Thread: Touch-up question

How many laps on what grit is good for a touch up on an edge? I'm starting to feel the need for a little work on my wapi. Last time I went through two of Lynn's honing pyramids and got it back, but I want to catch the edge before it needs all that work again, if I can. I'm thinking 12k stone, diamond paddle and then leather strop should do it, I just don't know the laps for the stone or if I can do it like that. Do I have to go through a whole sharpening again?

Originally Posted by maplemaker

How many laps on what grit is good for a touch up on an edge? I'm starting to feel the need for a little work on my wapi. Last time I went through two of Lynn's honing pyramids and got it back, but I want to catch the edge before it needs all that work again, if I can. I'm thinking 12k stone, diamond paddle and then leather strop should do it, I just don't know the laps for the stone or if I can do it like that. Do I have to go through a whole sharpening again?

Hi.

Use a diamond pasted paddle strop or better yet, a CrO pasted paddle strop. Then hit the linen and then the leather.
How many laps on the paddle? Few. Try 10. If it's not good, try another 10 and so on.

You can maintain a good edge with just the Chinese 12k, though it may take quite a few laps.

Most natural stones don't form a wire edge like the nortons do, so counting the number pf passes is not as crucial. Just start with like 50 passes, I "test shave" a small portion of my fore arm (the underside that has finer hair, and isn't as visible) to see whether the edge is progressing or not. I've heard of guys doing a couple hundred passes on the Chinese 12k and getting good results, so I'd say give it a shot.

BAH!!!

Underside of your arm??? I've been playing with my hones. My left arm only has hair about 1/4" long. I shaved it all off and had to start with the right arm.

Thanks for the info about the 12k. Do people shave right off the 12k, or do they hit the Cr and leather after the 12k?

You can just use plain leather after the 12k, or CrO if you want.

If the diamond paddle is .5 micron, you can just try 10 light strokes and then strop and test. If the 12K is a Chinese, it may take 20 or so strokes and then follow with the .5, strop and test.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Lynn

Thanks, guys. Took it to the diamond balsa last night and that's all it needed.

Of course it depends on what you're "touching-up" with:

Coticule, Chinese 12K, pasted anything (paddle or hanging strop), etc.

I was using, and I still do to an extent, a hanging linen with Chromium Oxide. I would use 6, 12, 18, or maybe 20 (at the most) laps. Checking as I go.

For a little bit more aggressive "touch-ups", I'll do perhaps 12, 16, 18, or 24 (at the most)laps on the 16K Shapton on glass stone, followed by perhaps 6, 12, 18, 20, or 24 (at the most) laps on the Japanese Nakayama, with no Chromium Oxide follow up.

* All of this is followed by at least 100 laps on the strops. I do a minimum of 60 on the Red Latigo (Cowhide), and a minimum of 40 laps on the Horsehide, cleaning the edge between strops.

** Now, how's that for compulsive behavior? This really works for me, though!

You have to find what works best for you, and what you are comfortable with. This is just some of the stuff I am now doing. This can change at anytime.

Regards,

Steve