Stropping Question with V edges

[Keegaroo]

I realize I'm beating a long dead horse now, and I used the search engine but my search-foo is weak today. I have been throwing around the idea of buying a DLT strop, and Bark River Compound. Can using the compound on the leather turn a V edge to convex, or gradually do it over time? Another option Ive heard of is using glass or wood with the compound or will that prevent convexing? Any suggestions?

As a last question Ive read about preparing the edge for the compound going from 1200 grit to the black compound (3000) then to Green (6000) work? Or do I need to find a area between 1200 and 3000? Thanks for help in advance.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Doing anything freehand, either sharpening or stropping, will eventually put at least some slight convex in an edge. And there's nothing wrong in that, so long as you're able to control how much convex it is, and can make sure the edge itself is truly sharp.

You can control the degree of convex by choosing either hard or soft backing for stropping. Pretty much anything smooth, as a backing, will work. Using wood or glass, for hard backing, is pretty common. Even the thickness & firmness of the leather itself can make a difference in how much convex it produces. Technique will make the most difference, overall. The better you get at proper angle & pressure control, the more tightly you can regulate how flat, or how convex, the edge will be.

Whichever grit sequence you use, will depend on what finish you want and also will be influenced by cutting performance preferences. For a mirror finish, a tighter (closer together in grit steps) sequence always works better. It also is wise to stay within a particular abrasive type in that tight sequence, as different abrasives (diamond, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, chromium oxide) perform much differently at a given grit size, due to differences in hardness and particle shape (blocky/round, angular, jagged). Results will be much more predictable if the grit size is the only variable factor in the sequence.

Some like to start pretty coarse, to produce an edge something akin to 'micro-serrated', and then jump to a much finer grit to polish the 'teeth' without removing them. In that case, a wider jump in grit progression can be useful.

 

[Keegaroo]

Doing anything freehand, either sharpening or stropping, will eventually put at least some slight convex in an edge. And there's nothing wrong in that, so long as you're able to control how much convex it is, and can make sure the edge itself is truly sharp.

You can control the degree of convex by choosing either hard or soft backing for stropping. Pretty much anything smooth, as a backing, will work. Using wood or glass, for hard backing, is pretty common. Even the thickness & firmness of the leather itself can make a difference in how much convex it produces. Technique will make the most difference, overall. The better you get at proper angle & pressure control, the more tightly you can regulate how flat, or how convex, the edge will be.

Whichever grit sequence you use, will depend on what finish you want and also will be influenced by cutting performance preferences. For a mirror finish, a tighter (closer together in grit steps) sequence always works better. It also is wise to stay within a particular abrasive type in that tight sequence, as different abrasives (diamond, silicon carbide, aluminum oxide, chromium oxide) perform much differently at a given grit size, due to differences in hardness and particle shape (blocky/round, angular, jagged). Results will be much more predictable if the grit size is the only variable factor in the sequence.

Some like to start pretty coarse, to produce an edge something akin to 'micro-serrated', and then jump to a much finer grit to polish the 'teeth' without removing them. In that case, a wider jump in grit progression can be useful.

Thanks for the help. Do you have any tips for newby on stropping?

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Thanks for the help. Do you have any tips for newby on stropping?

This 'sticky' thread (linked below; can also be found at the very top of the Maint forum thread list) is a very simple, but very informative, tutorial on the basics of stropping technique:

Stropping: angle plus pressure

As the title implies, it's all about maintaining a correct & consistent angle, and using light pressure, both of which will help prevent rounding/dulling your edge.

 

[cziv]

To maintain my best attempts on V bevel sharpened knives I use balsa with DMT paste. I think the firm balsa keeps me from pressing down accidentally and rounding the edge.

The biggest thing I've learned in stropping - took me a couple of years - is to use LIGHT pressure. I rounded off and dulled 100's of edges before balsa sharpening - which requires an accurate angle "set" and a soft touch finally got me down the right track.

I've transferred my balsa wood stropping technique to leather and the attention to angle plus fewer and lighter strokes have paid off big time. That's my story anyway, my knives finally shave hair effortlessly.