Freaked out!

scfishr

scfishr

Joined
Nov 23, 2003
Messages
541
this has been happening to me alot:

sit down with a knife that needs a little dressing, spend time with my steel(an element out of a flourescent light) works great,we get them on occasion,but anyway-just did this with my nomad- when i got through i could just lay the knife on my arm and hair fall away without resistance(touch of the blade) also pushcut phonebook paper with little or no resistance. now a few hours later go back to admire the fine edge and shred some paper or work on my knifenut mainge-only to find out it wont hardly shave arm hair and does not seem to pushcut paper(phonebook)nearly as smooth as before:(
held it up to the light to see if i could see a wire edge, nothing i can see

Whats up with that?:confused:
 
From what you describe, I suspect you have sharpened correctly , but not removed the wire edge.
The first few cuts removed it for you.
Now you need to take a few VERY LIGHT passes to refine the edge left when the wire edge/burr fell off.

A few passes or strop will leave you with the final edge, sharp and ready for action
 
there was a leather strop for sale the other day in the gadgets and gear-the strop and lubricant are about 19.00 mounted to a wood handle-is this a good strop or is there a better way to go?
 
Paper is baaaaaaaaad for knives! Maybe if you dressed the wire edge with a strop? When I get a routine physical my doctor asks me "What are all those cuts on your arm?" My reply to her is "When they're shaving sharp, they don't leave a trace!" Popping hair is gooood. :)
 
I have seen this happen and wondered about it, not necesarily a wire edge.

Could it be that a smooth steel pushes in the sides of a sharp but not-too-sharp edge deforming the steel a bit by pressure so that it gets very sharp, but later the steel in the edges tends to recover its original shape, therefore loosing the sharpness ????.

Hoping for an explanation from someone who better understands the physics of steel.
 
I ordered a strop from knives plus the other day(came highly recommended) looking forward to learning a new trick-- for 21.00 shipped cant go wrong especially if it takes me to a new level of sharpening skill- plus with being home from work it will give me something to do:D
 
You are supposed to strop a razor just before use. Using a steel to allign an edge is similar in function. Butchers commonly steel blades while they work. You are moving material not removing material when you steel. It does tend to recover. If you want an edge that lasts you need to use an abrasive. I like the finish that I get with Spyderco Sharpmaker ceramic rods.
 
Thanks for the 411 on stropping, i did not know that but should have because i grew up in the wholesale meat business and used a steal quite often for dressing an edge throughout the day,and have seen the barbers and such use the leather but never really put it together-I do have my eye on a sharpmaker and eventually an edgepro-one step at a time i guess-currently use various stones-finishing with 1000 diamond and then using the element from a flourescent light -works fairly well(shaving sharp no problem)-but there is room for improvement-also have to decide what edge i want for daily usage-as a fine edge is great but not very durable.
 
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