Sharpening Scandis - Strop or Stones?

Mentor

Mentor

Joined
Nov 27, 2004
Messages
3,124
Hi all,

The convex sharpening thread got me thinking about this.

I'm a big scandi fan, and a bit of a sharpening 'purist'. I like to use Japanese water stones, and I try to maintain a smooth single edge bevel when I sharpen. It works, and I have absolutely no complaints about this approach.

That being said, I keep seeing people post about stropped scandis with slightly convexed edges and hair-popping sharpness. I'm tempted to try this out.

So, here are some questions for my fellow scandi enthusiasts:

Do you use a strop or another sharpening method? For those who use a strop, do you find that the slightly convexed edge retains the woodworking attributes of a traditional scandi?

Thanks, and all the best,

- Mike
 
i turned an emerson a-100 into a full scandi for joezilla a while back and i suggested that he convex the blade for durability and ease of sharpening. with a scandi if you chip the edge you have a lot of metal to remove in order to get the edge back. with a convex edge it wont take that long and the chances of chipping the edge are greatly reduced.
 
For setting the bevel, re-aligning the bevel and getting out dents and other imperfections, I use stones. For maintaning the edge, I usre leather strops. Thinner leather is better, because it has less "give" and wont convex your edge. I like to keep my scandi's as true as possible most of the time. However, alot of finnish blades and knives are ground with a very slight convex micro-bevel on the edge. Some people like this for durability, but I prefer the single bevel.
 
ejes said:
Ditto. :thumbup:
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Yeah seems like if I use just the stone there's sort of a wire edge there that under the right circumstances can tear off and take some of the edge with it.

If I sharpen with a stone then strop with the strop on the bevel then strop like 2 or 3 times on each side with the angle raised very lightly it knocks that wire edge off and there's not any chipping.
 
Thanks for the replies, guys. I'm going to try the combo stone / strop approach. Sounds like a winner.

All the best,

- Mike
 
hollowdweller said:
Yeah seems like if I use just the stone there's sort of a wire edge there that under the right circumstances can tear off and take some of the edge with it.

If I sharpen with a stone then strop with the strop on the bevel then strop like 2 or 3 times on each side with the angle raised very lightly it knocks that wire edge off and there's not any chipping.
Click to expand...

That has been my experience, too and that is a very good way to explain it. I don't know if it is knocking that wire edge off or if the stropping is actually just dragging it back out to put it back in alignment with the blade, but regardless, it makes a scandi grind sickly sharp.
 
Dannyboy Leather said:
*I use the term 'true flat' loosely if sharpening by hand. It is almost impossible to keep a grind truely flat if sharpening by hand (I have instruments to check this). It doesn't matter if you are sharpening on a truely flat piece of glass, flat diamond stone, or maintained water or oil stones. The human hand moves just enough to slightly convex the grind and edge...as small as it might be. This is not a bad thing as the cutting medium doesn't know the difference for the most part. :)
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A interesting point you make.

While sharpening, I have asked myself the same question.

And my thought experiment, given the laws of physics and imprecision of the human hand, tells me that you cannot create a perfectly flat plain at the edge.

Abrasion alone will cause a slight convex, as the unsupported and acute edge will wear away, be cut away faster than the shoulders of that bevel.

I like these sort of conversations. Great thread.

Marion
 
The scandi grind is the one edge you can easily get flat as heck freehand - you just lay the bevel on the flattened stone and some time later you have a VERY flat bevel. Can be an amazingly sharp edge, but for many knives & uses a microbevel is warranted.
 
Stone. and then a quick strop to take off the bur.
 
Just a quick note to say 'thanks!' to those who recommended a stone-then-strop method. In retrospect, it seems obvious, but for years I was a stone-only guy.

Anyway, I purchased a nice double-sided strop from Lee Valley, loaded one side up with Veritas honing compound, and wow. My little EDC scandi seems like it's sharp enough to split atoms.

Downside: After sharpening about 15 scandis, I have almost no hair left on my left arm. If anyone asks, I'll say I had an unfortunate barbecuing accident. :D

Cheers,

- Mike
 
Mentor, it's funny how many of those there are. It begs the question: is barbecuing really safe? I also have a piebald left arm.
 
I hear you on the post-sharpening-lack-of-hair, my legs have some bald spots.

Ragnar sells a viking stone that is ultra-fine, maybe you'd find that handy as well.
 
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