My first mousepad sharpening.......

[chefboy2160]

I just finished my first mousepad sharpenings after reading all the info I could on this site!I used my older kitchen knives on this procedure to see how it would turn out and I gotta say I like it.I have been useing double bevels on these knives at about 15/20(I go freehand with a fine diamond and arkansas soft white).I then set up 5 mousepads with 600,800,1000,1500 and 2000 grit paper and progressed my way up.After 2000 grit all of the knives(high carbon & high carbon stainless) were steeled lightly on an old F Dick smooth steel and they all shave dry hair easily!My question is am I creating a convex edge on these blades by useing this method and is this good or bad? I also recently bought a japanese chefs knife which appears to have a flat grind so would this technique be usefull in maintaining this edge (much harder steel than my western knives) as well!
I am realy happy with the outcome of my first stropping session with the mousepad and thanks for all the great info here!Doug.........

 

[thombrogan]

Doug,

You're creating a convex edge, but if they're cutting the way you want (aside from dry-shaving), then it's all good.

 

[ivan_yulaev]

Some consider convex edge better than flat. I usually prefer scandi grinds anyway, but there's definitely no downside to a sharp convex edge.

 

[Gossman Knives]

Doug,

You're creating a convex edge, but if they're cutting the way you want (aside from dry-shaving), then it's all good.

I agree with Thom. You will find this edge is easier to maintain. I put a convex grind on my knives, along with the convex edge and feel that the edge is stronger and stays sharper longer. IMO I feel the convex grind makes for a stronger blade.
Scott

 

[Jeff Clark]

If you started with an acute double bevel edge and if you strop with light pressure you should end up with an acute convex edge. You may not notice a big performance change, but it should be relatively strong for its final edge angle.

Where you are going wrong is by steeling the edge when you are done. Steeling applies very high local stresses along the edge and makes it more brittle. If you are only cutting meat you might not notice this, but the blade will wear faster if you steel it more than necessary. I would finish your stropping process with some strokes on leather (either bare or with some green buffing compound) and save the steel for maintenance in your meat cutting area. Use very light pressure and only use a large diameter smooth steel if you want to minimize edge breakdown. If you are cutting meat you might like the edge you get if you go back over your finished edge with a few light strokes on the 600 grit rather than stropping on leather. It will not shave as well, but the microserrations will slice agressively.

 

[chefboy2160]

Great advice and thanks to all but I am still kinda perplexed on what to do with this Japanese chefs knife which has harder steel than all of my western kitchen knives as well as different ground bevels(70 on one side and 30 on the other or something like that).So do you think I would be screwing up my edge on this Japanese knife (RC probably 60 compared to my western knives which run 54 to 56 RC) or would I slowly be converting this edge to convex and an easier maintained edge?The total Japanese perception is to sharpen on waterstones and keep the angles with there waterstones and nothing else!But even though I like there kitchen knife steel for its hardness well is not sharp nothing but sharp! I am realy impressed with this technique of sandpaper on mousepad and want to maintain this knife easily! Thoughts and feedback appreciated. Thanks, Doug................

 

[berzerker]

Ah, the steeling is what I've been doing wrong.

I just built a mousepad sharpener from a sanding handle. Although it had a rubber face, I added a softer mousepad on top of it. The sander has end-clamps for the sandpaper, so I can change grit as needed. Everything works fine, and the sander handle gives a grip out of harm's way.

I'll go back and strop rather than steel.

 

[Cliff Stamp]

You can sharpen the Japanese knife on the mouspad. You can keep the uneven bevel just by raising one side more than the other, typically one bevel is almost flat so you lay the knife right on the sandpaper, and on the other side you raise it up a little. You can also convert it to a more symmetrical bevel if you find that easier to maintain.

-Cliff