"Your edge...keep it sharp by stropping it backwards on cardboard or leather. Restore dull or nicked edge same way with wet-or-dry paper, finish on cardboard. This works!"
does this method really work?what is wet dry paper?
itxploded,
The main reason Ken probably recommends "wet/dry" paper is because of the finer grits available. At a typical hardware store, you will usually only find sandpaper for woodworking - usually: 80, 100, 150, 220, 320, 400 or so.
At "Auto Parts" stores, they sell wet/dry paper - meaning it can be used wet or dry. It is often sold in very fine grits because auto paint refinishing and touch up requires much finer grits than woodworking. Paint touch up and refinishing is usually done with "Wet" sanding for smoother and finer results.
Wet/dry paper comes in 600, 800, 1000, 1500, 2000 and sometimes you can find 2500 grit sandpaper.
*But, these finer grit sandpapers from the auto parts stores tend to be many times more expensive than woodworking sandpaper from the hardware stores.
For the record, you can accomplish a LOT with 220, 320 and 440 grit sandpaper on knives.
For knives, you don't need to "wet" the paper regardless of what paper you use. The "wetting" is usually done if polishing paint, lacquer or similar. I don't think wetting the paper buys you anything with steel.
Stropping with "compounds" on leather is MUCH cheaper in the long run that buying the fine 600 - 2500 grit paper at auto parts stores.
*** Compounds on leather strop (IMO) is also much BETTER than fine grit sandpaper.
A small package of 5 "half" sheets of fine paper costs about $3.00 - $5.00. But, "worse" - the fine grit papers don't last very long. So, they can get expensive fast.
You don't really need to use so many different grits.
I didn't finish in my earlier long post (got side-tracked), but I do a lot of profiling with 220 grit on my belt sander and have had GREAT success just using two different compounds on strop followed by final touch up strop on med. coarse types of paper (similar to cardboard). Hairs will pop.
If doing it all by hand, I would think 220, 320, 400 followed by 1-2 different compounds on strop followed by final touch up on cardboard or similar would result in outstanding edges well beyond what most people achieve with stones.
Most people who use stones don't have a sufficient variety of good stones for good results. The good fine grit water stones are very expensive. I have much easier, faster and better luck than when I have tried stones.
I use the green and black compounds I bought from DLT:
Compounds @ DLT The white is very fine. I haven't used it, but I don't know that I need it either.
The green is the best IMO. It is finer than the black. If just maintaining a good edge, green is probably going to be used most often. But, if using 220 belts or paper, I follow with black prior to green.
Cardboard (or similar paper) after green has been VERY good.
A lot of people use the white on leather on a belt sander after 220 if only power stropping.
This video has been posted a bunch, but it is good to watch:
Quick & easy knife sharpening - J. Neilson Best tip for most common error I have seen: don't roll up on the tip of the edge too much when drawing the blade across a strop.
*** Again, said many times, but anybody going down the road to a belt sander needs to "PRACTICE" on cheap blades for a good while before going to a good blade.
If not careful, a belt sander can heat up the blade too much and hurt the temper. But, also, the belts "can" remove material VERY fast on edges. If not careful, you can not only re-profile your edges, but also reshape the entire blade - without experience, that can get ugly and bad very fast. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif" alt="" />
For hand sharpening, I haven't tried this yet, but keep reading great stuff about the supplies from Hand American. Hand American is selling their stuff here:
Hand American Products @ Japanese Knife Sharpening Those little bottles of wet or dry compound are easier to apply than the stick compounds. There are lots of tips and tricks about using the different types, but you don't need much. It should never be clumpy. Light and thin.
I am not so sure about the thin films on glass. I think those are best for razors and very thin edged kitchen knives. I don't think they will work right for convexed outdoors knives - too flat. But, the compound on leather should be very good. I keep reading good things about the horse-hide being great for final strop without compound.
Here is a thread about the Hand American "Scary Sharp kit":
Scary Sharp System *** Keep in mind a lot of the discussion is about kitchen knives. Field knives typically need a little thicker and more obtuse edges than kitchen knives. But, some of the principle info about sharpening, stropping and that kit is still good.
Side note: This stuff should be good for carbon blade protection along with treating fuzzy micarta and cutting boards:
Boardwax w Mineral Oil .... I still like RenWax, but some people like mineral oil.
Again, in regards to belt sanding, power stropping, hand stropping, etc. I recommend doing some research. For this subject, I have found Knifeforums to have a little bit more and better info than Bladeforums.
Also, use a "Google" advanced search. Knifeforums search engine SUCKS! Just go to Google, click advanced. At the bottom, put in a "specific web-site" such as knifeforums.com , then put in your key words at the top such as: strop, stropping, compound, or similar.
............ We need to start and put this info on a sharpening and stropping thread! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />
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