Abrasive grit of iron oxide in human blood?

[Rennd]

No, I don't kill people and harvest their blood. After sharpening for a while on coarse stones, my fingertips wear down and bleed. It gets on my strops sometimes, and I'm hoping it isn't contaminating the grit of my higher grit strops.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Iron oxide of the red type is quite soft, and wouldn't abrade hardened steel much, if at all, anyway. Of the 'red rouge' type of iron oxide, it's generally better used on soft metals, like brass and jewelry (gold, silver). The natural silicates in the leather of the strop are as hard, or harder.

Nothing to worry about, in other words.


David

 

[Rennd]

That's good to hear, but so much for stropping with blood!

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

That's good to hear, but so much for stropping with blood!

With blood, I'd be more concerned about the corrosive content (salts) in it, which I suppose could accelerate rusting of steel swarf left behind on the strop. Something to make it messy, but likely still wouldn't affect sharpening much, if at all.


David

 

[El Bandit0]

I would advise you change your technique so you don't wear your fingertips off. Seen several folks do this and I cannot understand why. It's knife sharpening, not finger grinding.

 

[Rennd]

El Bandit0 said:
I would advise you change your technique so you don't wear your fingertips off. Seen several folks do this and I cannot understand why. It's knife sharpening, not finger grinding.

The reason it happens is I have one hand on the blade, index finger pushing down right where edge meets stone, which I find keeps my blade stable. I have problems keeping still, so if helps me compensate. Plus, it's stopped hurting, it just bleeds.

 

[Squashfan]

I move my finger up the blade, usually to the bevel shoulder, to avoid that problem.

 

[El Bandit0]

Rennd, There was a thread around recently that discussed how this practice can cause nerve damage if done too much. Just watchin out for you amigo. Maybe try a guided sharpener.

 

[Jason B.]

It's not something that needs to be done, just move your fingers up a few mm.

 

[Rennd]

El Bandit0 said:
Rennd, There was a thread around recently that discussed how this practice can cause nerve damage if done too much. Just watchin out for you amigo. Maybe try a guided sharpener.

I probably do. Or I should at least scootch my finger up or wear a glove.
I don't think I'm up for nerve damage, thanks for warning me. That could have been bad.

 

[willis]

Git yerself one a' them pull threw carbide sharpenin gadgets,presto no mo' bloody digits.

 

[Bill DeShivs]

Iron oxide has been used to polish hardened steel for hundreds of years. I doubt there is enough of it on your strop to worry about.
Your sharpening technique is absurd, though.