Official Luthiers Forum!

Well my mail person brought me an unexpected box today and I am thrilled at the contents.

The other day JJ and I were talking about sharpening.  I mentioned that typically I sharpen, with wet stones, my chisels and planes after every two guitars that I build.  I also mentioned that I am now able to sharpen to the point where the blades will pop hairs off from the backs of my hands.

JJ asked me if I "stropped."  I didn't know what stropping is/was and he explained it to me that it will prolong the edge on tools.  And then we moved on to another topic.

Today in the mail I received this "hand made"....... stropping station complete with additional compound and some very clear instructions from JJ.  So clear in fact as to even indicate where I might "store" this device when not in use.......  This is why the note is not being posted.......

This thing is beautifully made and more importantly it works like a charm.  I took my favorite chisel and prior to stropping it would no longer pop hairs off my hand.  I followed JJ's instructions, except the part on where I could stick this thing when not in use......., and now this chisel is again popping hairs off my hand.

Many thanks JJ - you are a wonderful guy and a true freind.

Check it out:

_________________
Ann Arbor Guitars

Glad you like it Heshie...enjoy!

_________________
JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Sweeeet.

_________________
My Facebook Guitar Page

"There's really no wrong way, as long as the results are what's desired." Charles Fox

"We have to constantly remind ourselves what we're doing....No Luthier is putting a man on the moon!" Harry Fleishman

"Generosity is always different in the eye of the person who didn't receive anything, but who wanted some." Waddy Thomson

Hesh-
Nice addition to the workshop!
It does have some yukky green stuff on it right now, though. I suggest you pop it in the dishwasher after each use, to keep it to the same standard as the rest of your shop!
Cheers
John

Whats it made from (leather?) what do you use as a polish.

more importantly can we make make one of these at home.

I could do with a new strop

Joel

[QUOTE=joelThompson] Whats it made from (leather?) what do you use as a polish.

more importantly can we make make one of these at home.

I could do with a new strop

Joel[/QUOTE]
Joel-
No doubt Hesh will be along with the details shortly.

I'm still using my homemade strop from years ago- about 2.5 x 8.5 inches, plywood with leather glued to it. For leather, sometimes you can find a wide leather belt or a good quality handbag at the thrift shop. Of course if you have a leathercraft store nearby they will fix you up. For compound, I use jewellers rouge and lately have been trying out the LeeValley green honing compound. Both work.



BTW, LeeValley sells a 1" leather belt that goes on a 1x30 or 1x42 belt sander which you can use for honing. I find that it is 'somewhat' useful for putting an edge on utility knives and the like, but it tends to round over the edge on chisels, so I do the 'good stuff' by hand.

Cheers
John

I'm hesitant to mention this, but the optional stropping plate on the WorkSharp 3000 works great too. 

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Oh, Nice score, Hesh  

Top Drawer, JJ. 

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

Waddy-


I think you need to get a ruling from the 'Ethics Police' on that!!



Cheers
John

Yeah, I probably should have run that by the Equipment Police before posting.

By the way, I have a hand stropping board too.  I use it often.  It is great to have at hand for a quick refresh.

_________________
Waddy

Photobucket Build Album Library

Sound Clips of most of my guitars

When i was a kid I use to watch the barber do this to his straight razor before shaving the back of my neck. He used to rub something on the strop that hung from the chair arm. He explained that it would remove the burrs that built up from using the razor and keep it razor sharp. It wasn't till years later i understood what burrs were.

_________________
Guitars, guitars and more guitars.

[QUOTE=WaddyT] I'm hesitant to mention this, but the optional stropping plate on the WorkSharp 3000 works great too. 
[/QUOTE]
WaddyT i'm still waiting on the missing parts so I haven't had a chance to use. Woodcraft called and told me that parts will come from the worksharp factory. I'm dying to check it out so I hope they get here soon. I think I'll buy the stropping plate too.

_________________
Guitars, guitars and more guitars.

I strop about every 10 minutes during heavy usage...it really makes a difference. I clamp mine to a bench surface close to where I'm working and take a few swipes on both sides.

