Knife stropping/polishing

[BrokenBiker]

Just a quick one.

With regards to stropping a sharp blade, would it be feasible to polish the edge (along with the rest of the blade) with a buffing wheel rather than using a leather strop on a board?

Ive got a couple (well, 12 to be exact) of new carbon blades that need a touch up before being used and am wondering if a dremel and some autosol would speed the process up

 

[Swift&Bold]

......I've used cardboard and autosol on carving chisels before.

 

[BrokenBiker]

......I've used cardboard and autosol on carving chisels before.

I use autosol on my leather strop as a compound...

Just trying to figure out if the buffing wheel in a demel would round the edge over or not...im stoning them all at once which will takr enough time, buynif it rolls the edge ober its a waste as i will have to stone it again

 

[Swift&Bold]

I'd be inclined to use something straight and long (Ooo-Errr, Phnar-Phnar))

 

[BrokenBiker]

Might try it on one of my cheap stainless blades first...

 

[Parm]

Dremmel buffing ŵheel will be far too small and likely result in a mishap.

Bigger size buffing ŵheel say 6" diamter is best. If you don't have this then lomg flat surface as suggested as above

 

[fixerupper]

I think I need something flat as possible to strop a blade .. jeff

 

[mpats]

My tormek has a leather buffing wheel on one side but as Parm says, it's quite a large wheel. Works nicely on turning chisels but I must admit to not having used it on a knife.

 

[the snooper]

the dremel buffing wheel will fall apart in no time at all

 

[BrokenBiker]

Well...just tried on an old blade i dont use...

Stoned it as normal and then used the dremel...the wheel held up as i matched the rotation so it was always going with the edge so to speak...lovely polish at the end, but, not so sharp.

Stoned it again quickly to touch it up and then stropped as normal on leather with some autosol rubbed in and after a few strokes its shaving sharp...

Think ive answered my own question and the dremel isnt the tool for the job.

Good for shining the flat part of the blade though

Might see if i can get a wheel for my bench grinder amd try that ad once they are sharp i like to strop them after use, seems to hold an edge longer than honing them

 

[mpats]

Only thing I would mention is speed, I got the Tormek for woodturning tools. It does not turn quickly like my normal bench grinder, water cooled on the stone side. Not suited to changing tip profiles or bevel angles or anything like that but brilliant at keeping a sharp edge. Leather side obviously turns at the same speed, used with the polishing/buffing compound it does a nice job of honing an edge.
If you can get a slow enough motor, or motor/gearbox combo you could knock one up pretty easily I'd have thought.