Tips for sharp convex edge

[thatsaknife]

Just a couple observations I have learnt recently in trying to get a covexed edge on my latest homemade knife.
My very thin hard leather strop worked much better as a backing when I was getting down to the very edge profile. During initial stage the softer backing gave a nice shape but as I got closer to the vey last edge sharpening stage the thiner hard leather backed wood strop was best.

I got to impatient and went to a finer grade sandpqper too soon. The edge was sharp but not awbsharp as my v edge guided sharpening. When I went back i spent more time on the 600 grit until i got a good keen edge and then stepped up to 1200 2000 and then green compound.

My angle was too low until i tried using the sharpie to paint the edge so i could see when i was hitting the edge. Low angle was fine for initial profiling but i raised it to do the finished edge.

I found short back and forth motion on the sandpaper to work better for me than using a stropping motion.

This was my experience only so I am happy to hear better advice or critisism.

 

[Roamad]

I have also had good results with a "hard" strop. Mine is a piece of leather glued rough side out to a small piece of wood.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Harder substrate is always better for the crispest and sharpest possible edges, convex or not. That's the key. Even slight compression of the substrate, or lifting or rolling of the sandpaper over & around the apex, will introduce at least a little bit of rounding at the apex. I started convexing with sandpaper over a leather strop block, then eventually moved the sandpaper to the back side of bare wood, and refined my edges that way. Firmly affixing the sandpaper to the wood, so it can't lift or move at all, improved results some more. Since then, I've progressed to convexing on stones or diamond hones and finishing/polishing by stropping over hard-backed denim or linen (very thin, and therefore minimal compression).


David