razor sharp for CHEAP

[rustycrusty]

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/cc262/leydenandrhett/BACD64FA-F35A-401D-821C-9005B68CD9C2-3756-0000051D83192D41.jpg

Got a convexed edge on my BK2 via stropping on 1k grit and then 2k grit.

The sandpaper was paper clipped onto a mousepad which was glued onto a thick paint stir stick (the stir stick acting as a handle and rigid support

Afterward did about 100 laps on a leather belt and then ran it across my arm hair...

it clean shaved it.

I will be using this sharpening method from now on and i thought the knowledge should be shared.

fyi- this blade is not designed to be honed this sharp- but it is VERY easily doable.

[Irving]

Can you describe the way that you did this, in so much as which direction you moved the paper over the blade? Sharp end into the paper, or away from the paper. Can you just bring it to the next match?

[rustycrusty]

the method is this:

glue a mousepad strip to some hard flat surface with a handle (paint stir stick for me) and paperclip a piece of sandpaper to the stick.
-for nicked edges or blunted blades start at 600grit or coarser

-for an edge that will catch and shave the the top of your thumbnail start with 1k grit

Use the paddle as a strop- meaning you have the blade facing you as you push it away from you. the blade is away from you as you draw it towards yourself. DO NOT ROLL THE BLADE AS YOU CHANGE DIRECTIONS- come all the way off the surface and then flip it

Use an 'x' motion when doing this so that you draw away from yourself left to right and draw towards yourself right to left.

The blade should be at appx. 30 degrees from the sand paper

When starting -pressure on the blade is enough to feel the mousepad give. do 20-40 laps at this pressure.

Taper the pressure off on each grit before going to the next highest grit. the last laps should be just the weight of the blade and no more pressure.

1k grit gets scary sharp
2k grit gets arm hair snag sharp
leather belt stropping after 2k gets arm hair shave.

(this is the method i used to restore my grandfathers straight razor, with the exception that i took the straight razor all the way to an 8k honing stone before leather stropping)

[loudbay]

My bk2 and 14 are both convexed as well! I have a spyderco triangle sharpener, which honestly seems like it will get things sharper than my convexing, but just stropping a blade is much more pack friendly in the woods. The tri angle still sharpens about everything else in the house. Cheers! m.

[soldier-of-the-apocalypse]

Where do you get a leather strop for CHEAP

[loudbay]

I could make a strop for a reasonable cost if someone here wants to learn to use one. The one I use is mounted to a piece of wood and has valve grinding compound on one side and green polishing compound on the other. I could make strap strop for any of you straight razor or weight weenie backpacker guys...

[DVC357]

Hey brother, if your up to giving lessons, i'm up to learning.
Maybe you can teach an Old Dog.
I use a belt sander which is great in the shop, but never learned to use a Strop.

[loudbay]

I'm just a whippersnapper, but have wanted to get into shaving with a straight razor, just because its 'old world', sometimes i feel like I'm a man out of my time... I really enjoy leatherworking, and its a dying art for sure.

DVC357, I'll work a strop for you today. Knives and tool steel or straight razor? If you're using a belt sander, that's essentially convexing your edges, so this should be right up your alley. I don't think a lesson will be necessary, but I'd be happy to meet up for a drink.

For everyone else: Be aware, once you convex and start using a strop on your blade, you'll essentially ruin your hard work by going back to a stone system of sharpening. You can't get lazy. That's why the kitchen stuff gets the stone still, for simplicity sake, and my knives I enjoy using, get convexed and maintained as a labor of love.

Edit: I'd like to know the size of your blades as well, to be sure I make it wide and long enough.

Cheers,
Matt

[Not_A_Llama]

I've also been on a "Get the BK2 incongruously sharp" kick. Likewise convexed.

1000 and 2000 grit passes are my basics, and get the knife very usably sharp.

Discovered a very quick way to get it scary sharp in a hurry:

A smooth-ish leather belt or sling (I use a $2 surplus sling from the gunshow), with just the lightest coating of Flitz. 20 passes per side will get you well into excessive territory. Scary sharp, and very polished, for little friction. Now, my arms aren't quite as yeti-like as rusty's, but some takeaways from shaving my face with the BK2 yesterday:

1) scrapes all oil off
2) end product substitutes for grinding compound and/or spackle
3) lotta skin cells
4) BK2 mercilessly unforgiving of acne

Bear in mind the BK2 is +/- a sharpened 1/4" prybar

[Scogin]

I am also a member on http://straightrazorplace.com/ . It is a great sight for info to get you started on shaving with a straight razor. I have a couple of straights and love them. My favorite is a Boker that is from the early 1900's.
There is definitley a process to shaving with a straight so you don't scrape your face off completely.

