Can You Power Strop?

[NotSoSharpBob]

I inherited my dad's Loray 1x30 belt sander sharpener and he taught me on it using a leather belt as the last step to get rid of the burr and put that final edge on it. My results will shave hair but I can't get as sharp as what others describe here.

Does that belt qualify as just as good as the manual stropping that is frequently discussed here?

Thanks

 

[zyhano]

a sander will let you strop more in a short time, you cover more distance with the edge by using a belt sander(couple of feet per second?)
Other variables come into play like if you use a stropping paste/compound, leather used etc.
I don't have a sander so can't comment any more than that.
Others will chime in soon enough I think :thumbup:

 

[stitchawl]

I inherited my dad's Loray 1x30 belt sander sharpener and he taught me on it using a leather belt as the last step to get rid of the burr and put that final edge on it. My results will shave hair but I can't get as sharp as what others describe here.

Does that belt qualify as just as good as the manual stropping that is frequently discussed here?

Thanks

If you're not getting the results you want from that, I'd guess that you are either using too much pressure or holding the wrong angle. The 'power' part of the equation should just reduce the time needed, not the final results.

Stitchawl

 

[Hammurabi]

Leather belts stretch over time especially if you leave them on the sander. The stretching leads to flopping and makes it harder to get consistent results. I use a leather belt sometimes but get my best results using compound on wooden paint sticks.

 

[stitchawl]

Leather belts stretch over time especially if you leave them on the sander. The stretching leads to flopping and makes it harder to get consistent results. I use a leather belt sometimes but get my best results using compound on wooden paint sticks.

I think compound on wood is the best way to use the stuff. It works great! Save the leather for use as a bare strop. The natural silicates in the leather are of a much finer grit size than any compound, so produce the very finest edge. No reason to cover up that ultra fine grit with a coarser one!


Stitchawl