Applying compound to strop

F

fcondron

Joined
Apr 24, 2002
Messages
76
Ok, I've been sharpening with a Sharpmaker for years, and just took the plunge to the next step and bought a leather strop from Lee Valley along with the green compound.

So...how do I apply this to the strop? Just rub some on from the big green brick? The directions on the package of compound only tell how to apply it to a wheel on a grinder.

Also, how much should I put on?

Anything I should do to the other side, as well (I assume I want one side with compound, the other without, but should I condition it somehow)?

Thanks,
 
The strop that I purchased from www.handamerican.com came with a bottle of LIQUID CrO (green). The green stick I have of CrO I used to use on my cardboard buffing wheel.

I don't know if there is a difference or not. With the liquid you rub in about 3 pea sized drops on the rougher side of the strop until you get a unifrom green coating. You then rub off most of the excess with a paper towel. I don't know if the stick is the proper application or not.

This a link that used to explain it, but I'm getting a Server Error. Maybe you'll have better luck.

www.handamerican.com/most.html
 
If you email Lee Valley, they will be happy to give you specific instructions. Leonard Lee is a sharpening Guru, and even now that his son is running the company, he still occassionally answers emails himself. Rest assured that someone will address your issue even if it isn't him. They are one of the best companies I have ever had the pleasure of doing business with.
 
Thanks, I'll contact Lee Valley.

The links to handamerican and DRSharpening are helpful, but only discuss using liquid Chromium Oxide - the Lee Valley kit comes with a solid block of chromium oxide.
 
To give you some suggestions....

Some folks warm the bars before applying, others mix shavings (from the bar) with mineral oil to form a spreadable paste, while others just rub the compound directly into the leather. I've been down these roads myself and I'm never satisfied with the results. It's always uneven and too thick in spots.

I've since left the bar type compounds for powered stropping and strictly use HandAmerican's liquid and pure dry compounds for my bench hones.


--Dave--
 
fcondron said:
Just rub some on from the big green brick?
Click to expand...

Yes and then use a rag and smooth it out. You don't need a thick coating, only the part that contacts the edge does anything, any compound under that is just decorative. This should only be a final step anyway, trying to use it as a major abrasive just causes problems.

-Cliff
 
Thanks - I just did what you stated, rubbed a bunch of it all over one side, but not hard enough to cake it on. Then rubbed it down with a paper towel to get off the excess.

It looked a bit streaky after that, so I applied more, rubbed it down again, and now it looks much more uniform.

Took my Spyderco Navigator, touched it up on the Sharpmaker until it was capable of shaving arm hair again. Used it on the side of the strop with the chromium oxide, maybe 20 passes on each side, then repeated that on the clean side of the strop. Looks fairly well polished, and seems to shave hair better. It's not scaring the hair off my arm yet, but I think I need to work on my overall sharpening techniques.

How many strokes on the strop are normal for those final steps?
 
Hmm - are you supposed to use the clean side - after the side with the compound ? - I thought not - just to strop on the side with the compound - isn't the other side of the strop for use with a different compound ?
 
Anyone old enough to remember Brill-Cream hair goo? "A little dab will do ya!"

Just use it very lightly on the leather. Remember this is the final step and not a major regrinding.

As you use the strop the action of the blade on it will tend to distribute the CrO.
 
DGG said:
Anyone old enough to remember Brill-Cream hair goo? "A little dab will do ya!"
CrO.
Click to expand...

My God, do they still make that stuff or do you need to go to the gift shop at the Smithsonian to buy it?
 
irabren said:
Hmm - are you supposed to use the clean side - after the side with the compound ? - I thought not - just to strop on the side with the compound - isn't the other side of the strop for use with a different compound ?
Click to expand...

It can, but mine is green CrO on the "rougher" side and the flip side is just smooth bark tanned leather. Supposedly, leather contains trace amounts of silica so you are getting some abrasive there. Also, I think that the untreated side is just a final polish and if done correctly, keeps the edge aligned.
 
fcondron said:
How many strokes on the strop are normal for those final steps?
Click to expand...

Generally really low, I use maybe 5 per side on the chromium oxide, the 5 per side on the plain leather to mainly remove and polishing compound or debris and then finish with 5 on newsprint on a hard backing. It is in general very difficult to get really high levels of cutting ability at high angles, trying to get tree topping ability for arm hair with the edge at 10 degrees per side is trivial compared to doing it at 20 degrees per side.

-Cliff
 
tim8557 said:
My God, do they still make that stuff or do you need to go to the gift shop at the Smithsonian to buy it?
Click to expand...

You can still get it - much easier than you think. If your local drugstore doesn't carry it anymore go to your nearest barber/beauty supply shop.
 
irabren said:
Hmm - are you supposed to use the clean side - after the side with the compound ? - I thought not - just to strop on the side with the compound - isn't the other side of the strop for use with a different compound ?
Click to expand...


Yes or no.

You can use different compounds, leave it clean or whatever.

I use different compounds from HandAmerican as needed for different applications. Usually for work, coarser grits.
You can strip the compound and condition the strop all at once using a cream hand cleaner (Go Joe). Rub it on, work in, remove with a paper towel, then re apply whatever compound you have in mind.

It's just that simple.

Rob
 
I read somewhere that alcohol dissolves the wax used in the bars, so I shaved slivers of the lee valley bar into a little plastic cup, added a little alcohol, mushed it around, then fingerpainted one side of my strop, let it dry, nice, even thin coat of compound worked great.
 
weekelly said:
You can still get it - much easier than you think. If your local drugstore doesn't carry it anymore go to your nearest barber/beauty supply shop.
Click to expand...

Meaningless anyway, as I have nothing left to rub it on :D
 
l found it to help to give the green brick a light coat of mineral oil. It rubs on easier. After the first application it gets easier and you can simply rub the green brick on the strop.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top