Dremel instead of stroping?

[turismo8888]

This could be a really stupid question.....Could a dremel tool, with the buffing wheel be used to quickly go over the edge, be used instead of stroping?

Thanks
Chris

 

[IVANKERLEY]

This could be a really stupid question.....Could a dremel tool, with the buffing wheel be used to quickly go over the edge, be used instead of stroping?

Thanks
Chris

if youre gonna try it, try it on a cheap beater, personally i wouldnt get near the blade with one, ive seen too many knives messed up by bench grinders and i imagine a dremel could really mess up the edge if youre not careful. But if you try it let us know how it goes got my fingers crossed for ya
cheers
ivan

 

[Bill DeShivs]

In theory, yes.
Practically, no.

 

[missin_hobo]

Tried it on a sebenza once. The thing wouldn't cut right afterwards.
The good news was, some time on the Lansky cleared that right up.

 

[Greg]

This could be a really stupid question.....Could a dremel tool, with the buffing wheel be used to quickly go over the edge, be used instead of stroping?

Thanks
Chris

It sure could—just don't expect the knife to cut afterwards.
Stropping is really quick—I'll bet you could strop a knife in less time than it would take to set up and take down the Dremel.
Greg

 

[siguy]

with a soft buffing wheel, you would probably round the edge.

with a hard wheel, you might be able to make it work...

but a dremel like this is hard to control angle with and its hard to go over the entire length of even a short blade depending on which model you have, mine is an older one with a fairly thick body...the body hits the blade 1" in from the tip, making it hard to keep a consistent angle.

i suggest getting a hard felt wheel and putting it on a bench grinder if you feel the need for a power strop...i use something very similar in my shop to take the rough burr off and polish up an edge quickly and easily...

keep in mind that any fairly soft wheel at high speeds and steel together make for dangererous circumstances...be careful!

 

[Seals]

Just forget it.

 

[thombrogan]

The 1" wide felt buffing wheel and aftermarket buffing wheels of similar or large diameter (from Black and Decker or Congress Tools) work alright. With a coarse grit stone and a Dremel buffing wheel loaded with CrO compound, you can make an edge that's simultaneously toothy and polished. I use a Dremel with a felt buffing wheel to touch up serrated knives.

 

[Grampa]

I use a Dremel with a felt buffing wheel to touch up serrated knives.

Ditto. With polishing compound. Fortunately, I don't have very many serrated edge blades, but my wife has some bread knives she likes that have them.

My dremel also has variable speed, and I tend to use lower speeds for this. Make sure the rotation is away from the edge, not into or along the edge.

 

[AR fan]

Using a dremel with a cloth polishing wheel and the polishing compound that comes with the kit was the first way I power stropped. It does work but it takes practice, you have to start polishing back slightly from the edge on the lowest speed setting and very slowly and carefully move closer til you have just reached the point where the wheel is lifting off of the blade just as it has reached and polished the cutting edge. If you go to far you'll round over your the edge.
This is something that takes very steady hands and concentration. Like Grampa said,

Make sure the rotation is away from the edge, not into or along the edge.

or your wheel will catch and be destroyed.
Since, I have moved on to the setup Siguy is recommending, a bench grinder and felt and paper wheels. They are safer and more forgiving.

 

[nozh2002]

This could be a really stupid question.....Could a dremel tool, with the buffing wheel be used to quickly go over the edge, be used instead of stroping?

Thanks
Chris

No. It will polish blade, but round up edge. If you like power tool to use - use slower RPM and bigger paper wheel.
Richard_j is best to ask. Her the links he provided:

http://www.sharpeningwheels.com/

Thanks, Vassili.

 

[smitty0331]

I would be afraid to try it.

 

[dipbait]

I tried it. Did not work very well for me. I used a soft cloth wheel; amd some polishing compound. Just made the knife duller.

 

[thombrogan]

I felt the felt felt sharper.

 

[richard j]

you're not holding your tongue right. plus it wont work with a soft cloth wheel for the simple fact the cloth is too soft and will remove a sharp edge.