STEELING

[Bud]

Thank you Mr. KnifeGrinders for the interesting post. I've tried straightening with a smooth steel before but didn't have much success. While some sections of the edge straightened out others were just torn up with missing sections of edge. Quite honestly the whole edge leading thing doesn't make much sense to me. Seems like you might roll the edge even worse. I've watched the videos and everybody says steel into the edge so I won't argue that. Steels crusted with abrasive or that have been turned into files make no sense at all to me. If I want to grind an edge I'll use my Kally. I have been successful straightening edges that haven't been rolled too badly with a piece of leather belt glued to a short piece of 2 x 4. I've also used my jeans on edges that are only rolled a little. So what's the best and what's the difference between any of these methods? Should I be learning to use a steel?  Is  a steel supposed to straighten an edge that a piece of leather won't? 

I can see why a butcher wouldn't be using a piece of leather. Too much fat and grease but is it better somehow at straightening edges in your opinion?