[mbevington]

I am thinking about putting a Scary Sharp system together and have a question about sharping a carving knife with the system. All the pictures I see the sandpaper is side by side or the sandpaper is off the edge of the glass. Do you put the sandpaper on the edge so you can draw your knife on the sandpaper?
Thanks
Mark

[BobD]

For my Scary Sharp system I cut several strips of MDF about 3" x 6"...that way they're more like sharpening stones and can use them for my knives!

Ev Ellenwood suggested the MDF; the manufacturing process produces nearly 100% flat surfaces, and it's less likely to slice you open. For most carving tools, you don't need it to be 100% flat like you wood if you were sharpening bench chisels of plane irons!

Bob

[mbevington]

Thanks Bob, I even have MDF setting around from a shelving project.