Affording good sharpening stones

[Timberwolf]

From some of the threads I've read that's likely a safe strategy! lol It's just confusing since "fine" varies so much. Like bandit571's post. I went looking for what he had and for whatever reason assumed he was talking about the Norton 8 x 3 medium india stone. Well, those are actually 220, not the 600 medium that he has. 

When you powerstrop, how do you do that? Are you taking like a 80rpm thing or 3450?

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BOTH.........I have always been obsessed with sharpening since I was a boy, and have been experimenting with different methods for many years. First starting with muslin buffs on a bench grinder..I have many different machines..., some of which I cobbled together..Have a Worksharp, a Veritas MK!!, Tormek, Jet wet-wheel, grizzly upright 73" belt grinder, two slo-speed 30" belt grinders, a 30" belt grinder from HF and a 42I vintage 42" belt grinder, and a Foley diamond grinder for HSS and carbide...Also use leather wheels for power stropping, which I made...I guess I should count the machines someday.....
I will post a photo later of one I made and use most often. I will say that power stropping, when done correctly, produces the sharpest edges I have ever seen in the shortest amount of time. BUT done incorrectly, it can ruin an edge even faster!!!!.It's a technique that must be understood and practiced correctly each time.

[C. in Indy]

Re:  Power stropping,   I have done a modicum of this with about a 4" - 5" purchased wheel by the name of PowerStrop.   This one I believe is recommended to stay under ~ 600 rpm to avoid overheating the steel edge.

I also have a 42" strip sander for which 42" leather stropping belts exist.  I haven't tried that yet, but the idea is appealing to me.  I would assume there would also be a "best" lineal rate of belt travel to get a good polish without overheating.

[Robin Dobbie]

Pictures! Yes! Sounds like a shop tour would be a cool video, too.

High speed stropping sounds fast. The drawback being the fine, impossible-to-clean black dust that I've heard will coat the entire surrounding area. Or is that just with buffing?

Another controversy I've been reading about involves whether or not to oil the strop. I didn't oil mine since it's just cereal box paperboard. Which seems to work, at least so far. Cost less than MDF and It's as flat as what it's set on. I wouldn't mind a faster method, but it's fast enough if I've come off the 5000 stone. With just the 1000, it takes a bit longer than I'd like.

[Robin Dobbie]

  This one I believe is recommended to stay under ~ 600 rpm to avoid overheating the steel edge.

Yeah I noticed I was heating up the tip of the chisel. I didn't even expect that with hand stropping. But I was thinking at 3450 the job would be done almost instantly?

[Timberwolf]

Re:  Power stropping,   I have done a modicum of this with about a 4" - 5" purchased wheel by the name of PowerStrop.   This one I believe is recommended to stay under ~ 600 rpm to avoid overheating the steel edge.

I also have a 42" strip sander for which 42" leather stropping belts exist.  I haven't tried that yet, but the idea is appealing to me.  I would assume there would also be a "best" lineal rate of belt travel to get a good polish without overheating.

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I have two slow-speed belt machines...one I designed and built and one made by a company called "Loray"......both carry a 30" belt and both are horizontal and run at ~1,000 Feet per minute...the slow speed makes for better control...but the heat generated is controlled by the operator...You can overheat with either low or high speed. High speed takes more finesse..

I always oil the leather occasionally ...any oil will work...It helps the leather "absorb" and hold the polish better, IMO.

[hbmcc]

I read somewhere that it's a good idea to buy the coarsest grits of water stones, up to 1000~2000, in pairs. Use them to flatten each other, then you have two flat stones to use. I don't use water stones, nor oil stones, but apparently the stones aren't flattened often enough.

My solution: buy two sets of tools and switch when one gets duller than the other. 

[Rob Young]

I read somewhere that it's a good idea to buy the coarsest grits of water stones, up to 1000~2000, in pairs. Use them to flatten each other, then you have two flat stones to use. I don't use water stones, nor oil stones, but apparently the stones aren't flattened often enough.

My solution: buy two sets of tools and switch when one gets duller than the other. 

Have you tried rubbing the tools on each other?

[Robin Dobbie]

I think if you have a tormek you're supposed to rub two tools on each other.

[AHill]

I read somewhere that it's a good idea to buy the coarsest grits of water stones, up to 1000~2000, in pairs. Use them to flatten each other, then you have two flat stones to use. I don't use water stones, nor oil stones, but apparently the stones aren't flattened often enough.

My solution: buy two sets of tools and switch when one gets duller than the other. 

You need three stones to do that.  If one of the two stones isn't flat, rubbing them together will create two stones that aren't flat.  They do make flattening stones.  I use a diamond plate, which retains its flatness over time.  Others use coarser grit sandpaper mounted a granite plate.  It's not necessary to buy duplicates of any stones you have.

[AHill]

I think if you have a tormek you're supposed to rub two tools on each other.

That tool merely changes the "grit" of the Tormek from medium to fine.  Flattening a Tormek wheel requires a truing tool.