I am never going to get anything done...

[jamzdean]

..If I don't stop reading all the older postings and looking at the work that's been done! so now I have another question what is the typical " casing solution" I have looked for the plain Ivory dish soap but can't find anything but the stuff with smell added to it.

[wildrose]

LOL! I know what you mean.

I use plain water, but there are those who swear by a few drops of dish soap. Others use Bee Natural and ProCarve.

[David]

I use plain water

David Theobald

[Timd]

Plain old tap water here, too.

[smudley]

..If I don't stop reading all the older postings and looking at the work that's been done! so now I have another question what is the typical " casing solution" I have looked for the plain Ivory dish soap but can't find anything but the stuff with smell added to it.

I know exactly what you mean. I spend waay too much time here, but it's so informative, and I like to look at other folk's work. As for casing, I've used the dishwater solution, Procarve, Lexol solution, and a special formula that a former manager of my local Tandy dreamed up that had Lexol and something else in it. I've had mixed results with each of these, and have come to the conclusion that it depends on the piece of leather as to what casing solution works best. I have ceramic blades, Barry King blades, Al Stohlman Stainless blades, and plain old Tandy steel blades that I've experimented with as well with all the above solutions. I've had the Barry King blades drag after five inches of cutting after being freshly stropped with the leather cased right. Same goes with all the others. I've had times where the plain old Tandy blades worked better than any of my expensive blades, believe it or not. All in all, I'd say it depends on your personal preference as to casing solutions and blades. Just make sure the leather is clean, properly cased, and the swivel knife properly stropped. After all, what did they use to use a long time ago before all the fancy stuff??? Plain old water, steel blades, and homemade stamps from nails and bolts, and look at the work they used to do!!!!