Sharpening with waterstones

[MichaelB]

A commercial version of the leather strop can be found here:

HandAmerican Web Site

Take a look at his steels too. They are works of art.

[rbm]

May I ask what kind of wood you use? Does it make a difference? Does the wood have to be perfectly flat?

Scott,

I had an old Ikea kitchen door cupboard lying about. It was a frame and panel design so I sawed off and used a section of the frame. The door was made of birch.

It doesn't matter what type of wood you use -- pine, spruce, maple, and so on -- the wood just makes a stiff backing for the leather. The wood doesn't have to be perfectly flat for the strop to work. The leather deforms in use to conform to the shape of the knife's edge.

The advantage to having a smooth piece of wood is that PVA type glues are not gap-filling glues and a sanded wood surface provides better key to the glue than a very rough surface. If you end up using a finished wood piece like I did, it's mandatory to sand it to remove the lacquer finish otherwise the glue won't hold.

[rbm]

HandAmerican Web Site

Cool Michael! Nice steels and I love his power leather stops using an inverted stationary belt sander. That would save a lot of elbow grease if you had many knives and other cutting blades to maintain.

[scott123]

RBM, Thank you. This has been, as other members have already stated, a very informative thread.

[Devilkitty]

Ah, I didn't realize that they weren't hollow ground on the back. That's what threw me off. I haven't seen this type of edge geometry before. Interesting. And good advice on sharpening. Thanks.

Take care,

Chad

The "damascus-clad" stuff (Shun, Kasumi, etc. - the 'ooh, pretty' kind of thing one sees in the fancy catalogues) usually has a conventional grind. You ought to try the other kind some time - if you ever hit Michigan you can have a go with mine. The most immediately noticeable difference in use is that the blade doesn't tend to kick out when you're trying to cut straight down; the difference is like trying to take a shaving off the end of a board with an ax and then a chisel. They cut very much like a usuba. If you get comfortable with one then go back to a conventional grind, you'll see just how much you were compensating, especially on precision cuts. It's surprising, and it's the reason I *always* carry my knives visiting when there's even a remote chance I'll get roped into the kitchen - aside from the fact that I know mine are sharp!

I'm never going back; though I'll keep a couple of Lamsons around for heavy bones and nostalgia...

Glad you appreciated the sharpening comments. I used to finance my restaurant (and foie gras) habit by teaching it fifteen or so years ago - by hand, everything from paring knives to augers to saws. The hardest part was getting past the usual "sharpening is a black art" mentality.

[Devilkitty]

A commercial version of the leather strop can be found here:

HandAmerican Web Site

Take a look at his steels too.  They are works of art.

Oh, those steels are nice. Reasonable, too. I've been looking for a 14" full polish for a while now that's above RC60.

[pjs]

When using the strop, charge it with a grinding compound.  I use valve grinding compound from an automobile supply.  Polishing rouge is probably better..

There's nothing wrong with using valve-lapping compound. It is available in a large range of grits if you know where to look.

You'd be surprised at all the mirror-finished metal inside a F1 motor.

PJ

[rbm]

There's nothing wrong with using valve-lapping compound.

I use fine valve grinding compound only because it is readily available to me. I suggest that rouge is better because the rouge mixed in suspension with lanolin charges and conditions the leather at the same time. I don't know what the suspension agent is in valve grinding compound but it appears to be oily in nature. I don't think it conditions the leather like lanolin would. It does get absorbed into the leather with use so that the power imbedded in the leather remains on the surface.

[pjs]

Anyone ever try finishing a knife edge with Micro Mesh? I use the stuff myself and it is pretty amazing but never thought to use it on a edge.

I'd think it would work well for polishing incorporated into Chad's mousepad idea.

PJ