[rustycrusty]

A strop for cheap- ANY old leather belt- take it and sand the leather with some rough sandpaper- it should look like rough leather used in desert boots. I get knives to pass the 'hanging hair test' (YouTube it) frequently using this method.

People will tell you that you need specialized leather- BULLSHIT

Horsehide is high end because it is near frictionless in feel.
All other leathers are merely suited to people's preference- ppl who want more feedback opt for a rougher leather. In the end it is all angle and pressure that determines the end sharpness

To prove this I can hone a dull knife on newspaper or the back of a legal pad if you like


(BTW hanging hair test is a high standard in straight razor community)

-added tidbit edit- I strop on naked leather for finishing- as in 0 compound present.
To cut the steel faster you can add soot to the strop (poor mans 1micron grinding compound)

[rustycrusty]

I'm just a whippersnapper, but have wanted to get into shaving with a straight razor, just because its 'old world', sometimes i feel like I'm a man out of my time... I really enjoy leatherworking, and its a dying art for sure.

DVC357, I'll work a strop for you today.

Cheers,
Matt

If you are giving them away... I would LOVE a 3" pasted paddle strop...
Hell I would even settle for a hanging strop! Using a 1.25" belt just isn't classy...

What compound Size u use? I have been looking at making one with 1micron and then .25microm paste for my straights.

[Irving]

So 2,000 grit is rough enough to start fresh on a non-convex blade? You don't need anything else to shape the blade initially?

[anomad]

So 2,000 grit is rough enough to start fresh on a non-convex blade? You don't need anything else to shape the blade initially?

Svord has videos of sandpaper use to convert a peasant knife to a convex edge. I start with 800 for a dull knife and take it up to 2000. 2000 gives a nice edge for the kitchen.

http://www.svord.com/pages/catalog/PKVIDEO.htm

Overall I prefer the results of a spyderco triangle sharpmaker to sandpaper/convex method. Touching up a convex edge with sandpaper in the field has obvious benefit in terms of portability, however...

[Irving]

Well, I'm not doing a very good job on the knife I'm trying this with. I'm using one of those finishing blocks where it is basically a sponge with sand paper on it. I think it probably 180 grit. I started with that just to get the shape. Then I went and picked up some 1,000 and 2,000 grit to lay over the top. Are you guys wet sanding to achieve the results you're getting?

[rustycrusty]

Svord has videos of sandpaper use to convert a peasant knife to a convex edge. I start with 800 for a dull knife and take it up to 2000. 2000 gives a nice edge for the kitchen.


Agreed- Irving- do this.
180grit is... Ambitious. I used a cheap foam nail file to shape my first time- guessing its 500grit? And then went to 1k then 2 then strop (cheap leather belt).

as for the spyderco set- I can't say, it looks nice... I've only ever used 1 stone and the convex method

Convex method does afford more strength to the edge than a straight chisel edge or a angled flat grind edge (for the same reason why rounded arches in structures are strongest) but the edge is not suited to all tasks

And Irving- I will bring the bk2 up to fridpa

[Not_A_Llama]

For the convexing, I did this: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/863938

180 grit is waaaaay too aggressive for that kind of work.

Then I have sandpaper and an old foam mousepad. I set the sandpaper on the cloth side of the mousepad. 800 for restoring *destroyed* edges. 1000, then 2000 will put a very workable edge on.

Past that, a surplus leather sling with a little Flitz on it for self-gratification.

The back of a legal pad, and stropping on my own skin, past that.

[45XD]

the method is this:

glue a mousepad strip to some hard flat surface with a handle (paint stir stick for me) and paperclip a piece of sandpaper to the stick.
-for nicked edges or blunted blades start at 600grit or coarser

-for an edge that will catch and shave the the top of your thumbnail start with 1k grit

Use the paddle as a strop- meaning you have the blade facing you as you push it away from you. the blade is away from you as you draw it towards yourself. DO NOT ROLL THE BLADE AS YOU CHANGE DIRECTIONS- come all the way off the surface and then flip it

Use an 'x' motion when doing this so that you draw away from yourself left to right and draw towards yourself right to left.

The blade should be at appx. 30 degrees from the sand paper

When starting -pressure on the blade is enough to feel the mousepad give. do 20-40 laps at this pressure.

Taper the pressure off on each grit before going to the next highest grit. the last laps should be just the weight of the blade and no more pressure.

1k grit gets scary sharp
2k grit gets arm hair snag sharp
leather belt stropping after 2k gets arm hair shave.

(this is the method i used to restore my grandfathers straight razor, with the exception that i took the straight razor all the way to an 8k honing stone before leather stropping)

This is very interesting- going to have to try it out... Thanks for the tips...

[Irving]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I'll have to catch up and try and get my blade sharp with this method.