Stropping for new and hard to match blade shapes.

[firewoodstudio]

I had just posted this in another topic, thought others would like to see it.

One of the things I do for new tools and others that may be hard to keep sharp due to the shape of the blades. I take the tools , when they are sharp, with a block of bass wood I cut groves in the block with them, and then mark what groves are for what tools. Then when I need to strop them, I get some stropping compound and work it in the grove and strop the tool to the matching grove. Try it you might be suprised how simple and easy it is.

[whitecree]

Interesting. I'll have to try that with my straight blades. Thanks for the tip!

[firewoodstudio]

whitecree for Straight blades all you need is a flat smoth piece of any kind of wood.
Cutting the groves with your V tools and your gouges The shape will be there for honing them.

[whitecree]

Okay, I stand corrected. If I ever get any chisel type tools, I'll give this a whirl. I use mostly knives of various shapes and sizes.