Suggest a Mousepad / Sandpaper setup

vikingslayer

vikingslayer

Joined
Apr 29, 2013
Messages
179
Hi all, this is my first post. Just have gotten started on the journey of becoming proficient at knife sharpening. I have been doing my research leading up to actually beginning and have come to the decision to put a convex edge on my knives. I just purchased a leather strop and have applied Bark River black and green compound on each side. My sticking point so far is what system I'd like to use to re-profile my current knives and gain the convex edge. I believe I'd like to start with the Mousepad / Sandpaper combo on a wooden block because of its low cost of entry. I said all that to say this, would you guys mind sharing with me your setup if you use that. And if you don't, which system you'd suggest?

Thanks in advance for the help!
 
Knivesshipfree.com has some good set ups that come in a pelican case you can get for a decent price and have everything you need.
 
I find that sharpening freehand tends to give you a good convex edge unless you have ridiculously good control. I'd suggest waterstones, but that would be substantially more expensive than the sandpaper and mousepad. Do you have a budget?
 
I would have to say the budget is around $100 give or take at this time. Admittedly, a little prohibitive for me to get too deep into waterstones or a one-in-all like a WickedEdge or EP Apex.
 
I'd just use the sandpaper over some relatively thin & firm leather (ideally attached or glued to hard backing, like hardwood or glass), and save the mousepad for a mouse. As soft as mousepads are, they will help the overall shaping of the convex (especially on very thick blades), but that softness works against you when trying to fine-tune the edge itself. The softer the backing is, the more the paper will wrap/roll itself around the apex of the edge, and that always, always rounds it over and dulls it, or limits how sharp it'll get. If using a mousepad, dedicate it to the initial shaping/grinding, and then move to gradually firmer backing as you get closer to the sharp edge. The apex always will be crisper & sharper when it's produced and refined on as hard/firm a surface as is practical & comfortable to use (depending on experience/skill level).


David
 
Thank you Obsessed. Do you have a specific rig you've made with the leather on wood, or other surface? I'll attempt to build my own, just trying to brainstorm a way to interchange the sandpaper over a block with the leather glued on.
 
vikingslayer said:
Thank you Obsessed. Do you have a specific rig you've made with the leather on wood, or other surface? I'll attempt to build my own, just trying to brainstorm a way to interchange the sandpaper over a block with the leather glued on.
Click to expand...

Very simple. Here's a pic of what I used most of the time. The wood is red oak I picked up at Home Depot (2-1/2" wide, 1/2" thick), and the leather is from a Tandy store, attached to the wood with double-sided carpet tape, which is conveniently of the same 2-1/2" width (can also use rubber cement or anything similar). I just wrapped the ends of the sandpaper around the ends of the block, and a piece of painter's tape will hold it in place (the tape is a convenient place to note what grit you've attached, as seen in the 1st pic). This one is more of a portable hand-held setup; my preferred 'hold' is demonstrated in the 2nd pic. The construction would be the same for a larger bench-sized version, if desired:

There are lots of ways to build these, but this simple setup has worked pretty well for me. As I've progressed, I've started using sandpaper directly over glass, and skipping the leather altogether. Once the technique starts to sink in, it's an easy progression. :)


David
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top