Convexing question from newbie

S

suchmuchfun

Joined
Aug 29, 2010
Messages
62
Hello all
Considering convexing my Izula as many do on here, and I have read quite a bit. I tend to visualize projects many times before beginning, including considering mistakes that might happen and how to prevent them. Quite literally I have already convexed the edge more than 20 times, all in my imagination. Guess I am a bit strange that way, but it helps me not make mistakes later.

My concern is keeping the edge straight and centered. It seems that it would be easy to apply more pressure at some stages of the process and end up with an off center convex or perhaps a wavy blade. Maybe I am being too worried, but I can see how it might happen.

What steps do you take to ensure a perfectly straight edge while doing this by hand. If it helps, planning on following the sandpaper over mousepad pulling toward spine method.

Or, do I need to just quit worrying :)
 
i would quit worrying and just go for it :) I usually just try to keep an even pressure matched with an even number of strokes and let the cards fall. Seems to work out for me. Slight variations probably wont be noticeable in the end.
 
smcclown05 said:
i would quit worrying and just go for it :) I usually just try to keep an even pressure matched with an even number of strokes and let the cards fall. Seems to work out for me. Slight variations probably wont be noticeable in the end.
Click to expand...

This exactly. :thumbup: If you want, you can fix an uneven edge by adding a few strokes on one side, but I've never had an issue with it. Just keep the pressure light and the number of strokes the same on each side.
 
I assumed it would be difficult to do too bad of a job, like to screw it up royal, but I also suck in general at sharpening. I would like to get some good stones and learn the right way, but funds are holding me back right now. It bugs me to no end to suck so bad at this. The fundamental idea is so simple, yet perfection is true artistry.
 
Personally I'm not huge on convexing small blades. It makes perfect sense for choppers though!
 
Because the sandpaper/mousepad method produces a sharpening surface that has a little "give", small variations in pressure and angle don't make as big of an impact as on a bench stone or something. You still want to be as consistent as you can, and it will take some practice (real practice, not imagined) to get it right, but the more you do it the better you will get at it.
 
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