A cool and cheap new stropping technique

B

Bluegrasser12345

Joined
Apr 3, 2007
Messages
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I've discovered a new item to use as a strop and was so impressed by it's simplicity, no worries, and effectiveness, I thought I would pass it on. It started as a way just for me to test a bunch of different kinds of compounds, but It really works. All I did was take some 1 inch blue painter's tape, the kind that leaves to residue, and taped it to a good flat ruler. The tape is porous and has lots of tiny grooves that will hold the compound. I've tried white aluminum oxide compound on it, and it works awesome. The first stroke with a blade and it shows black streaks to let you know it's polishing. It does not round the edge over either. Maybe I'm stupid, but I thought this was a pretty cool discovery.
 
I am using the wood-made ruler for the same purposes.

And what is the "blue painter's tape"?
 
I don't know if that's the proper name, but that's what I call it. It's a type of masking tape you use when painting that will guard the areas you don't' want painted. It has a special type of adhesive that won't leave any residue when you peel it off. And it's blue. haha You can get it at any store that has anything to do with paint (house paint and such, probably not artsy stores). It works great for stopping though because it has more pores and crevices for the compound to work into than regular masking tape.
 
Hey Bluegrasser,that sounds like a good discovery.Not sure if thats the real name for the tape or not but I've always heard it called that.
How well does the tape seem to hold up,not that it should be expected to last forever but I'm just curious.
 
How well does the tape seem to hold up,not that it should be expected to last forever but I'm just curious.
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It seems to hold up pretty good, I haven't worn any out yet. I've done some major stropping on it, shows no wear. I think it would would be more likely that you have to replace the tape because the compound gets gunked out with swarf than because you actually wear through it. But it's super easy to replace, and super easy to work the compound in. I just rub the bar across the whole thing a few times, make sure all the little crevices are filled in, and it's done. Probably takes about a minute to totally replace the old tape with new tape and compound. :thumbup:

Update: This is officially the sharpest I have ever gotten anything! Somehow the tape loaded with white rouge has taken my Delica 4 to the next level, even sharper than stropping on Hand American leather with even finer chrome oxide. Maybe it's because it doesn't give any. I have to say I'm pretty excited.
 
Another thread in another forum show folks having similar results from putting CrO past on a post it note on glass. No give. Good stuff!
 
I tried an 8" x 1.5" piece of the blue tape (DUCK Products) on glass. I loaded the tape with Columbian White Jewelers Rouge Compound by Wilton (from Home Depot). I stropped a VG10 Delica that had a mirror finish at 6x magnification. This blue, painters type tape had a slight orange-peel texture.

The rouge went on like gummy/crumbly crayon. It didn't seem possible to get a uniform application.

I started stropping the Delica and within about 10 strokes I could see black streaks. After about 20 strokes I examined the bevel. The mirror finish was frosted. Under 6x lense it looked like maybe a Spyderco Ultrafine finish.

I wiped the waxy and crumbly residue off and tested the edge by push-cutting printer paper. It was push cutting out to about 5 to 6 inches. Prior to this is was about 5 inches. So maybe it gained a little. The edge felt more aggressive consistent with the toothier finish.

I tried the rouge on yellow postit paper on glass and it behaved about the same. Very gummy.

Just my un-scientific observations.
 
The rouge went on like gummy/crumbly crayon. It didn't seem possible to get a uniform application.
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I had the same problem at first. When I was first trying it I rubbed the rouge in really hard like I would a leather strop, and it gummed up. The solution that worked for me was to just glide the bar across the tape VERY lightly. The tape has ridges and valleys and things that will grab the compound, and you don't need much compound at all. Another solution that I've used on my leather strops is to dab a little bit of oil on the bar before you start rubbing it in, I use olive oil, and it will make it more like a paste and much less crumbly. The tape I'm using is 3M brand, I don't know if there's much of a difference. The compounds could be slightly different consistencies as well, mine is the white rouge from sears.

Maybe this helps. :)
 
Bluegrasser, thanks for all you info. I plan on going out today and get all this stuff and try my hand at it as well. I'm interested in seeing if I can do as well, since I've rounded many an edge over! If this helps me, that would be GREAT!
 
Cool. Let me know if it works out for you and if there's anything else I might be able to help with. I just made a new really nice strop with this tape. I ripped some beautiful straight-grain maple to 1" to match the tape perfectly. Then I drilled a hole at one end for some cord to hang it up with. I put the tape on one side, then wrapped it all the way back around the other side, so I've got a two sided strop. One side has the white rouge, the other side has green rouge. It's amazing how it works so well. Every time I think it couldn't get any sharper, I strop a little more and it does. There are no tests I can think of that this Delica wont' pass easily.

Later :)
 
Hey Bluegrasser,
How much pressure do you apply to your honing strokes?

Also, when you hone, do you match the bevel angle or lift the spine up a little to expose the edge more?

Thanks,
matt
 
Hey Bluegrasser,
How much pressure do you apply to your honing strokes?

Also, when you hone, do you match the bevel angle or lift the spine up a little to expose the edge more?
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I use VERY little if any pressure. Since the surface is very hard and flat, pressing hard will not speed things up at all and will risk bending the edge over, which is the exact opposite of what you want to do.

When I strop I try to match the edge bevel as perfectly as possible to avoid rounding the edge, but the most important thing is that the actual cutting edge be touching the strop. My system is kind of hard to explain, but I'll try. I plant the end of the strop in my thigh vertically with the abrasive side facing out. I hold the blade in my right hand and lay it on the strop with the edge facing my eyes, and rotate it up just until I see the cutting edge touch the strop. I wish I could do it totally by feel but I'm not quite there yet. Luckily I have great eye sight. Then I strop down towards my lap. Then I turn the strop facing in and repeat on the other side of the blade. This may not make any sense and it may not work for you, but it's what works for me.

Let us know how it works out. :thumbup:
 
Hey Bluegrasser, I did go out and buy the tape and the white rouge. I ripped and planed a piece of maple nice and flat. I applied the tape and white rouge and began to strop. I guess I have no idea of what I'm doing because I dulled my knife instead. I think I'll try your vertical approach next time. It appears that the rouge wears off fairly fast. Do you need to apply it every time you strop?
After stropping, it looks like there's nothing left of the rouge.
BTW I'm stropping a Manix.
 
I just tried this, and it seems to work about as good as the strop. I will try this methond again when my knives get a bit dull. Thanks for the great idea!
 
markhait said:
Hey Bluegrasser, I did go out and buy the tape and the white rouge. I ripped and planed a piece of maple nice and flat. I applied the tape and white rouge and began to strop. I guess I have no idea of what I'm doing because I dulled my knife instead. I think I'll try your vertical approach next time. It appears that the rouge wears off fairly fast. Do you need to apply it every time you strop?
After stropping, it looks like there's nothing left of the rouge.
BTW I'm stropping a Manix.
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kinda sounds like your angle is too high, scraping the rouge off and wearing the edge. maybe try it a little flatter to the board
 
Yes, you always here about the magical ability of leather as a strop. I wonder why since most everything else I've tried seems to work about as good or maybe better. What am I missing?
 
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