Both sides work. I like to sand the rough side to make it smooth. It holds compound better than the other side.

Thanks, this is a Promaster 1500 low roof. I believe they only make low and high roof models. I went with low roof because the intention has always been to work seated. It has come in handy to have a lower height clearance more than once.

Thank you. It's a type of hair extensions from Amazon. Not the most ideal as it has a slightly different feel to real hair, but still very useful for testing in my opinion.

@@alsmobilesharpening Thank you for your quick reply.

I actually acquired a Hira-To flat hone recently and there is no comparison for convex shears. It does a better job and much faster. However the Twice As Sharp is very useful and I still use it for just about any other type of scissor. They both excel at different things.

@@alsmobilesharpening that Hira is pricey.

@@robertmunguia250 Boy it sure is. I lucked out and found a used one locally. Don't know if I could justify the price of a new one.

Yeah, I'm showing how to get the job done with this specific equipment. Flat hone is better and faster.

@@alsmobilesharpening Do you charge more for all this work?

I learned it from a Wolff Industries instructional series here on youtube. I believe it's called "Wolff Weekly". They share loads of good information and this particular method is outlined in their video about convexing.

The Rikon machine only offers one direction. I have a custom made machine which can do either direction, and I have tried it that way. I prefer to be able to look down and use the distance of the knife's spine to the belt in order to judge the angle.

That's Wolff Industries 'Ookami Gold' compound.

Thank you so much. More videos will come.

Definitely the Hira-To. Looking at a used one locally right now, very tempting.

Great info Al! I have the regular TAS and was going to add a Hira-To for convex. What then are the advantages? Quicker convexing for 3 times the price?

@@ruftime I'm not sure how much quicker it'll be, but definitely much more precise and efficient for convex shears. That price tag is no joke though.

Thank you. Normally I'm sitting with the chair raised up so that I can look down. I've tried just about every which way sharpening on sanders. I was using the edge-leading with angle guide method for a long time. I really like the versatility of free-handing now, though.

Thanks, that's definitely on the list. Hopefully coming soon.

It all depends on how efficiently you can use them and how busy you plan to be. When working through a large order I find every second counts. I see a lot of heavily damaged knives, broken tips, chips, uneven edge profiles. It helps to be able to fix these things in a timely manner.

Appreciate it. I try to keep the stones very flat, but was just having some issues with a cheap lapping stone on the other side, so flipped to the fresh side while I look for a better one.

@@alsmobilesharpening thanks. I can see the need for a perfectly flat stone for convex shears. 😁👍

Thank you. I charge $25 / pair for this service. It takes me about 15-20 minutes a pair. Planning to get a flat-hone eventually and charge more.

It's this one: a.co/d/h5iQA45 Knock-off version of a scotch-brite. It can be used for a rough satin polish, but I mostly use it for deburring. It's great to have on the bench. Super versatile.

@@alsmobilesharpening Cool! Thank you!

I have transitioned to edge trailing 99% of the time. As much as I enjoyed edge leading with an angle guide, it just doesn't work with quite a few styles of blade / knife handles. I am however looking into more of a horizontal belt setup as this method is causing some neck pain for me.

​​​@@alsmobilesharpening perhaps raising the level of the table or adapting a pedestal to the 1x30 to a comfortable height may help. I can see your tables in the van and shop are very low, work benches are in general much higher.

Yes, that's exactly what I use. Sometimes 1200 grit too if needed.

Thank you! It's a bit overkill now. When I initially set up the power, I was using an old variable speed bench grinder that had a very heavy startup peak, and my smaller inverter didn't handle it well.

@@alsmobilesharpening I see, thanks. I was thinking you needed a large inverter because of the vacuum cleaner and the fan running with the grinders at the same time. In any case it doesn't hurt to have a large inverter. Thanks again, take care.

120 grit, 600 grit, and leather.

Thank you!

Thanks so much for the kind words!

Hi, it's this one: a.co/d/3es2HCg works great, possibly overkill at 4000W but I was concerned about the startup peak on some of my machines. This thing handles everything without issue.

