Your Flexcut carving tools are presharpened at the factory to a highly polished razor's edge. This creates an efficient, long-lasting cutting tool. The more polished the edge, the sharper it is and the longer it will stay sharp. Keeping your tools sharp requires some routine maintenance. This can most easily be done by periodically stropping both sides of the edge (outside and inside) with a Flexcut SlipStrop (available separately). A leather belt impregnated with polishing compound can be used as an alternative. Sharpening stones should not be used for this routine maintenance. They are too coarse and will put scratches in the polish, reducing the sharpness.
The Flexcut SlipStrop is designed with the inside profiles moulded into it, so that stropping the inside edge can be done quickly. It can also be flipped over to accommodate the outside of the edge as well (see figs. 6 & 7).
The bevel of the tool should be placed as flat against the strop as possible. The tool is then pulled away from the edge so as to avoid digging into the strop. Gouges should be rolled as they are pulled in order to polish the entire edge. Using the moulded coves of the strop can reduce the amount of rolling and strokes needed because more of the edge is in contact with the strop. If the angle of the bevel against the strop is too high, it will round prematurely. If it is too low, the edge will not be properly abraded. (figs. 6 & 8).
STROPPING THE INSIDE EDGE
Find the strop profile that most closely fits the inside of your gouge or V-tool. The tool should be tilted up slightly as shown in fig. 7 and once again, pulled away from the edge. Tilting the tool while it is stropped creates a slight secondary bevel on the inside of the tool to give the edge more durability and remove any burr. Stropping frequency depends on how hard or abrasive the material is that's being carved. When the tool begins to feel as if it's dragging through a cut, the tool should be stropped a number of times until the sharpness is restored.
Due to the cushioning effect of the wood or leather strop, each time the tool is stropped, the edge becomes slightly rounded. Eventually it will become so rounded that it no longer has an efficient cutting angle. To recognize this, check the angle at which the tool begins to cut in relationship to the surface of the work (fig. 8). When the angle is too high, the force being exerted on the tool is directed improperly. The force should be directed horizontally through the work and not vertically into it. If the angle is too vertical, the tool needs to be reshaped using a sharpening stone or abrasive wheel to flatten the bevel back to its original angle. The edge should always be repolished to restore its sharpness and longevity.
TOOL STORGAGE.
Due to the extreme sharpness of the tools they should be stored in their carrying case and out of reach of children when not in use. Care should be taken not to store them in a humid environment (damp basements, greenhouses, etc.). The black oxide finish on the tools is a rust inhibitor but does not rust-proof them. For extra protection, a light coating of oil or paste wax can be wiped on the tool. Moisture desiccant packs placed in the carrying case can also be used.
Allowing the edges to come into contact with each other, or other hard surfaces will damage them.