Mad man talking?

[Man of Iron]

Just got myself a nice old fashion barber's leather strop from Solingen and some Puma paste for the strop. After I've done my knife at 1200 grit I tested with a print paper, results were expected. Then I went on with the leather strop smeared with the paste, and stopped after I felt no resistance. Tested with a fresh newpaper: SCAREY SHARP!!! Then I decided to push to limit, and stroped it one side as the other 20 times. Can't realy feel the difference with my thumb (I know by doing so I ruined the edge, so I re-stroped it), but holded up much better than regular scarey sharp. So here is my conclusion: by over-stroping the knife I've created a mini convex edge on it - is this a mad man talking or do you all have the same illusion?

 

[Soilarch]

Many here will have better experience and knowledge than me...but I've always viewed a strops purpose as two-fold. If there's any abrasive at all (and suppose to a small extent without any) you will remove a tad of material making it ever so convex. I think that a semi-soft backing (like strops or using a mousepad under sandpaper) are a little more forgiving of the sharpener's form...so this effect is good and far outweighs a slightly higher edge angle. The second effect, is that it "pulls" the material at the edge into alignment. Can't really explain that one unless you've seen microscopic pictures of very sharp steel edges. Even when they're sharp they somewhat resemble a saw blade. The strop "pulls" or "smashes" all those "teeth" together for a much finer edge.

Hope that helps...

 

[Man of Iron]

lol, thanks for the info. When I used my thumb to feel the edge, it was all smooth unless I hold my thumb at 90 degrees to the edge and move it vertically. IMHO, the leather strop only acts as a base for the paste, which does the real job. (The best way I discover to apply the wax-like paste is warm the strop up with a hairdryer first, then smear the paste on it) Besides that, I'm well aware of the micro serrations on "regular" edges, the best way to show it is to try cutting newspaper. Normal micro serration on such surface will only act like little hooks instead of saws, and more likely tear the newspaper apart than cutting it.

Tried to "convex"??? two knives: EKI Mini Commander and CS Finn Bear. The EKI held the edge decently (59 RC, duh ), however it's not able to cut newpaper any more after 2 days "normal" cutting, print paper is still a piece of cake; and after 3 days kitchen work (mostly veggie and melons) the Finn Bear is still cuts print paper, but aquires extra attention.

PS. Stropping in such fashion kinda mirror-polish the edge.