Leo,
That is exactly where I got my last batch... in the sample packs. They don't match up exactly with the pre-cut strips, but there is enough variety to do a good progression.
Thanks for posting the link.

Phil

wickededge wrote:


Count me in for a set or two. I am very much interested in sets of Blank Handles for the WE. There is a related topic here somewhere about the site BSS (Best Sharpening Systems).. I found Blanks advertised on that site and I ordered some. But, of course, the were never shipped to me. The details on that is best left to the other topic thread. Anyway, long story short, if WE will offer them, it will be a service to me and many others. Thanks -Dan

What I have been doing is using a a set of strops that I nicked really badly and taping 1500 and 2000 grit sandpaper to them to use while awaiting my ceramic paddles. Originally, I had been taping the sandpaper to my 800/1000 paddles .... but found that the pliability of the leather worked a little better, in that it gave me better options for applying varying amounts of pressure. I then ordered a couple sets of blank handles and bought some latigo belt leather strips (which is a littler more durable than the premium cowhide used in the stock strops) to try. I cut and glued (Elmer's Glue All) the strips to the blank handles and have been using them as additional strops and will use them for sandpaper/lapping film if/when them become damaged.

DennisHibar wrote:


I understand exactly what you mean. Every time I nick my leather I think "great, I am just that much closer to converting these handles!" .. but seriously I am going to get a set of blanks today and mount my favorite strop material to them., After I get it all up and running i will post a few photos and test results here on this forum. For several years I have been using Spanish Cedar wood strips with my bench stones as a final polish. I still use leather for *some* knives, but not all.

Spanish Cedar is commonly found in high quality Cigar Boxes. If you consult your local Cigar Store you can usually pick up old empty boxes for a buck or two. Not all of these boxes are created equal. Look for the ones that have separate slat-type inserts of that wood. The face of these inserts is usually sanded smooth and the dimensions are about as shown in this attached photo. The advantage of this material is that it is readily available, cheap, and the grain and nature of the wood retains the abrasive compound well, and its surface has low compliance to pressure deformation. Since you can easily obtain many samples of these wood slats, you can experiment with lots of different compounds, which is fun to do. Balsa is used by some for strops, but I find it too soft and it deforms, which is the same negative property as leather: it is very difficult to impossible to prevent turning your edge into anything but convex with the use of strop surfaces that are not flat, and of course, leather is in no way flat. It is, rather, a high compliance material that deforms under pressure.

DennisHibar wrote:


I do the same. I have sandpaper up to P2500 grit. You should note however that the grit sizes of the sandpaper do not match the ANSI system sizes used by Wicked Edge. For example, the finest sandpaper I have, P2500, has a particle size of about 8 microns, which is about equivalent to the Wicked Edge 1000 grit stones. Sandpaper is very handy for stropping convex edges. I use it on leather, as you do, and I might try to make a neoprene-backed sandpaper strop to emulate the "mouse mat and sandpaper" method for sharpening convex edges.

leomitch wrote:


Thanks, Leo! I'll probably order some lapping sheets from them soon. Sandpaper works fine at lower grit sizes, but it comes nowhere near the 0.3 microns at which lapping sheets are available,. And lapping sheets are apparently impossible to get in Europe. Do you mount these lapping sheets to stones or strops?

I would definitely be interested in some lapping film w/ a sticky back and some blanks... anyone know where we can get & assemble the materials? (obviously I know the blanks from WE). I am mainly interested in lapping film 1 micron and less as I already have the 5k/10k choseras. The issue I have w/ the strops is that they are VERY slow working... even after a fresh paste/spray. I am hoping to post 230x photos soon to show what I mean.