Applying Strop Compound

[Omega Leather Works]

Hey guys I noticed that my strop would no longer shine the edge of a penny in certain places, so I decided to snap a few pics of my method for applying compound. It's the best method that I've found assuming you are using the right kind of compound.

Here I put a decent amount over as much of the area of the strop as I feel like.

Set your flame to medium on your stove.

Don't get too close! You don't want to burn the nap of the leather. Wax based compound will melt very quickly... approx 2 seconds/4" from the flame.

For a large strop like this I do it in 3-4 sections. Use a Scotch Bright pad to work the softened compound evenly about the strop.

The whole job takes 5 minutes or less, and it works!

I also cut a slit across the top to use for sandpaper on the backside.

Thanks for looking, happy stropping!

 

[OHALLUM]

Looks like you have it well covered. Some people use a small amount of olive, vegetable oil on their finger to spread it around with good results. On mine, I just "color" it on like a crayon. (mine is in a hard stick form) I like to have a small amount with more leather showing than compound. It seemed to work better for me. However, I don't use my strop much any more, as I have better and quicker results using my slotted paper wheel with the compound applied to the wheel. But, as they say, different strokes for........

Blessings,

Omar

 

[Bigfattyt]

I just color mine on like a crayon too.

Also, I use smooth side out on the leather. I have one with rough side up, and it is horrible for the amount of compound it uses, and how much it seems to plug up.

 

[Alberta Ed]

I just rub it on (Lee Valley Tools chromium oxide stick) and melt it in with an old blow dryer.

 

[BluntCut MetalWorks]

Becareful not to contaminate your 0.5um CrO strop with SiC from w&d sandpaper. For w&d SiC, it's better to use wood per grit Or better yet, a piece glass for all SiC grits - just wipe with wet paper towel between grit when doing mirror progression.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

I just color mine on like a crayon too.

Also, I use smooth side out on the leather. I have one with rough side up, and it is horrible for the amount of compound it uses, and how much it seems to plug up.

Hard to tell in the pic but this leather is very thin with a short velvety nap. For my purposes it's worked better than anything else I've ever tried.

Bluntcut, great thinking :thumbup: I haven't used it wet, but I hadn't thought of that.

Right on guys, well whatever works for ya. I thought I'd pass this along for anyone who's like me and doesn't like the Crayon marks (even if they do blend in after a while!) I like it consistent.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

Oh a question for bluntcut.

I'm using 800 grit and higher for carving tools only on the back. I'm pretty neat and don't plan on having any cross contamination, but would a little mud from say 1500 grit paper even hurt? I'm guessing that it shouldn't as I'm starting to polish my blade with paper at that point and the green compound likes to take it right back.