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T H E H A N D C A R V E D B O W L

Chapter 3 | S H A R P E N I N G

tools with consistency and speed.

Those just starting out may find

that abrasive paper and stones are

more than enough, but if you’ve

got a good deal of tools that need

work, this could definitely move

things along quickly.

STROPS

A strop is simply a piece of leather

or a wood block loaded with hon-

ing compound used to put the final

polishing touch on a sharp tool,

or to keep it sharp while carving.

Some companies sell raw leather

pieces, others offer them attached

to a substrate. Early on I used an

old belt and it worked just fine.

Honing Compound

Honing compound is a fine abra-

sive that typically comes in a stick

that looks like a thick, rectangular

crayon (K), but may also be avail-

able as a paste. It can be applied

to the leather quite like a crayon

as well, and reapplied if needed.

The most common colors are

green (chromium oxide) and white

(aluminum oxide), though these

colors are not always indicative of

a consistent grit or composition. I

use green compound for all of my

strops and am very happy with it.

Leather Strop

As with all things sharpening,

there are lots of differing opinions

about what side of the leather to

use. I’ve always used the rougher

side with a light touch and have

been happy with the results, but

many people use the smooth side,

also with great results. Pushing

too hard into the leather, rough or

smooth, could cause the freshly

sharpened edge to round over.

For most gouges, I use a small

square of leather, rough side up.

Address the back of the tool while

the leather lies flat, using the same

motion used for sharpening. Move

in only one direction, not back and

forth, to prevent the leather from

moving around. Use the bevel to

register the tool against the strop

before you begin, taking care to

avoid tilting the tool and rounding

the edge. Pull the tool toward you

at an angle, slowly rotating as you

go, making sure to register con-

sistently on the bevel as you work

from one side to the other.

Bend the leather to fit the

inside curve of the blade, work-

ing with light strokes on a slight

diagonal away from the edge. (L)

This can also be done by holding

the leather in your non-dominant

hand and pulling the tool over

it. I usually hone the back of the

blade again because I like the way

it engages with the wood when

addressed this way. I encourage

you to find out what you like and

make these little tweaks as you

go. Lots of people love to get fired

up about being “right” about lots

of these little things, and while it’s

always a good idea to be open to

new possibilities and the whys and

hows of the way things work, at the

end of the day you’re the one who’s

going to be using the blade.

Stropping Large Tools

Larger tools may be difficult and

dangerous to bring to the leather,

so it’s wise to have a strop that can

be held in the hand and worked

over these tool edges. The same

applies for slip stones or other

abrasives that can be easily held in

your hand. I was gifted this tapered

half cone strop (M) by a workshop

student; I find it useful for larger

tools like an axe, and both the out-

side and inside curve of an adze.

Some scrap wood, spray adhesive,

and a bit of leather is all you need

to make a custom version.

Wood Strop

Wood can also be loaded with hon-

ing compound and used as a strop,

either as a flat or with profiles,