Mirror Finish
From satin to mirror — the Cratex grit progression that gets you there.
A true mirror finish on a knife blade is the result of a disciplined grit progression — each step removing the scratch pattern left by the previous one until the surface reflects like glass. Cratex fits into this process after your belt grinder and sandpaper work, and before your final buffing or stropping.
The key is Cratex's rubber bond. Unlike rigid abrasives, Cratex conforms slightly to the blade surface, which means it polishes evenly without creating flat spots or uneven transitions. The self-renewing abrasive ensures you're getting consistent scratch depth with every pass — no dulled spots that leave mismatched finishes.
For mirror work, you'll typically start at Fine (reddish brown) and finish at Extra Fine (grey-green). If your blade still has visible tool marks, start at Medium. After Cratex Extra Fine, move to polishing compound on a felt wheel or leather strop for the final mirror.
Recommended Products
Cratex Combination Kit No. 226 — $430.56
The comprehensive approach. This kit gives you wheels and points in all four grits, so you can work the full progression on every surface of the blade — flats, bevels, spine, and detail areas.
Cratex Large Wheels — $45.00
For long, sweeping passes on blade flats using your bench grinder. Select Fine or Extra Fine grit for mirror prep on broad surfaces.
Cratex Mini Point Kit No. 167 — $58.28
For polishing detail areas — plunge lines, ricasso, guard junction — that your large wheels can't reach.
Pro Tips
- Never skip grits. Each step exists to remove the scratches from the previous one
- Work in one direction on blade flats — parallel to the edge for a traditional satin
- Clean your blade between grit changes. A stray coarse particle will leave a scratch
- After Cratex Extra Fine, your blade is prepped for compound and strop
Mirror Finish on Precious Metals
The same grit progression applies to silver, gold, and platinum — but precious metals are softer and more forgiving than blade steel.
- Silver: Start at Fine. Silver polishes quickly — Extra Fine followed by rouge on a muslin wheel gets you to mirror.
- Gold: Start at Fine for karat gold. Extra Fine leaves a near-mirror surface that's ready for rouge.
- Platinum: Start at Medium — platinum is harder than gold and silver. Work the full Fine → Extra Fine progression before polishing compound.
Use small wheels and points on your Foredom or flex shaft. Keep RPMs moderate — precious metals generate heat fast, and you don't want to distort thin ring shanks or bezel walls.