MAINTAIN your WOODCARVING knife like this (Don't FALL Behind)
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- Опубліковано 9 лют 2025
- If you want to learn how to maintain the edge of a woodcarving knife, follow along with woodcarver Blake Lunsford as he shows you his way to strop a knife. Using a leather strop, some stropping compound, and proper technique, you will see that you can return your woodcarving knife to a factory edge with just a little effort.
**You may need to use abrasives to remove chips in your blade or fix a broken tip. This video is intended for maintenance purposes only.
If you are a beginning woodcarver, check out how to carve a santa ornament
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The "barber roll". Great technique buddy !
Yes sir....that is the way to go! We've heard that one for years.
Nice to see a fresh one, brother! 🤘🏻
Thank you Michael! I appreciate you following along!
Thank you for the wonderful carving tip .. more please.
Absolutely!!
Thanks Blake I learned a new way to maintain my edge 👍👍😇
Fantastic! I hope it was beneficial!!!
Great video Blake. Some good tips
Thanks Kevin! Just some quick tips!
Picked up some good tips from this video Blake ... excellent.
Thanks my friend!!
Interesting technique to prevent rolling the blade! Thanks for all you do for the carving community, Blake. Best regards, Dana
Absolutely! I hope it is beneficial! Thanks for following along Dana!
Thanks Blake! Nicely done. Good to see another video from you.
Thank you! I hope to start doing a few more quick tips for the woodcarver. I appreciate you following along!
Love your videos. I hope you keep them coming and thank you for taking the time.
Absolutely! Thanks so much for the feedback!
Thanks for the tips Blake
Absolutely! Thanks for taking a look!!
Just found this video, I'm definitely trying this next time I strop my blade!
I like it.
Thank you!
I'm struggling with keeping a sharp knife. Thanks for sharing. I'm struggling because I've only been doing this for about a month now. I know time will teach me a lot but this kind of video sure does help. Oh and the sound that knife makes cutting wood is so relaxing to me..❤️
Thanks for following along! I appreciate the feedback! Let me know if I can help with your carving journey!
A little late coming, but, that is a genius tip.... flipping the blade on its spine during stropping.
Thanks Blake
Absolutely! Over time it will help keep your knife sharp and keep you from rolling the edge. Thanks for following along!
Great video! I’ll have to try that technique out!
Thank you!!
Great info ! Thank you
Thanks so much!!
Nice video!
Thanks so much brother! Just a little tip!!
Thanks for the tip Blake. Have you ever done a video on sharpening gouges?
Not yet, but I may do one! I hope this video is beneficial!
Flexcut compound is Aluminum oxide and Titanium mix.
I’m late but man you are so helpful it ain’t even funny no seriously thank you so much Blake I love back tracking all of your videos!!! One question do I spray some bass wood I have that’s too hard with ? What mixture ? Thank u again brother
You definitely can spray it with a mixture of rubbing alcohol and water and that will help to soften it. I think the longer wood sits, the harder it gets.
Thanks so much for the kind comments. You can also find more content over on International Association of Wood Carvers. Thanks!!
Thanks Blake. I appreciate how carvers are willing to share information with those who are just starting. Have you ever tried Zam as a sharpening compound? I just got some the other day to give it a whirl. I have heard good things. The green compound I got with my Dockyard set works well but it is so messy!
I have tried Zam and it works great! It seems to stick to the strop a little better too. Definitely a good option!
You sir are a genius or know 1 that showed you this trick lol..thanks again Blake!
Thanks Gary! You can do it other ways, but this way helps you maintain the blade's edge and will make your tools last longer before having to put it on a stone.
when using a wax based compound like Flexcut's , is it a good idea to clean the strop after a period of time ???
Once you get a significant buildup on the strop, I would recommend scraping it off and reloading it. It will give you better results if you do this!
Blake question hopefully you still get questions even though it’s not a recent post.
I was stropping away from the cutting edge. You ran blade towards the cutting edge with the longer blade and I believe away from on the the small blade knife?
I must have watched to many westerns where the barber ran the blade backwards and just flowed with the curve of of the belt?
I see your using a solid surface too!
Man no wonder I wasn’t getting any where?
Even my hunting knives I run on a wheel with the blade being sharpened from a rearward angle ?
Help !
Well I just re watched it .
Man with the curve on those blades I was convinced you were pushing towards edge .
I was wrong!
I know you told me that but never hurts to hear you were right
Hey! I am actually pulling with the spine side leading, keeping the bevel flat to the strop. Imagine the strop pulling the micro-fibers out of the "teeth" of the cutting edge. I flip the knife on the spine so as not to roll the edge. That small blade is a little upsweep and may be a bit misleading.
Hope this helps!
@@lunsfordcarvings
Ok thanks, it really looked like you were pushing into the cutting edge, rather than dragging causing the small burr
Thanks. Yes it helped
thank you for sharing @Blake Lunsford, where can I get that aluminum oxide powder?
I bought mine through Smoky Mountain Woodcarvers. Maybe check with Greg Dorrance and see if they carry it.
Thank you for the help, appreciate it very much
I can't believe I've never though about rolling it on the spine. Wow. Genius.
How much pressure do you put on the knife when you strop?
I put enough pressure to feel like the edge of the blade is getting buffed, but not so much that it may roll or damage the edge.
@@lunsfordcarvings Great! Thanks Blake.
I noticed there are different "grits" for aluminum oxide powder. which one do you suggest? So sorry I am new to wood carving. Thank You so much for your videos.
I'm unsure the grit. I purchased it at a woodcarving show in Charlotte NC and it was what they were providing for carvers. If you can't find that, I would try zam buffing compound.
The Barbers Roll!!! Blake, are you raising the spine slightly and how many times do you move the blade back and forth in your routine stropping session? Some say to lay it dead flat but I find that I don't always sharpen the cutting edge, just polish the blade sides.
That’s right! I usually strop 12-15 times per side and check the edge, and may repeat if I feel like it needs it. I do try to find the bevel with a slight tilt so you can pull those fibers out of the micro-teeth of the blade.
@@lunsfordcarvings Thanks Blake.
I use the Flex Cut gold, but it clumps unevenly on my strop. Any suggestions on how to avoid that? Thanks for the tip. I'll try the spine roll next time I strop.
I try to put it on like a crayon but sometimes it clumps also. I've started using a product called ZAM with good results and no clumping. Try that. It is worth the money to purchase it!
How do I upload photos of my woodcarvings??
How much pressure?
I would apply enough pressure to feel like you are cleaning those wood fibers out of the teeth of the knife. Use consistent pressure on both sides, but not so much that you would damage your blade.
What micron/grit, Aluminium oxide would i buy please?