My Grandfather was an old school German butcher. He schooled me from a very early age about good steel and the proper ways to sharpen and maintain a properly sharp tool. (from plane irons, to kitchen knives to lawn mower blades) If it wasn't "properly sharp" Grandpa would give you the stink eye. (in a loving informational kinda way)...66 years later, I can proudly sharpen tools to a degree that would easily shave the hair off of a gnats arse...Thanks, grandpa. I wouldn't be half the man I am if it weren't for your loving and patient guidance...Thanks too for the Swiss Army knife. It is now sharp enough to shave dust

One way to tell if your blade needs a little more than just a strop is if it leaves a small line or two in the wood where you just cut. This indicates you might have small dings in your edge - often that can’t easily be seen with your eyes. You might need to go back to 220, 320 or 400 grit sandpaper to get the ding out of that edge, then strop.

I'm glad to hear you say a dozen different grits isn't necessary for a good edge.

I was seriously just thinking about this subject. Been whittling for about a year now. Just flat blade. Love your content. Would be interested in my knife carvings.

I bought some sharpening stones in Amazon and they have different grits. Had to submerse them in water for a while before using them. It was pretty cool, and it worked pretty well. I was wary of just using sand paper but I'm glad to know that's an option.

I agree I get a Full knife and can not Get is sharp lol I learned 30’years ago

great video. I have been carving for three years and have seen a bunch of sharpening video's however I don't thin one can see to many of these. There is always a tidbit here or there. Thank you,

Good presentation! Thank you.

Thankyou. Great information ❤❤

Good info! Do you use the smooth (skin) side or the rough (suede) side of the leather on your strop? Lee Valley sells a strop with the leather not attached to the handle so you get to choose which side you want to use and then attach it yourself.

Please provide a specific link to the Green honing compound you personally prefer and use?... Thanks

Do you have any tip videos for gauges?

Do you do any maintenance on the strop itself outside of changing one out when it is too worn? Should we worry about compound build up?

@ivannovak5987

5 ай бұрын

You don't really need to worry about cleaning your strop. You can always just scrape it with the back of your knife and reapply. If the compound is flaking or something you can use a hair dryer to heat the compound and spread it out. It's really hard to wear out a strop. It can last for decades.

@dylantano8138

5 ай бұрын

@@ivannovak5987 Thanks!

I'd ask you before how thick should a carving knife be.I just carefully thin down a Beaver Craft.blade that greatly improved it I don't have better to compare to but order 3 blades from Badger State Blades, and they are getting good reviews .I believe they will be really good blades, and good tools are safer tools Alex, you have been inspiring me, and I am getting almost good enough to add.carving to my furniture building skills, thanks

what about for gouges? should they also be sharpened every other carving or every carving. Its the same process right just making sure to get all the way around the curve to sharpen it

i recently got a 5mm v gouge and the side of the strop doesnt really fit inside the inside area should i just not strop the inside area?

Alex different manufacturers green color represents for which ever grit they choose it varies between manufacturers.

Alec, you made a statement several times that I did not understand. You said to strop every carving. What did you mean? When character carving I usually strop about every 30 minutes. When chip carving, I have to strop every 15 to 20 minutes. So how frequently do you strop?

I strop a lot. Have a diamond stone for ouch’s 😂

So busssssssss

Alec the link is missing ??

@AlecLaCasseArt

5 ай бұрын

Fixed, thank you!

👍👍👍👍🍺😎

As a professional I can say many things is incorrect here.