grit endpoints.
Questions people ask
The practical part.
What about mirror-polish stainless?
Different climb: you need to go up through 3000 and finish with metal polish. Brushed stainless stops at the brush grit.
Keep going
Adjacent jobs.
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