Struggling to get burr off sharpening

[Technohedge]

So I have gone through a few 'phases' of sharpening my blades. Started with a lansky (terrible thing to put the first edge on a blade!) then made a much larger version of a lansky type system in my workshop that uses a full size stone (worked really well).

Now I have just used a guide bracket I made for the belt grinder that sharpens on a fine belt. Saves so much hassle putting an edge on.

HOWEVER, using all these methods, I still seem to struggle removing the burr fully when stropping.

I have tried pulling the blade edge through a soft piece of wood, stropping with a denim patch and I have a thick leather paddle strop on a solid piece of wood. Takes forever to get rid of the burr and feels like there is still a small overhang left. Its almost as if the burr is too thick.

I have used very light pressure on the stones/belt when putting the edge on and changed sides frequently. I have also been running the grinder in reverse when sharpening)

Any sharpening gurus have advice?

 

[fishface5]

for my sake I hope someone does - burrs are the bane of my sharpening existence!

 

[Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith]

You want to charge the strop with green chrome, white rouge, or red rouge.
Strop at a slightly higher angle than you sharpened at.
Use firm pressure when stropping.
Switch sides each stroke so you weaken the burr until it falls off.
Strop a few more times after the burr is gone to polish te 4edge.

Some people use a paper wheel. I use a 6" muslin buffing wheel charged with white rouge. A very quick pass on each side and one one final pass per side to polish it removes the burr. I test cut on a piece of 100# bond card stock paper (post card stock). You can feel if tere is any burr left as the blade cuts the stiff card stock.

Buffing a sharpened blade is not a task for an untrained person, and can be very dangerous if not done properly.

 

[Scaniaman]

My sharpening game has been really simplified and improved since I got this:

Its a 1×10" (rock) hard felt wheel mounted on a motor hooked to a VFD. Wheel gets loaded with compound (in my case some fine green stuff I got from Bark River back in the day). There is good light above the setup so I can kind of see the burr as long as it's still on there.
A "power strop" that gives a mirror finish too. I typically sharpen to 1200-2000 grit first.

 

[Natlek]

So I have gone through a few 'phases' of sharpening my blades. Started with a lansky (terrible thing to put the first edge on a blade!) then made a much larger version of a lansky type system in my workshop that uses a full size stone (worked really well).

Now I have just used a guide bracket I made for the belt grinder that sharpens on a fine belt. Saves so much hassle putting an edge on.

HOWEVER, using all these methods, I still seem to struggle removing the burr fully when stropping.

I have tried pulling the blade edge through a soft piece of wood, stropping with a denim patch and I have a thick leather paddle strop on a solid piece of wood. Takes forever to get rid of the burr and feels like there is still a small overhang left. Its almost as if the burr is too thick.

I have used very light pressure on the stones/belt when putting the edge on and changed sides frequently. I have also been running the grinder in reverse when sharpening)

Any sharpening gurus have advice?

Which steel is in question ?

 

[john april]

i use a lansky and the KME. i took an old lansky stone and with contact cement applied some leather to the face of the stone, rough side out. i can strop at the same angle the last stone did without risking microscopically rounding the edge because of inconsistent angle. are you sure your stones are not dished out ? lay them on a counter and notice if you can see light coming thru the center of the stone. they need to be totally flat. i use the ceramic stones, they never dish. are you feeling the burr with your fingernail etc before flipping your knife over to do the other side ?

 

[FredyCro]

Also you don't need to change sides frequently, maybe you are just pushing the burr over all the time. Sharpen one size untill you raise the burr on whole edge, then turn it over. There should be not a lot of burr remaining before you start stropping.

Which steel and at what hardness is in question?

 

[Technohedge]

N690 to about 58 HRC

although Ive had the same issue with all the knives i have sharpened.

Feels like the burr is very stiff when i grab it with a fingernail

I do charge my strop with green compound, possibly haven't been holding at a high enough angle when stropping? The burr seems to be stiff enough that it scratches the strop on the side that it is kicked over to. Then after A stropping stroke on that side i can still feel the burr on that side (as in it hasn't kicked over)

Not using stones anymore, just the grinder i reverse (on the flat platen)

 

[FredyCro]

N690 to about 58 HRC

although Ive had the same issue with all the knives i have sharpened.

Feels like the burr is very stiff when i grab it with a fingernail

I do charge my strop with green compound, possibly haven't been holding at a high enough angle when stropping? The burr seems to be stiff enough that it scratches the strop on the side that it is kicked over to. Then after A stropping stroke on that side i can still feel the burr on that side (as in it hasn't kicked over)

Not using stones anymore, just the grinder i reverse (on the flat platen)

N690 shouldn't be stubborn.

I think you might be "overgrinding", on your final grit on the grinder raise a slight burr and then take it off from the other side. Don't try to raise it completely again.

My sharpening atm is:

120 ceramic grit on the grinder
400/1000 diamond stone
Stropp with white rouge on leather

If I am lazy:
120 grinder
180 grinder
Belt inside out white rouge

Both method get me a shaving edge. Not screaming sharp, but glides through paper no problem. Before finishing on leather I usually run it through a corner a corner of my cutting board.