Getting a knife razor sharp?

[Hatchet]

Hello everyone,

I've just re-profiled my condor mini to a scandi grind, and I've got it reasonably sharp, but I can't get it to the hair-shaving/paper cutting stage.
The finest grit I'm working with is 1000. Is that fine enough, or do I need 1200 or something? Maybe it just needs a strop?

Thanks,

Hatchet.

P.S. I'm using wet and dry sandpaper.

 

[Mesquite]

Try doing a good strop with a stropping compound on it. Make sure you keep the strop on a hard surface, even better mount it on a flat board.

You can use something like Autosol or Tormek honing paste or similar

 

[Stew]

I would expect 1000 to give a reasonable shaving edge.

 

[Perrari]

If you think it's as sharp as your going to get it with the 1000 grit, then move on to a strop. You should see a huge difference. Even stropping on the back of a leather belt will make a huge difference.

 

[Hatchet]

I've just tried stropping with some scrap leather. Huge difference! I didn't think it'd do much because it didn't have any compound on it, but now it slices through paper quite easily. It's not 'hair-popping' sharp, but it's sharp enough.
Thanks guys!

 

[Perrari]

If you do it a bit longer, maybe 50 strokes each side it may become shaving sharp. Personally I have never used compounds when stropping, but a lot of people do.

 

[Whittler Kev]

Just as long as you remember that shave hair popping sharp doesn't last long and quickly becomes "just" usable sharp