Can you use a BRKT Strop kit on a Scandi Blade?

It's not all that soft. But I think you'll find it very difficult to use any strop and not convex the edge a bit.
 
CPL,

The more I am reading - the more I believe that you are right.

What if I simply used some compound on something like MDF?

TF
 
Don’t be afraid to use a strop like that on your Scandi blades.

Remember the leather just conforms to the shape of the blade.

Any stropping needs to be done with a light touch.

As long as you’re just using the compounds, and not sandpaper, you will have little effect on the shape of the edge.




"If you're not living on the edge, …you're taking up too much space."

Big Mike
 
Hey T, I never had any additional luck sharpening my v-grinds with a strop after the sharpmaker. At least I never got them any sharper by stropping. Once I convex'd a couple of my knives then I found the stropping would bring a sticky edge from the 2000 grit to a hair shaving edge. Thats just what I found.

On my two scandi knives, the best thing that works for me is to grind them on a stone to a true scandi edge and then set up a micro-bevel at 40 degree on the sharpmaker with the white rods. The only problem with this is the majority of the scandi-bevel looks all scratch and not very polished from my stone work. The knife is quite sharp though.
 
When stropping, you should only be letting the knife float over the leather with its own weight rather than pressing down on it. That shouldn't round over the edge. It's not as if you're pressing the edge into a mouse pad. The only place that 'may' be a problem is if your strop has a rough-out side on it. I'm not familiar with the strop you're using, but if it has a hard 'hair side' leather facing, strop away! (This is the drawback to using the inside of a belt for stropping.)

Stitchawl
 
So,

I am hearing that I should be using very light pressure and use a harder surface with compound.

Be careful not to roll over (convex) the edge.

TF
 
i use the BRKT compounds on a leather backing very similar to the kit that you can buy...

if you want a harder strop, try gluing or stapling a piece of cardstock (cereal box) to a flat piece of glass, MDF, 2x4, etc and using that as your backing.
 
just use the MDF it will work fine, even better if you use diamond paste.
 
i mean just use the cardstock with compound, instead of leather. its what i did for quite a long time, before i got leather.
 
I use the same system to sharpen the Scandi and the convex but keep it flat on the scandi slope and keep your stokes pretty light. It works like a champ for me. I have leather or thin crafts foam under my sand paper. I often add another piece of sand paper over the top one.
 
I have a home made Strop, and I have never had problems with stroping scandi's. My home made knife and Mora are the only scandi's I have, but they work just fine.
 
When I get a new Mora, I either convex it or flatten the scandi part into more of a true scandi edge. IMO when they come new they are almost a combination of the two.
 
Talfuchre said:
So,

I am hearing that I should be using very light pressure and use a harder surface with compound.

Be careful not to roll over (convex) the edge.

TF
Click to expand...

Stropping requires a very light touch! Use too much pressure and you won't get the results you are after.

The very best strops were made of horsehide that had been 'boned,' i.e. rubbed very hard with a rounded device to compact the leather even more than natural. This also forced the natural silicates in the leather to move to the surface aiding in the stropping. When I make a strop for friends, if I can't get horsehide I use back or shoulder cow leather that I've cased (wetted as for molding) then rolled for a while using a marble rolling pin and a LOT of pressure, really pressing the hell out of the leather! Then I mount it on a board so it lays flat and stays flat during use. (This is for folders and fixed blades. Straight Razors can handle an unmounted strop better because of the extreme hollow grind.) It's a lot easier to strop with a mounted leather. Also easier if the strop is about 3-4 inches wide and more than a foot long!

White rouge will cut more metal more quickly. Green chromium oxide will give the finest edge but diamond pastes in either 1 micron, .5 micron, or if you can get it, .25 micron work really well too! Just don't use too much compound! If you can see 'color' of the compound, there is enough on the strop. More compound doesn't mean that it's working better.

Stitchawl
 
Great post so far, Blackjack knives actually recommends using cardboard to sharpen their blades (convexed) . I like taking moras to a true scandi edge and strop them on a 4 sided wooden strop I have with mild polishing abrasives on it but have been looking a making one similar to the one at BRKT.
 
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Actually I find leather strops like that one backed with wood not that good for sharpening CONVEX, unless the convex edge is a very fine (ie not that convex);)

I think wood backed leather like that works pretty decent for scandi- as long as you don't push down REALLY hard, and make sure you have the bevel flat against the strop.

THIS

j42.jpg


Is a far superior tool for stropping a convex than a wood backed peice of leather.
http://www.knifecenter.com/kc_new/store_detail.html?s=J42

The same prices as the strop mentioned above but far superior for sharpening IMO.
 
Actually the strop alone is $17 delivered...the whole kit with the compound is the $39.95.

I have had excellent luck with wood backed leather, though I am certain there are many different experiences out there. :)
 
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