Trying to reach the next level

dipbait

dipbait

Joined
Feb 9, 2008
Messages
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Im trying to reach scary sharpness. I have four grades of diamond stones , coarse and fine ceramic rods. Id like to be able to "Tree top " arm hair.So far I can get my knives to easily shave body hair and even obtained hair whittling sharpness a few times.

Im ready to learn stropping. I sanded an old belt with medium grit sand paper and applied green polishing compound. Still cant achieve scary sharpness.

Which one of these would be the best choice to reach that goal?I have

Stainless and carbon Moras
carbon Opinel pocket knife
various Old Hickory kitchen knives
Vintage Chicago Cutlery Carbon steel kitchen knife
Vintage Carbon Case XX paring knife
Cold steel Bushman
Buck Prince 420 steel
Queen stockman with 440c
SAK
JK custom with 01 steel


...and how long will I have to strop to see results.
Thanks in advance.:)
 
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I say try it with the Carbon Opinel. As for how long you need to strop, as long as you need. Take your time. I find that with sharpening and stropping, if you rush, you will mess it up and it won't get sharp.
 
I had zero luck with green chromium oxide. In fact I think I made my knives more dull. So I ordered some diamond spray and in a couple minutes I had the sharpest knives I have ever had.

I find that if a knife is shaving sharp and you then strop on the diamond loaded strop it takes it to the next level relatively quickly. It usually only takes about 20-30 passes per side to see a big improvement. If a knife won't or barely will shave then the strop doesn't do much and you need to get it to where it will fairly easily shave arm hair first.

I'm sure that's not the answer you were looking for but it is a worthy investment.
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
I had zero luck with green chromium oxide. In fact I think I made my knives more dull. So I ordered some diamond spray and in a couple minutes I had the sharpest knives I have ever had.

I find that if a knife is shaving sharp and you then strop on the diamond loaded strop it takes it to the next level relatively quickly. It usually only takes about 20-30 passes per side to see a big improvement. If a knife won't or barely will shave then the strop doesn't do much and you need to get it to where it will fairly easily shave arm hair first.

I'm sure that's not the answer you were looking for but it is a worthy investment.
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Thats what Ive been experiencing. The knives seem to be duller after stropping.I even rubberbanded the strops to ceramic rods to ensue the exact same angle is being used.
 
The polishing compound I have looks like a big green unsharpened crayon from Porter Cable.No where does it say chromium oxide.
 
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If the compound is lousy, it won't cut very fast, or very fine. If that is the issue, I could send you some that may be a bit better.

I would try the carbon Opinel and lay it down on its side on the strop. Varying the pressure will change how far up the edge the leather runs. Too light, and you won't affect the edge, too heavy, and you round it over. You might check out the thread Stropping-Angle plus Pressure.http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=750008

You won't really be able to strop properly by running the edge into the leather, so I wouldn't struggle too long with that method.

You might try putting your compound on MDF or maple, so the strop acts like a stone, and is less likely to round over your edge. I tend to check after 20 passes on each side, and if the knife isn't sharper each time, then you have to go back a couple steps and start fresh, because you rounded it over.

That being said, depending on your definition, I don't know that I could make a knife treetop hair, so take what I am saying with a grain of salt. I don't have the diamond pastes mentioned above, but they do seem like they could take a lot of the guesswork out of the system. ETA-I am hoping to get some soon, even though I have a couple compounds already, just because they seem like they could help in several ways.
 
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I just got the Opinel sharp enough that it cut through a free hanging hair. So I take it to the loaded strop. It got duller.
 
Order a bottle of 1 micron diamond spray from Hand American. I promise it will be the best 20 bucks you spend on sharpening supplies. A 4 oz bottle of 12 carat is more concentrated that the 8 oz bottle of 21 carat and will be enough to last you for years and should run under $20 including shipping.
 
dipbait said:
I just got the Opinel sharp enough that it cut through a free hanging hair. So I take it to the loaded strop. It got duller.
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I would probably try stropping on a piece of plain leather. If it gets duller, you know there is an issue with technique. If it gets sharper, you know that you could have an issue with the compound. ETA-If nothing happens, and you are using the same technique, you will know that your technique isn't killing the edge. You will have to go back to your finest stone to do this though, in order to get the edge back once it is messed up.

I have also had some success going to bare leather, usually rough side out, after the loaded strop. I assume that this is removing any of the compound left clinging to the edge, which could make the blade appear dull, even though it isn't.
 
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Any Cal. said:
I would probably try stropping on a piece of plain leather. If it gets duller, you know there is an issue with technique. If it gets sharper, you know that you could have an issue with the compound. ETA-If nothing happens, and you are using the same technique, you will know that your technique isn't killing the edge. You will have to go back to your finest stone to do this though, in order to get the edge back once it is messed up.

I have also had some success going to bare leather, usually rough side out, after the loaded strop. I assume that this is removing any of the compound left clinging to the edge, which could make the blade appear dull, even though it isn't.
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+1

This is good advice. When you are changing things like that it is best to only do one thing at a time so you can isolate your problem. It might sound silly to some but it is easy to rush and do too much at once and take a step backwards.
 
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