@@bwillan Thanks! I did not consider those when I set it up, but I have definitely been interested in solar for the van. It’s not a high priority yet as thankfully the current setup has been providing enough power so far.

I use the wheels for deburring large blades like machetes, axes, lawn mower blades etc. Also nice to use the corner of the leather wheel for serrated knives. It's just a bit more aggressive. The belt is more gentle especially if you can run it slow, it's closer to hand stropping. Great for getting nice kitchen and EDC knives done quick.

@@alsmobilesharpening is there to email you to chat about more sharpening?

@@vinnym5095 absolutely, shoot me an email any time, always happy to discuss this stuff. alsmobilesharpening@gmail.com

Thanks! No reason in particular. I like to run wheels up and away so it wouldn't be ideal for me going the other direction. All my wheels are on separate machines with better clearance. The Bucktool with a deburring wheel would make an excellent all-in-one machine though.

Thanks, yes I run the van A/C in the summer. When it's cool out I just leave the doors open.

I have not tried it. I've seen folks get sharp results but I don't have the experience to comment on edge quality.

Thank you. I run everything off a 100Ah battery and a 4000W power inverter. It's also hooked up to the van's starter battery with a split charge relay so it charges the other battery whenever the van is running. There is some more detail about this in my Van Tour video which you can find on my channel. I sharpen lots of nice EDC/pocket knives on 1x30 sanders. It's totally doable but easy to mess up so make sure you get plenty of practice on cheap knives first.

I use some rubber bungee cords to secure everything to the bench / side of the van.

@@alsmobilesharpening thanks - do you think a 5x8 cargo trailer would be a good option just for mobile sharpening service? If not, why?

@@suorento7k I'm sure it can work. The only negative I can think of is it would be less convenient to park. I find myself in some pretty tight parking situations with the van particularly in busy downtown areas. It depends on the types of stops you plan on doing.

Thanks! Inverter: a.co/d/0jjNzdTa Battery: a.co/d/0aOB4NqM Battery Isolator: a.co/d/0eDSn7gE These are the exact parts I'm using. I think you can get a lower watt inverter without any trouble. I also watched tutorials on youtube for the isolator installation. Hope this helps!

You would need to thin the knife. It's commonly done to increase the performance of high end Japanese knives. Can be done on stones or grinders. Check out District Cutlery on youtube to see some examples of this.

You could also look for a larger platen for the sander you have.

I'd say go for the same angle. Too much angle will remove the burr quickly but round the edge. Too little angle and you are just polishing the bevel without removing the burr. It's a balance. In my experience as long as you're close to the same angle and using good technique (light pressure, alternating passes with compound) it's actually pretty forgiving.

@@alsmobilesharpening I sharpen up to 1200 grit and it’s so tough to even see a burr when I go that fine. How do I know when the burr is removed when I go that high?

​@@vinnym5095 Feel the edge with your fingers on each side, if a burr is present one side should have slightly more roughness to it. Another way is to test cut on paper. If there's a burr it will feel rough and have more of a tearing sound.

Thanks for the kind words. I believe you're referring to 'edge trailing' (the method in this video) vs 'edge leading'. Both are valid and effective methods with some key differences. Edge-leading produces a smaller burr that is easier to remove, and when used with an angle guide can create very nice even bevels. Edge-trailing is inherently safer and the larger burr can actually make it easier to see what's happening at the edge and potentially get a better result. For me it comes down to whether I want to use an angle guide or sharpen free-hand. I find there are many knife handles that get in the way and make it difficult to use an angle guide. I also enjoy the freedom of trying to give the best angle to each knife individually instead of relying on a fixed guide. I'd recommend trying both and seeing what works best for you. Hope this helps!

Thanks for your timely response. Much appreciate

​​@@stevem6788i would suggest edge trailing for this way of sharpening because of SAFETY especially if you are new to sharpening

I think this will be the subject of the next video. There's a lot to say. I use the edge of a sanding belt or a convex diamond wheel depending on the type of serrations. Video coming soon.