Originally Posted by
John K Jordan
A friend and I plan to work together to evaluate edge life, not specifically the difference between stropping or not, but in the life of various types of steel used in lathe tools. For example, I and others have the subjective "feeling" that the 10V steel in Thompson lathe tools will outlast the HSS in, say, a Sorby tool. We hope to put some numbers on this. One idea is to sharpen different skew chisels as closely to identically as possible and check the fresh edges on the sharpness tester. Then make a series of cuts on, say, a simple cylinder while trying to keep things like the motion and pressure the same. Then check the sharpness again.
I don't know much about standard chisels and plane irons, but from my woodturning I am convinced that stropping the sharpened edge makes a significant difference in edge life. For example, I sharpen spindle gouges on the Tormek then strop/hone with the Tormek leather wheel with their compound. If I give the bevel a mirror finish, like one of my carving tools, not only does it cut better but I believe the edge lasts longer, especially is hard wood like Dogwood or some of the exotics. (Tormek, of course, claims this is the case but I'd prefer to check it myself - that will be the subject of another test with the PT50B.) I have good microscopes and when I look at the non-stropped/polished edge, even after minimal stropping to knock of any wire edge the cutting edge looks like a rough chain of mountain peaks compared to the polished edge. I suspect these peaks break off more readily in use.
I'll be looking forward to hearing the findings of your tests.
JKJ