For beginners- sharpening & 5Min projects

[Buffalo Bif]

I'm a new-ish whittler myself, only 3years or so, but thought I'd share a couple epiphany's I've had lately.

When your knife seems dull, take a looooonnng visit at your strop, and use fresh compound. I was getting frustrated when my knives seemed to hold their edge for less and less time until I realized the small amount of time I was spending with my strop was the problem. I applied some new compound and gave each side of my knife 50-100 strokes on the strop and became happy again. I had only been stropping for 10 or 20 strokes on old compound, and it wasn't enough. The knife would get better, but it never became great. I don't do that every time I strop, but I do it regularly.

The second thing I've come to realize is that those 5 minute projects (owl, gnome, whatever) take a lot longer for the first few you do. Maybe for the first hundred even. I watched a couple vids and slide shows, and proceeded to spend hours working on the project. It wasn't till I whittled a couple dozen (not quite identical) holiday ornaments that I figured out repetition was the key. The first ornie I did took hours, the last one turned out better in my opinion, and only took 30 minutes. Not sure I could get that one down to 5 minutes, but you get the point.

I'm sure all this has been posted here at one time or another, I thought I'd add my own encouragement tho. Keep your chin up, keep your bandaids close, and keep trying.

[idigjars]

Good tips on the sharpening. You are right about those 5 minute projects, they take me a lot longer than that. :-) Take care. Paul

[richipper]

Thanks for the reminder to freshen up the compound... I also get lazy and try to use the slightly grayed remnents... I don't know that I will do 100 strokes but I agree more the 20 will help.
Good stuff!
Richard

[Robson Valley]

I clean and recharge my leather strop before every honing session. I was taught to use a 6" mill file edge (not the flat, the edge) as a scraper and go gently maybe 5X. Scrape the cruddlies off the file with a stick. Streak the compound onto the strop with quick motions to heat up the cpd a little to get more on the strop.
2 projects in finishing stages, I get to use my 5/35 all day!

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

100 Strokes per side, you have alot more paitience then me! LOL A couple things that helped me in the stropping dept. were, Cape Forge sells a liquid compound, 10 strokes per side every 20-30 minutes is all it takes. Also I built a power strop with a 1x30" belt sander hung upside down and a $15.00 leather belt, works awesome! The last is a 5" disc with leather attached, chucked into a mini drill, also works great! ( Got the idea from Arleen Zomer, from carverswoodshop, she has a Youtube video on sharpening). Hope this info. helps! BTW- I totally agree with fresh compound!!

Dave

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Here are a couple links. Sorry, I tried to attach a picture of the 1x30" power strop but it is not working.

Carving Accessories at Cape Forge

YouTube - sharpening secret #1

Dave

[Buffalo Bif]

I am dreaming of a power strop, especially when making new knives. Soon, I have promised myself.

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Well you make some beautiful knives, so you deserve one.

Dave

[Dicky]

My late mentor was a man who followed stropping seriously but felt that occasionally, an edge had to "smartened up" with the touch of an 8K slipstone. In my view, it works. Power strops are nice too.

[Claude]

I don't bother cleaning my strop - it hasn't been cleaned in at least five years. I use thin suede leather with the green compound. I also give my knife a few strokes every 15 - 30 minutes. I do five strokes on one side, five on the other, then four on the first, four on the other, then three... total of fifteen per side. I apply some pressure, but make sure I don't lift the back of the knife up appreciably so I can avoid rounding the edge. Two keys to stropping; thin leather and steady movement that doesn't lift the back of the blade as you pull it across the strop.

I also use a small piece of basswood that has flexcut gold rubbed on it for my detail knife. This knife is very thin and flexible, so I need to be careful about rounding, and the basswood with compound works well.

As I said, this is what I do; others may do differently. Try several different things and see if one of them keeps your blades sharper. Use that one.

Claude