AlaChoctaw:
if you put any angle on the flat side of the blade (or ceramic "steel")when stropping with the ceramic rod,or lay the edge flat on the rod?
The greater the angle you use above the one already ground on there, the faster you will restore the edge. However it will also reduce the cutting ability as well as the "lifetime" of the edge and make you have to resort to a full regrinding on a hone. The closer you stay to the NIB edge angle the less loss in cutting ability you will see and the longest time between full sharpenings on a hone.
Also, about how many passes are recommended when dragging the edge on the bevelled side over the compound-loaded leather strop?
If the edge is any way folded or rolled, which is likely if the blade has seen any hard work, you want to use a steel first to make sure the edge is well aligned as the strop only does this very weakly. On a well aligned edge the stropping should only take a very short period of time, how much so depends on the extent of the wear.
I usually use say ten strokes per side, and do this once or twice, and then alternate flipping the blade over for another 10 or 20 strokes. It is better to alternate on each stroke for all of them, I am usually just in a hurry. If this fails to restore the edge back to full performance then I may try some more stropping but it is an indication of a more severe blunting that stropping will easily fix.
I may try a quick hone on both sides with a ceramic rod, and if this fails a diamond rod then back to the ceramic, but this is only if I am in a hurry, otherwise it is back to the sandpaper for a full rehone. This is only done very rarely, even when the blade sees regular use. The first time I had to do it I went through about as much wood as thousands of 2x4 .
For the ceramic rod work, if a few strokes does not restore the edge then it is fairly damaged and it is difficult to freehand restore it to 100%. You are much better off stopping and doing a full sharpening. This should only be necessary if you do something fairly stressful as otherwise the edge should hold up fine.
-Cliff
[This message has been edited by Cliff Stamp (edited 11-12-2000).]
