I have a new Spyderco Ultra Fine benchstone (something like #1200 grit?) and a good quality canvas & leather strop. Would there be any noticable improvement in sharpness by using something like a Norton #4000/8000 grit waterstone? I would use it for straight razors and other fine edged knives. Thanks.
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Ultra Fine Waterstone vs. Strop
- Thread starter Shav'r
- Start date
Cliff Stamp
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An ultra fine ceramic is up there with the highest waterstone in terms of finish. Combine that with a strop loaded with a quality buffing compound and you can achieve a better finish than a waterstone. Waterstones have the advantage of cutting faster than ceramics, and being more gentle to brittle steels.
-Cliff
-Cliff
The Tourist
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I do a bit of both. For a knife I've sharpened before, I use the Edgepro and touch it up with first a 320, and then a 660. For knives that need a clean slice (like for trimming thread) I then polish the bevel with 4000 series polishing tapes. During the first week of doing this fresh edge, I strop with a horsehide strop impregnated with some white rouge I got from Eric Chang. If that fixes the problem, I'll try the strop again the following week before a new sharpening.
If you are sharpening straight razors, only use the paste wax on the strop. Do NOT use any buffing compounds, they are much too abrasive, and will make your shaves very painful. Straight razors are a different animal entirely, and have a very delicate edge that can be much more easily damaged than most knives.
Thanks for your replies. I use white paste with chalk on the canvas side of the strop and yellow non-abrasive paste on the leather side. I guess the red and other color pastes have too much abrasive in them and are more coarse than my benchstone. Anyhow, I'll keep on practicing with the stone and strop...
Shav'r,
If you are having trouble with your straight razor, like painful shaves, take a good look at your edge, with a bright light and magnification, if possible.
I nicked mine with a fingernail, it took over 200 strokes on the Spyderco ultrafine ceramic to clean that little "oops" up. Make sure that it will cut hanging arm or leg hair before you move on to stropping, and you should be fine.
Good luck.
If you are having trouble with your straight razor, like painful shaves, take a good look at your edge, with a bright light and magnification, if possible.
I nicked mine with a fingernail, it took over 200 strokes on the Spyderco ultrafine ceramic to clean that little "oops" up. Make sure that it will cut hanging arm or leg hair before you move on to stropping, and you should be fine.
Good luck.