Grit of leather/synthetic
I use the Shapton series from 4k to 30k but - and I know many sharpening purists disagree - I can't obtain a really sharp edge unless I go to .25 diamond.
Abrasive experts claim that the best way to sharpen with diamond paste is to lap the straight on glass. It doesn't work all that well, primarily because there are so many variations in geometry over the length of a blade and because there is no "feel".
So, I have been stropping on leather paddle and hanging strops charged with .25 diamond. Am I defeating the purpose of using .25 diamond on leather because the leather is more abrasive than the paste? Does anyone know the abrasive qualities of leathers, specifically in terms of micron or grit sizes?
I would prefer a synthetic material in which the abrasive qualities are known and consistent, but all of the synthetic strops I have been able to find are backed on wood, which seems counterproductive to me, given wood's tendency to cup, etc. I would think that adhering a synthetic material to a glass plate would be preferable. Can someone recommend a good synthetic material with a known abrasive quality (less than .25 micron)?
No advanatage to rough out leathers
Thanks, Tony. I see no advantage to using rough out leathers, then, which will always have a tendency - with no matter how deft a touch - to spring up and round the edge. So why not always use just as dense and hard a leather as one can obtain, since it will always hold enough of a charge to stop with? I see your site is shut down for ordering until the 7th, but are your products available for viewing elsewhere?