Cheap convex for practice stropping?

[Doc1911]

I just bought a convex knife, but have never tried to sharpen one. I did get a strop and a bar of chromium oxide. Is there a cheap convex blade around (or other method of building technique) so I can practice without risking damage to a nice blade?

Thanks!
Tim

 

[foxx]

You can strop any blade. Check out the tutorials at Knives Ship Free, and use light pressure.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I just bought a convex knife, but have never tried to sharpen one. I did get a strop and a bar of chromium oxide. Is there a cheap convex blade around (or other method of building technique) so I can practice without risking damage to a nice blade?

Thanks!
Tim

This may sound like an odd suggestion. BUT, if you want, you could find ANY inexpensive blade with a size/shape/profile/thickness similar to your knife (convex or not), and practice 'stropping' with some wet/dry sandpaper laid over the top of your strop block. The technique will be exactly the same, but using coarser grit. For starters, a range of grits from about 220 up through 600 or so will get you a very good edge with some practice.

You already have a convex blade, so you might as well become acquainted with the (simple) art of convexing. Taking a V-grind blade, and using the sandpaper on the strop block to MAKE it convex, is a great way to train your hands for convexing AND stropping. You'll also gain a lot of feel for each of the grits, and how you can selectively use each of them, depending on how much your edge needs. If you can train yourself to do that (and it's not that hard), stropping your 'good' knife will feel like a breeze.