General questions about sharpening

S

sublimetyme09

Joined
Nov 8, 2011
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I have a couple of bark rivers and I need help mastering the art of sharpening convex blades. I want to build my own strop but need some help. Is vegetable tanned leather the best for stropping? Do I need to use compounds on a leather strop? How do I get my edge to the point where it is ready to be stropped? Do I need to use stones beforehand if my blade hasn't been sharpened in a while?

Any info on sharpening convex blades would be much appreciated. Also wondering whether or not a loupe would be a good investment, if so do you have any recommendations?

Thanks,
RC
 
Veg tan leather will work just fine as long as the rougher side is facing up.

Yes you need to use compound.

If you bring the edge to the level of sharpness you want all you have to do is strop it and occasionally touch it up on a bench stone/sharpening system and you should be fine.....

Also there's a website called stropman that sells good compound on the cheap..

Hope it helps!

-niner
 
You do not sharpen with a strop, you finish. To sharpen convex the most common methods are to use wet/dry sandpaper on a soft backing. Once you sharpen you can then finish with a strop.
 
Alright thanks guys. I plan on buying some veg tan leather and building a strop. I also put some 2k grit paper on a mousepad. I watched some videos on sharpening techniques but I feel like I only dulled the edge rather than sharpen it:mad
 
sublimetyme09 said:
Alright thanks guys. I plan on buying some veg tan leather and building a strop. I also put some 2k grit paper on a mousepad. I watched some videos on sharpening techniques but I feel like I only dulled the edge rather than sharpen it:mad
Click to expand...

A suggestion: build a couple or three strops. Reserve one for use with the sandpaper (instead of the mousepad), and use the other two with compounds of your choice, or leave one bare. Mousepads are pretty soft, and it's very easy for the sandpaper to roll over/around the blade's edge on them. That'll round or dull the apex. Using the sandpaper over a firmer backing like leather-on-wood, will reduce the chance of rounding the apex.

That's what I'd do (have done, actually). :)


David
 
Agree with Obsessed above with the following additions:

1) You may not be dulling it. Sometimes a razor sharp but polished edge doesn't "feel" as sharp as a duller but toothier one; those micro-serrations grab and feel sharp where the polished edge glides smoothly. If you are clean-shaving sharp, you are doing fine.

2) If you really are dulling your knife, try the sandpaper-over-the strop trick above (but be careful not get any loose sandpaper abrasive on the strop- this may leave scratches when you actually strop later). Also, whether using a mousepad, leather, or several sheets of paper towel, the surface gives to conform to the blades curvature and angle, so you don't have to hold the knife at as high or as consistent an angle as you would for a traditional whetstone. It can be more about finding the right amount of pressure depending on the give of the backing material
 
Thanks for all the replies, the info is really helping me out. There are so many different schools of thought when it comes to stropping that it is hard to sort out what really works.
 
Finally got the northstar razor sharp and I'm super pumped about it! Thank you so much for all the tips, amazing how far a little practice goes.
 
A couple of observations - my Bark River has a real nice full convex but also started out with a large microbevel on one side. Likely a defect of the initial grinding process but needed to be understood before I started sharpening. In all things related to sharpening anything, stop often and really look at what's happening as you go. It is very easy to make a convex edge overly broad and not realize it, especially over time. I do all my convex edges the same way I do every other edge, on a stone and finish with a strop. Go slow, observe frequently, believe your eyes, assume nothing about the factory edge.
Bark River makes good stuff!
 
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