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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000036.txt from 2004/03

From: PhilFrei@-----.com
Subj: [DR-L] steel vs strop
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2004 14:41:53 -0500

Hi -

A strop may be a good way to go. If you can go 10 reeds without sharpening,
who can argue with that! Though it might be a little more involved and messy
compared to using a steel. With a steel, there is no lubricant to deal with, and
all one needs are maybe a half-dozen quick strokes.

I got my steel at a store that specialized in knives, and has since moved out
of Oakland. I think a merchant that specializes or emphasizes cutlery should
also have a good steel. Our steel doubles as a kitchen knife "refresher," too.

The theory behind the steel is that a good deal of the dullness in a knife is
not caused by the edge wearing down but by its getting bent (at a microscopic
level). A good, fine steel does not take off metal, but rather unbends the
extreme edge of the knife. Or I should say, it is not designed to take off
metal. I think any friction will cause some wear.

I certainly can't go 10 reeds without resharpening. Maybe two or three
complete reeds worth, with a dozen "steelings" in between? This is purely a
guesstimate.

Phil Freihofner
Oakland