_________________
JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

I'm with Waddy on the WS3000 - I have a full set of Norton water stones and regularly go back to the strop to hone the edges.  I use my hand tools a LOT, and if they're not sharp, so sharp I can use one for a mirror while I shave with the other, (and that's not a boast, they really are!) then they go back to the strop. 

After I found the WS3000, I really cut my sharpening time down, and have the same or better quality edge.  I teach woodworking part time at a woodworking school, and we teach the "traditional" methods of sharpening with Shapton Japanese Ceramic stones.  Its probably the best edge I've ever seen on a tool, but it takes too darn long to get it that way.  I'd rather be building...

 

[QUOTE=joelThompson]Whats it made from (leather?) what do you use as a polish.



more importantly can we make make one of these at home.



I could do with a new strop



Joel[/QUOTE]

Joel sorry buddy it took me a while to see your question.

Yes you can make your own but JJ made mine so perhaps he will explain how he makes these please?

Also I would need JJ to answer the question as to what the green compound is as well.

_________________
Ann Arbor Guitars

Joel, I can help you out a bit. It's tooling leather. If you need a piece I can send you some. JJ will have to answer the polishing paste question though.

_________________
Aoibeann

The green compound is from Lee Valley and it's simply called "Honing Compound".

I'm sure it has a measured abrasive particle size but I don't have that information.

Lillian's right on the leather. I simply glue it (Titebond, I think) to a dead flat piece of 3/4" Baltic Birch Plywood. I put compuond on one side and leave the other untreated. I swipe the bevel and back against the treated side a few times and once or twice on the untreated side.

BTW...NEVER push the blade along the leather...always pull it toward you.

_________________
JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

"what the green compound is as well."

Hesh,

It's Green Chrome Rouge. It's used a lot by custom knifemakers. You can also get it at most knifemaker supply places. Google is your friend.

"what the green compound is as well."

Hesh,

It's Green Chrome Rouge. It's used a lot by custom knifemakers. You can also get it at most knifemaker supply places. Google is your friend.

I must say that I'm really quite surprised this is the first time you guys are discovering the strop!

It is one of the most important tools on my bench.  I discovered it via a wood carver freind of mine while trimming my first top to size. He took what I thought was a dang sharp chisel, touched it up with 400, 600, 800, 1000 and 1200 and 2000 grit sand paper in the same manner we level a finish.   Then he took some 600 grit aluminum oxide powder, charged his leather strop with it (by pouring some on the leather) and proceded to put a mirror finish on the blade.

When I tried the blade again, it carved the spruce top overhang like butter and I nicked the side of the guitar. 

According to him, the key to the sharpening is to put a mirror finish on the edge with the strop.   As you dull the edge, re poish it and it will be razor sharp again.

I went to an antique store and bought an old (but unused) barber's strop for $12 and now have it clamped to the work bench and use it about every 15 minutes or so.  Just a few swipes and the edge is back.  I use a chunk of extra fine polishing compound from my buffing wheel to charge it every month or so (or whenever it doesn't seem to be doing the trick.)

Dave

 

Lilian,
Thanks for the offer to send me some thats very kind but i wont put you out.
i think i have the perfect peice in my workshop.

Allthough i use jap waterstones to hone with i think i may give this a go to
keep my blades tuned whilst working.

joel.

If I recall correctly we just about had Todd talked into a hand sharpening
tutorial. Seems he was going to get Chris to man the cam. Chris will prolly
be heading south for the winter soon (xmas break), so he should get on the
stick! (no pressure)

Its all good. Next year is only two weeks out! I'm only about an hour out
from Todd, any extended delay after the ball drops and I'll come clean his
shop out myself!!

Todd, I'd love more info on whatever you're currently doing. I remember
in a thread I dug up in the archives in which you mentioned going back to
a Norton 1000/8000 waterstone.     

I picked up a King 1000/4000 as my first stone and get decent results,
but nothing that feels razor sharp. I worked a dip into the 1000 side by
trying to use it to change the bevel of the chisels before reading that it
should be done with 200 grit paper or so. I'm using the Veritas Mark 2
guide.