{"id":971,"date":"2020-12-06T11:33:11","date_gmt":"2020-12-06T08:33:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/woodiswood.com\/?p=971"},"modified":"2022-09-07T12:01:01","modified_gmt":"2022-09-07T09:01:01","slug":"the-guide-to-leather-sharpening-knives-and-wood-carving-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/woodiswood.com\/the-guide-to-leather-sharpening-knives-and-wood-carving-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"The Guide To Leather Sharpening Knives and Wood Carving Tools"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Sharpening your tools with a leather strop at the end will leave you with a sharp edge no matter the type of tool that you are using. Except for a good finish, leather sharpening can also be an alternative to the whole sharpening routine and be sufficient to sharpen your knife only by using the leather strop. In this article, we will teach you exactly how to sharpen your tools with leather correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To sharpen your knife or chisel with a leather strop you need to run it up and down the leather around 22 times having the edge at a 10\u00b0 angle and applying the right pressure. Depending on how sharp you want the knife, you will change to a higher grit compound on your leather strops in ascending order.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sharpening your tools the best way is not only a question of convenience but also of the quality that your carvings acquire and of course your own safety. Below we put together everything you need to know about leather sharpening in an easy to read step by step guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Leather Sharpen a Wood Carving Knife In 6 Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Before we get into the steps of sharpening your wood carving knife we must first note the distinction between the different grits that leather strops may have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The grit of the leather strop depends on the compound<\/strong> that has been applied to it. Manufacturers color-code it, where each color represents a certain grit. Unfortunately, there is no standard as to what colors correspond to a grit, usually black is the heaviest grit, white is the finest and everything in between is up to the brand you are using.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The reason leather strops have different colors is that the compound that has been applied to them provides them with a different grit. <\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

You can buy compound and apply it to the leather strop yourself by rubbing it in (either side of the leather) like you would be using chalk, or you can buy strops that already are covered in compound. If you would like to purchase any of the two, check out our recommendations from Amazon :<\/p>\n\n\n\n