anybody use a stone or a strop like holding a file?

B

bdmicarta

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Feb 16, 2012
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It occurred to me that I could hold a knife in one hand, and a stone in the other hand, hold the knife still and move the strop/stone over the edge using the same motion I would use if I was using a file on the edge. I was thinking in terms of a stone like a Sharpmaker stone, or a DMT dia-fold, basically something with a handle or long enough so one end can be held like a handle. A person could make a strop in that same format, for example by gluing a piece of leather to a wooden paint stir-stick. I wonder if this would give a person better fine control over what they were doing as compared to putting the strop/stone on the bench and moving the knife over it.
 
Ha, I have tried this with a DMT 8x3" with a PM2 gently placed in a wood vice. Ended up being a little awkward bending over trying to see the angle I was at while doing the motion.

Also, Holding both the knife and stone in your hands creates more instability and unnecessary movement and rocking.
 
With a small(ish) stone on a larger blade, yes. Almost all of my sharpening habits were built on using pocket hones (6" length or smaller), so I've gotten used to using the hone in one hand, and knife in the other. All just depends on what you're accustomed to. I've only recently started using larger bench hones and sandpaper over glass (also on the bench/table). For heavy grinding and re-bevelling blades, that's a more efficient way to do it.

Here's a great video of one gentleman who is obviously very comfortable with such a technique... :)

[video=youtube;jM8U3AHvLa4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM8U3AHvLa4[/video]


David
 
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