Sharpening Strap End Punch...not Working :/

[Vanilla]

Hello,

Getting slightly exasperated with my strap punch as of late! I am attempting to sharpen my strap end punch (http://www.tandyleather.eu/en-gbp/3198-03.aspx) by following this video:

using a Stanley sharpening stone/oil.

Despite running it along the sharpening stone as directed by the video, I can't really seem to get a keen edge and I am failing to stamp through my leather. I have read somewhere that you require a heavy mallet to handle this tool properly, but I have been using Tandy's poly-head mallet as instructed by one of Tandy's shop assistants. I am by no means a seasoned leatherworker - I have only focused on making a handful of basic animal collars, and now my strap punch is failing me.

Could someone tell me what I may be doing incorrectly? Or perhaps I need to sit and sharpen for ages? I'm at the point of asking any UK leatherworkers if they'd consider sharpening it for me for a reasonable fee! If the punches didn't cost the amount they do I'd simply get a new one!

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Trox]

Leather cutting tools has to be polished after sharpening, read all the pinned sharpening topics on top of this forum. Get a strop and some polishing paste and polish all cutting tools to a mirror like surface. You can also use a buffing wheel on a drill, bench grinder etc to polish your tools. We polish all tools on the strop before use . See your edge under a magnifying glass after sharpening, your edge are still coarse. Using a stone like in this video is just half a job, you need to polish it. Post a high resolution picture of your edge and let us see how your edge look like,

Good luck

Trox

[Vanilla]

Hi Trox,

Thanks for the reply. When sharpening this type of tool do I use the strop in the same fashion as the sharpening stone?

Thanks again!

[TwinOaks]

Yes, but on a pulling stroke instead of pushing. You'll know immediately if your strop is working, as you'll have gray/black streaks where your tool passed over it.

Look for a mirror finish, but you CAN settle for just a high shine.

[Vanilla]

Thanks for the reply, TwinOaks.

I was working with the pull stroke on the flat side of the tool when using the sharpening stone, and only pushing when following the curve/outer side of the tool end, as instructed in the video. I used both the coarse and fine side of the stone, so I didn't realise I would need to refine it even further. I was getting those grey/black marks on the sharpening stone, so I hope that's some indication that I was doing it correctly? So, just to reinforce: I simply need to repeat this procedure on a strop with a finer grain until I get a nice shiny finish?

Thanks again for the help - I really appreciate it!

[Trox]

Glue som firm leather (hairside out) to a piece of plywood 2 x 20 inches (or desired size) and get some aggressive polishing paste to use on it, then you have a polishing strop. (or buy one) You polishing by pulling hard against the strop in the cutting direction. When you have a nice shiny or mirror like edge, your punch will glide through your leather like a knife through butter. (almost)

good luck

[dirtclod]

A heavier maul or mallet ( something in the 1 1/2 to 2 pound range ) will help a lot to. Those poly head mallets they sell or to light to use cutting ends on straps. IMO

[Trox]

Yep thats true, I use a heavy rawhide maul. A light head will only beat up the tool, when a heavy maul will drive the tool through the leather. (of course the poly can`t ruin steel, its just a figure of speaking)

[Art]

Make sure your work surface is solid without any (even the slightest) bounce. Use the floor if you have to. Also use a heavy mallet or maul. I use a 96 oz Barry King maul which may be overkill, but a two or three pounder should also work.

Art

[Vanilla]

Thanks for all of the helpful replies, guys! I was checking out leather strops online and a lot of them seem slightly pricey for what they are, but I suppose it's an investment if I don't really have the appropriate leather. I only have 5-6oz vegetable tanned leather; I only purchased one roll while I was visiting PA earlier this year as I knew I wouldn't need a huge amount for making basic collars. I've been teaching myself with this piece of leather, using the resources I've managed to unearth on the internet. It's a little slow-going and although I'd love to purchase thicker leather, I just find it a little bit too pricey at the moment - being a recent uni graduate and part-time employee means it doesn't really fit the current budget! At least not on the Tandy website. Anyway, I was initially looking for 6-7oz as recommended by the dog collar pattern I found on Tandy's Leather Library, but they were sold out at the shop in PA, so had to settle for the 5-6oz at the time. In any case, would this type of leather be adequate for making a strop? I saw a few videos and all of the leather looks rather dark/thick, so I'm doubtful.

This was the most suitable thing (I think) that I could find: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Trend-Honing-Paste-Leather-Strop-DWS-HP-LS-/120996618571?pt=UK_BOI_Building_Materials_Supplies_Carpentry_Woodwork_ET&hash=item1c2bf5e14b + http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Tormek-PA-70-Honing-Paste-T7-or-T3-/190614204884?pt=UK_Home_Garden_PowerTools_SM&hash=item2c617df1d4

Again, thank you for the help. Any further feedback would be fab!