Do any of you knife makers know how to do a brushed or satin finish?

A matte finish is usually done with progressing sanding with ever finer sandpapers. I go to between 1200 and 2000 depending on the application.

From 600 up I use a large synthetic eraser as the sanding block. If carefully done, you get a very robust matt finish that lasts very, very well.

I generally do not do brush finishes as they tend to show surface damage more quickly than a good matte finish.

thanks, I'm looking for something other than a high polish. So do you hand sand through all the grits or just from 600 up? Thanks for the help!

You always sand through the grits and stop where you want.When I have a knife made I ask for a 400 or 600 grit finish which suits me fine. You can do that by hand also if you have a shiney knife.The other option is bead blasting which I don't care for.

My sanding pattern is 36 t0 80 grit on the belt sander to form the blade (even after forging when they are forged).

Then I go through 120, 180, 320, 400, and 600 paper with a hickory sanding block. Sometimes use paper on the flat side of a file to clean up areas left by the belt sander.

I always to across the blade at 90 degrees, at two 45 degree angles off that normal and directly down the blade ... assuring that there are no "hidden" lines that will show up later if the blade has to be repolished at any point.

A great many blades are made and polished with a wheel in only one direction ... across the blade. It is a bunch faster to do one with a wheel ... but that does not give an "honest" finish. If these EVER have to be refinished they'll look like hell until properly sanded out.