I think I am through with diamonds!

[JSMcustoms]

I'm about 99% sure it's either too much pressure on the strop, or just over-stropping, or both. I went through the same thing when getting acquainted with stropping in general. Diamond compound is pretty aggressive, even at small grit, and it's easy to overdo it. Some compounds cut the steel much more quickly, and over-stropping will almost always take the edge past the point of diminishing returns, especially if the backing is softish (leather) and too much pressure is used. It happens even faster on softer or less wear-resistant steels, which shouldn't take many passes on diamond to make 'em sing. On that note, what steel are you stropping?


David

I've heard that it's very aggressive as well, to the point that I've heard of people skipping the sharpening stones or what have you and going straight to a series of strops loaded with different grits of the diamond spray.

 

[OHALLUM]

After reading and following this thread, it made me question my own stropping success. I have a leather strop that I use a green compound from the Stropman. I have used light strokes, and medium strokes on different steels. I have a stainless kitchen knife that I ground the serrations off of and made a straight blade out of it. It is a thick blade for a kitchen knife, and I like the blade shape that I wound up with. I was very careful when re grinding it to keep it from overheating. I had a hard time getting a really sharp edge on it with my paper wheels. (Was done when I first got the wheels and was practicing) I stropped it after sharpening and it would never really give me that scary sharp edge. I laid it aside for further work on putting a custom handle on it. Today, I ran it across my slotted wheel again (after lots of practice from original attempt) and did not strop it after. It will now pop hair off my nearly naked arm with ease. I then sharpened an old case knife with cv steel that I just acquired, and did not use the strop after the slotted wheel. Again, hair popping sharp. My guess is that I was rounding the edge with improper stropping technique.

For sale, one used Stropman leather strop. No longer needed in my operation.

Blessings,

Omar

 

[Sharpnessis]

sharpnessis, send me the knife you are having problems with so i can see it. then i'll sharpen it up so you can see the difference. just pay return shipping and insurance. send me an email and i'll send you my info.

Thank you sir! Email sent!

 

[jwolf90]

I may be overdoing it. Thanks. I will try again. I'm really hoping for that toothy effect.

Less is more if you like to keep the teeth. Try and do as much burr removal as you can on the stones. You should be coming off your coarsest stone with a shaving edge, this will tell you that your apex is formed. Then proceed through the grits and do some feather light stropping. Less than 20 strokes total. I used to overstrop as well and take all the bite out b/c of to much pressure and to many strokes. Don't give up on the diamonds yet, maybe try a firmer backing also:thumbup:

 

[richard j]

omar, the slotted paper wheel takes the palce of a strop. i have talked to a lot of guys that were doing the exact same thing and getting the same bad results. now they only use the slotted wheel and are getting hair popping edges.

how long is your strop? i need a new belt

 

[BluntCut MetalWorks]

Mirror polish AND teeth.

Diamond can be a good sharpening tool, just like any tool ...

I had done mirror+sticky_teeth a few times. Sustainability/maintable is also important part of this objective. Note - angles are per side plus wobbling deviations

First, I create a mirror bevel at target-angle minus 4*. Next, create a micro-bevel at target-angle by make 2 soft strokes/side using 1K or 3K (or whatever target x 1.3 the toothiness). Last, mirror the micro-bevel (for stickiness feeling) at target-angle minus 2*. I used diamond paste & suspension from 10um to 0.1um on hard balsa.

On going use/maint - just super light pressure strop at target-angle minus 2*, I like 0.1um polydiamond on thin-hard (sanded-down horse-butt) leather. Well, going back to step 1 when the micro face > 1mm.

Stropping wise - lately I've switched to 12um white compound on nap/rough side of leather. Ain't no 0.1um polydiamond but this route fit my laziness well (and at the same time, avoid rounding the edge from excessive pressure). Wow lazy+impatience -> there is no hope

 

[Sharpnessis]

Thank you for all the suggestions. I will try them soon.

I just sent a few knives to Richardj. I have a feeling this talented man will give me quite an education!

 

[OHALLUM]

omar, the slotted paper wheel takes the palce of a strop. i have talked to a lot of guys that were doing the exact same thing and getting the same bad results. now they only use the slotted wheel and are getting hair popping edges.

how long is your strop? i need a new belt

It is about 8 inches long. I hope you have more meat on your bones than that though. It would take SEVERAL of them to make me a belt. You are right about the slotted wheel. I was experimenting and trying to get my blades just a little sharper. Took a while to figure I was doing more harm than good. It is hard to improve on what they will produce if you sharpen them right on the grit wheel first. I had a customer complain the other day that her knives were too sharp, as she was running out of band aids.

Blessings,

Omar