Realigning Deformed Edges

[rummels]

When sharpening my kitchen knives I use the 800 and 1000 diamond stones with edge-trailing strokes. After each stone, I use a few very light, edge-leading strokes to remove any burrs or wire edges that were created by the sharpening process. After I finish sharpening, I test the edge by push-cutting newspaper.

Now I would like to begin using stropping to realign the edges of my kitchen knives between sharpenings, and thereby extend the edge's life. I have recently read several posts that discuss this type of stropping, and, if I understood what I have read, either an unloaded leather strop or a smooth steel is the best way to straighten an edge.

Unfortunately, I still have questions despite my research. First, I was wondering if a ceramic rod could be used for both softer steels as well as steels with a higher Rockwell hardness (ie above 62-63HRC), or should an unloaded leather strop be used for softer steels?

I would also like to clarify how close to the knife's sharpening angle the stropping needs to be? And whether there is more leeway with respect to the stropping angle if a leather strop is used, or if the strop is on a softer substrate (I understand that using a softer substrate may make the edge slightly more convex). I have never mastered free-hand sharpening, which is why I have a WE130.

So any advice that would help me find the most straightforward way to realign the edges on my kitchen knives would be greatly appreciated. I am trying to use unloaded strops, if possible.
Thanks
rummels

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

For typical stainless kitchen knives at their typical hardness (mid/high-50s HRC), a smooth (polished) kitchen steeling rod works best by far, for the sole purpose of realigning slightly rolled edges. It's what these tools were made for. Stropping often won't simply realign an edge on these, unless the edge is already relatively weak. The exception being, if the strop uses a fairly aggressive compound, which would be capable of reforming the edge by abrasion, rather than by realignment.

An alternative to the steeling rod would be to place a sheet of paper on a hard surface, like a bench stone, and strop on that. That can work pretty well to align a rolled or burred edge on typical stainless kitchen cutlery.

For harder steels, the ceramic rod will do better, again by abrasion instead of by realignment. Harder steels are less prone to rolling when they dull, and more likely to dull by simple wear or chipping at the edge, which requires some abrasive means to reset the edge.

 

[Mr.Wizard]

https://scienceofsharp.com/2018/08/22/what-does-steeling-do-part-1/

"It is a common misconception that steeling does not remove metal, but simply “re-aligns the edge.” I have shown that re-alignment is one of the four results of stropping in What Does Stropping Do? However, in my experience this type of re-alignment rarely occurs. In the vast majority of cases, the steel near the apex is too damaged to be straightened, and instead simply breaks away rather than realign."

 

[Blues]

https://scienceofsharp.com/2018/08/22/what-does-steeling-do-part-1/

"It is a common misconception that steeling does not remove metal, but simply “re-aligns the edge.” I have shown that re-alignment is one of the four results of stropping in What Does Stropping Do? However, in my experience this type of re-alignment rarely occurs. In the vast majority of cases, the steel near the apex is too damaged to be straightened, and instead simply breaks away rather than realign."

Enter the four horsemen of the Stropocalypse!

(Glad I rarely, if ever, steel...just to be on the right side of history.)

 

[Alberta Ed]

I find that very light steeling pops back the edge better than stropping, particularly on high carbide content powder steels. An old valve stem (your local machine shop probably has some for free) works great for a steel.