European Sword Sharpening
Jun 8, 2018 11:19:22 GMT
Post by RickDastardly on Jun 8, 2018 11:19:22 GMT
Stropping makes a huge difference to a properly sharpened edge. The edge must be properly sharpened first; coming to an acute edge that cuts easily. Grit finish is not critical; even a course, toothy edge on a slicer benefits from stropping. Stropping really shines though when done to a high-grit polished edge.
A tip for those trying stropping for the first time...
Don't press too hard into the leather. A light touch and good number of passes is what's needed, not pressure. If you press into leather, the leather is soft enough to let the edge embed into it, and then spring back up right across that edge. This will round and blunt the edge, not refine it.
You can quickly develop a feel for just the right stropping angle, from both the feel and sound as the blade is drawn across the leather. The angle should match exactly the very edge of the edge. Too high an angle and the sound and feel gets more scratchy; too shallow and it's smooth and quieter. It's easy once you get the knack.
An easy way to get that angle to start with is to very lightly push the edge towards the leather, opposite to stropping with the edge trailing. Start at too low an angle (blade almost flat on), then gradually increase until you just feel the edge bite the leather. Then back off again just a touch, and that's your stropping angle.
This works with flat and convex edges and is how I've sharpened my knives for years, many of which are convex. All of which will clean-shave arm hairs, cut the tops off my chest hairs just by moving the blade though them, and push cut fine curls in thin magazine paper.
ETA: You don't even need to use leather if you don't have any (like an old belt). Glue some denim to a flat board, or use the inside of cereal box card, with some stropping compound/fine abrasive like T-cut smeared on it. I've done the cardboard method for years, smeared with everything from green chromium oxide to 0.5 micron diamond paste.
A tip for those trying stropping for the first time...
Don't press too hard into the leather. A light touch and good number of passes is what's needed, not pressure. If you press into leather, the leather is soft enough to let the edge embed into it, and then spring back up right across that edge. This will round and blunt the edge, not refine it.
You can quickly develop a feel for just the right stropping angle, from both the feel and sound as the blade is drawn across the leather. The angle should match exactly the very edge of the edge. Too high an angle and the sound and feel gets more scratchy; too shallow and it's smooth and quieter. It's easy once you get the knack.
An easy way to get that angle to start with is to very lightly push the edge towards the leather, opposite to stropping with the edge trailing. Start at too low an angle (blade almost flat on), then gradually increase until you just feel the edge bite the leather. Then back off again just a touch, and that's your stropping angle.
This works with flat and convex edges and is how I've sharpened my knives for years, many of which are convex. All of which will clean-shave arm hairs, cut the tops off my chest hairs just by moving the blade though them, and push cut fine curls in thin magazine paper.
ETA: You don't even need to use leather if you don't have any (like an old belt). Glue some denim to a flat board, or use the inside of cereal box card, with some stropping compound/fine abrasive like T-cut smeared on it. I've done the cardboard method for years, smeared with everything from green chromium oxide to 0.5 micron diamond paste.