Stroping, steelIng or both??

T

Tobster

Joined
Feb 4, 2013
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13
When you have finished sharpening, what is the best way to finish, Stroping, steeling, both???
 
I imagine some may say, " It depends on how you sharpened".
I use the WEPS for "sharpening" and for "touch ups" ......
Minor touch ups- Strop on leather belt (with car polish)
Medium touch ups- SharpMaker ceramics
Major touch ups- Back to the WEPS but grits in the 800+ range
Sharpening or re-profiling- WEPS starting from scratch.
 
I would say stropping, as a steel is used primarily for kitchen knives to straighten out an edge than has rolled or laid over from use on hard cutting, or against a hard surface. It re-aligns the edge on the soft steel often found on kitchen knives.

I steel my kitchen knives just about every time I get ready to use them, and then only re-sharpen them about every 2, 3 months. Works for me. Others may do differently.

Blessings,

Omar
 
The steel also laces a kitchen knife with tiny serrations, which can make some types of cutting/slicing easier. I reserve the steel for my kitchen knives alone.

I have a strop on the way for my other blades.
 
The little bit of steeling I've done always seems to create/amplify a burr or wire edge, though it can also add some very quick 'bite' to a utility edge. For kitchen knives and blades used for coarser cutting tasks (cardboard, etc.), that can be good enough. For blades on which I want more refined edges, I'll always finish with stropping to lesser or greater degree.


David
 
Do you suppose the aggression of the steel might be part of creating a wire/burr? On my meat cutting knives, I feel a much smoother cutting action on a smooth/polished steel after a few light passes, about 2-4 per side. That is, if I felt that it needed a touch up.
 
xSweep said:
Do you suppose the aggression of the steel might be part of creating a wire/burr? On my meat cutting knives, I feel a much smoother cutting action on a smooth/polished steel after a few light passes, about 2-4 per side. That is, if I felt that it needed a touch up.
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For me, absolutely. Any cylindrical/round/hard-edged honing device will concentrate pressure in a very small segment of a knife edge, which increases the likelihood of creating a burr/wire in the process, and even rolling an otherwise relatively sturdy edge. I see essentially the same effect with ceramic rod-type sharpeners, though they're a little less agressive than a grooved steel. On that note, I'm sure the ridges/grooves on steels amplify that pressure-concentrating effect even more.

I have a tiny little 'steel' (marked 'Sheffield') that came with one of my Victorinox SAKs; fits into a nice little loop on the sheath. It's grooved on the surface, and has perhaps 2" of usable length. Even so, just one or two edge-leading passes across it will create an instant wire edge (burr) on a blade. It's kind of amazing how quickly it does it. Really hammers the point home, if in doubt. :)


David
 
The shape of the round steel does seem an odd choice.

I've got more investigation to do on steeling and the effects on an edge. Personally, after years of constant use and practice I get a 'tuned up' feel to my edge.

However, your post has certainly raised some questions in my mind.
 
xSweep said:
The shape of the round steel does seem an odd choice.

I've got more investigation to do on steeling and the effects on an edge. Personally, after years of constant use and practice I get a 'tuned up' feel to my edge.

However, your post has certainly raised some questions in my mind.
Click to expand...

I don't mean to imply the steels/rods are necessarily inferior or problematic, due to their shape. It's just a trade-off between adding some very quick 'teeth' to an edge and perhaps sacrificing some refinement in the process. I think a steel is about the fastest way I've seen to add that 'bite', and that's a good thing sometimes, especially if time is limited. It's also an excellent lesson in regulating pressure, and a lot of what's learned on a steel can be favorably applied to all sharpening tasks, on any other type of tool.


David
 
I am a rookie, so please be patient. I have a long ceramic rod that is about 1" in diameter and a foot long. When I attempt to "steel" my knives on this, they always come out less sharp. Can this be used to steel the blades or am I doing something wrong.
 
Tobster said:
I am a rookie, so please be patient. I have a long ceramic rod that is about 1" in diameter and a foot long. When I attempt to "steel" my knives on this, they always come out less sharp. Can this be used to steel the blades or am I doing something wrong.
Click to expand...

Might be inconsistent angle control, too steep an angle, too much pressure, or a combination of all of these things. Inconsistent angle will round the apex, too steep an angle will make an edge that's too thick/blunt (might roll/chip it, as well), and too much pressure will either roll the edge over, or chip it, depending on the hardness of the blade steel. All of these things are bound to happen, when first learning to use a ceramic rod; everybody goes through it. Inspecting the edge before and after honing on the rod, with a good magnifier and bright light, can tell you what's happening to the edge and making it dull.

At a minimum, keep pressure feather-light. I tend to imagine I'm gently brushing a light layer of dust from the ceramic, with the knife edge, and that seems to help me minimize the pressure. If you get a sense that you're 'grinding' or leaning into it at all, pressure is definitely too heavy. Same is true if you feel your hands are getting too tired or sore in the process.

Some cheaper ceramic rods can also be very rough/inconsistent in their finish, which complicates matters even more. Irregularities or bumps on the ceramic can do more damage than good.


David
 
Thanks for taking time to help, I appreciate it. Lots to learn, but fun, should have done this long ago.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
I don't mean to imply the steels/rods are necessarily inferior or problematic, due to their shape. It's just a trade-off between adding some very quick 'teeth' to an edge and perhaps sacrificing some refinement in the process. I think a steel is about the fastest way I've seen to add that 'bite', and that's a good thing sometimes, especially if time is limited. It's also an excellent lesson in regulating pressure, and a lot of what's learned on a steel can be favorably applied to all sharpening tasks, on any other type of tool.


David
Click to expand...

Well said. Using a knife steel before learning how to freehand on stones certainly helped cement the concept of pressure and control.
 
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