Hello all,
there has been discussion on the strop recently. They've discussed it very fast in my classe, the instructors just said that it helps keep the chisel sharp longer.
If someone is interested in doing a small tutorial on how to use the strop and what it does exactly, it would be great! 8)
Alexis
Alexis, I use a strop quite a bit to put the final edge on a blade. my strop is just a piece of saddle leather glued to a board. It doesn't have to be glued to a board but I like it that way. I put a little buffing compound on the leather and pull the chisel across it, as opposed to pushing into a stone. I use semichrome for a buffing compound and it doesn't take much, a tube will last several years, it is the consistency of toothpaste. The polishing compound on the strop removes any microscopic burs on the edge and it polishes the edge to a mirror finish. If you look at a blade with a microscope, even a sharp one will be jagged, the strop removes some of the imperfections left by the stone.
So basically, the strop is like a 20000Xfine water stone, used without water... Does it really make a difference when working the chisel?
Alexis
I think it does make a difference. You have to really work your way up to the strop. To jump from a 4000x to the strop will probably be too much. I strop after the 8000x. When I'm working, and the edge seems to be getting dull, a few pulls across the strop seems to really make difference. I use the green compound. The red, white, black (emery, very course) and brown are for different types of polishing, and don't work as well as the green.
Being a woodshop teacher, I have played around with many different ways to sharpen. stones, sandpaper on glass, tormek machine, grinders and the like.
What I am doing at the moment is using a vertical belt sander with a jig to hold my chisels and lathe tools at the same angle every time. I then "strop" with a little tripoli polish on a felt buffing wheel.
I can sharpen my chisel to shaving sharpness in all of 5 seconds. Great way to keep the timberframing class chisels going without a bunch of work. With the jig, even students can do it.
Dave
And for people who have never used power sharpening tools, always trail the tool so it doesn't catch, don't push the edge into the strop or buffing wheel like you were going to take a shaving off of it.
what about the micro bevel? I always had a problem understanding at what point do you make it... If you put it at 4000X, you will remove it when sharpening on the 8000X and the strop... If you put it at 8000X, the strop will partially remove it... and isn't it long to put a micro bevel at 8000X?
thanks again for your answer!
Alexis