SIDE EDGE SHARPENING

NotVerySharp wrote:

I have a 10 ” blade. I understand there are some who prefer an edge leading stroke, and some prefer an edge trailing stroke. My question is, what would a strictly horizontal stroke do, one left and right, no upward motion?

It’s a great technique for producing a highly polished bevel but is really bad along the edge because large sections of the edge can be ripped out. I do use it  a lot when I’m going for high polish and am adding a micro-bevel. I’ll grind the primary bevel close to the apex, but without actually reaching the edge, with coarse stones, then I’ll progress up through the grits with horizontal strokes (parallel to the edge) until I get to the level of polish I want. Then I’ll widen the angle and apply the micro-bevel with slanted or vertical strokes.

Mark76 wrote:

But what are the chances of ripping out a horizontal section of an edge when applying, Clay? I think they are very low, particularly when compared to an edge-trailing horizontal stroke,

Mark,

I’m not sure I understand your question correctly. So far my experience shows that horizontal/edge parallel strokes along the edge tear out chunks and that diagonal or perpendicular strokes do not. Is that what you’re asking?

Mark76 wrote:

Yeah, that’s what I’m asking. It’s just that I have hardly ever noticed this. It’s also hard to imagine why. You put force over the entire (horizontal part) of the blade, so there is not one place where the force is concentrated. Also, these strokes are very similar to “your” normal stokes which seem to work very well. I did notice edge tear out chucks when using vertical edge-trailing strokes.

That’s interesting. Once things settle down around here I’ll start a little study. I first noticed the chunks being torn out with the horizontal strokes when Cliff Curry mentioned it a while back.