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.
- 1 320
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
- 2 600
Refine and blend
Same direction. The brushed pattern should start to emerge.
Reach for
3M Wetordry Assorted Pack — 600 to 1500 Grit
- 3 1500
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