Soft surface (other than leather) for convex sharpening

T

The_Guide

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Feb 1, 2009
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I am going to be using diamond spray sharpening compound from now on for all my final sharpening/touchups. I was just wondering what I could use in place of leather that would hold the spray and still be soft enough to follow the shape of the edge without being too soft?

Thanks!

The_Guide :cool:
 
Frostyfingers said:
But what's wrong with leather? Are you a vegan? :D
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No, not a vegan... lol

In my reading I came across a few sources that stated the silicates in the leather are very inconsistent, and can actually be counter productive when stropping in the finer grits. I like doing things to a ridiculous level (I'll be the first to admit that), but I plan on taking all my knives to 0.1 microns. Yes, you heard me, and for no other reason than because I can. :D
 
The_Guide said:
No, not a vegan... lol

In my reading I came across a few sources that stated the silicates in the leather are very inconsistent, and can actually be counter productive when stropping in the finer grits. I like doing things to a ridiculous level (I'll be the first to admit that), but I plan on taking all my knives to 0.1 microns. Yes, you heard me, and for no other reason than because I can. :D
Click to expand...

Use Chrome tanned or Oil tanned leather. Almost all of the silicates have been removed from the leather. Any good garment leather or upholstery leather would do. A nice thick piece of a sofa back?

Stitchawl
 
I have used leather in stropes from commercial suppliers like Hand American and Surgi Sharp as well as improvised stropes from leather intended for upholstery that was dyed and finished in various densities and thicknesses. In my personal experience the Silicates in leather are finer then any compound you can put on the leather (CrO2 at .5 micron, diamond at .25 micron, etc) when using leather intended for a strop. If you are trying to use a finished leather for upholstery it may be a different story.

I can see no effect for the leather alone except when used on a belt grinder. I have tried to have an effect on a almost microscopic remnant of a scratch I noticed on the bevel at the edge. Working on only that small area at 800 fpm for a couple of minutes I could only see it at all with a light held at the correct angle. This would be like taking 2000 strokes on an 8 inch bench strop focusing on a 1" wide area only. Experimenting like this I have watched as a very fine burr or blemish was slowly removed or at least changed a little with a naked leather. This was only barely perceivable after a long time on one spot. This would be like hand stropping that spot for hours.

I wouldn't worry too much about the silicates in the leather. Worry more about the hardness and surface finish of the leather.

That said though you can use news paper, copier paper, shinny magazine cover, telephone book cover, cardboard, wet cardboard, etc. None of those last as long or are as consistent as leather. Some of those things have abrasives in them that are bigger then the silicates in leather, like clay. Most of those media have some give to them.

The material doesn't necessarily have to give enough to form the convex shape for the whole edge. You can change angles as you sharpen to achieve the convex you are looking for, working more on the edge or shoulder as required, being careful not to exceed the specified maximum angle at the edge you are looking for. Any give in the material will cause some wrapping around the edge and form a convex area that blends easily with subsequent angles as you change forming one continuous convex edge.

Gary
 
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