Best way to spread diamond paste on copy paper?

S

Squashfan

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I am preparing to make my diamond paste copy paper strops and I have a few questions about how to spread the paste. Should I use mineral oil like I would with the black/green compound? And should I put all the paste in one place or put a small dot every so many inches? I think I will spread it with a piece of hard plastic.

I am using DMT Diapaste.
 
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I think you are going to throw away a lot of expensive diamond paste if you use it on a disposable substrate such as paper. Is there are reason you are using this, rather than something like MDF or some other firm (and long lasting) substance? I still have half the tube of diamond paste I bought 15 years ago, using it on a hard leather strop.


Stitchawl
 
Must agree,

Applying it to paper would be a bad idea, try balsa wood.

To apply put a small dot at one end of the strop and spread with your finger add more dots of paste as needed. If applying to leather oil the leather first or you will gave a hard time spreading it. WD-40 sprayed on a rag then wiped on the leather is how I usually did it.
 
A thin & flexible plastic ruler, or a plastic drinking straw laid sideways, make good spreaders for paste compounds. Use the ruler like a putty knife, and just slide the straw sideways through the dabs of compound. Both do a good job in leaving a uniformly even & thin layer of compound on the strop. The excess paste will accumulate on the edges of the ruler and on the straw. That can then be used to apply to another stropping surface (I hate to waste the stuff).

I'd also agree, I wouldn't be putting diamond on any disposable strop. Literally throwing good money away. Diamond will continue to work on any surface, for as long as it's there. On wood or leather, it'll embed more firmly and be there a very long time.


David
 
Lesson learned. This is why I ask questions.

I could use just about any piece of soft wood right? I am thinking about trying either a flat wood ruler or a paint stirrer. The nearest hobby store is almost an hours drive away so I will have to make due with what I can find in the area.
 
You can use any flat wood, but harder is better than softer, and smooth better than rough. Just don't get obsessive about either. A paint stirring stick will work well. A smoother, harder piece of MDF from the local lumber yard or home center will work better. And last longer between adding more compound. Figure to add a little more diamond paste after stropping about 300-400 knives. Maybe more...


Stitchawl
 
Maybe 50-100 knives, I could never get 300-400 out of a single application, too much metal builds up. The one indicator I always noticed with diamond compounds is the strop will become sticky when stropping and often go from black to a metallic sheen on the surface.
 
I occasionally take a darkly-oxidized copper penny and just lightly brush the surface of my strops with the edge of the penny, as if brushing some dust from it. Using a magnifier under bright light to inspect the penny's edge, it's easy to see if there's any abrasiveness left in the strop. Assuming there is, it'll immediately scrub the oxide from the edge of the penny and leave a bright spot. Works pretty well with green, AlOx/emery, SiC and diamond compounds. The more aggressive compounds like SiC & diamond will polish to a higher degree in that single pass. I've even noticed they'll quickly smooth & erase visible scratches, tool marks (from stamping) and other deep damage from the edge of the coin. And on a light-colored strop, it'll obviously leave a dark trail in the wake of the penny's edge.

The oxide from the copper penny is pretty soft, compared to hardened steel. So, if you do this 'test' and can't see much/any removal of the oxide from the copper, that's a STRONG indicator your strop could use some cleaning and/or refreshing. This is also useful if testing other 'mystery' compounds or improvised materials for stropping, to see if they have any chance to be effective at all.

Rubbing the spine of a nicely patina'd steel blade on a strop could also reveal if it's working. The iron oxide (black) is harder than the copper oxide, so it'll be easier to see how effective the strop is on the steel, if it polishes any of the patina off.


David
 
knifenut1013 said:
Maybe 50-100 knives, I could never get 300-400 out of a single application, too much metal builds up.
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I probably keep to the stones longer before I go to the strops. That would account for more or less metal needing to be removed at the end. I usually don't give more than 10-15 strokes on a strop.


Stitchawl
 
Then why add compound?

Being on the stones longer I doubt, you can only be on them so long before they stop refining and are just removing excess metal. If using compound in a progression to polish to a finer level then 10-15 strokes would only start the polishing process, if used to just clean up the edge then I understand.
 
knifenut1013 said:
Then why add compound?

Being on the stones longer I doubt, you can only be on them so long before they stop refining and are just removing excess metal.
Click to expand...

I don't think I agree with that... The Master Sharpeners in Japan never use strops, but somehow manage to get edges that have caused them to be called "National Treasures" by the government. They use stones from beginning to end, with the final stone-work being done with stone chips on their finger tips.

If using compound in a progression to polish to a finer level then 10-15 strokes would only start the polishing process, if used to just clean up the edge then I understand.
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Microscopically, I don't really KNOW what is going on. Nor care. It's result that I'm after... Edges that can make air bleed. I don't think there is much difference between polishing to finish and edge or 'cleaning up' an edge. The result is a finer cutting blade.


Stitchawl
 
Squashfan said:
I am preparing to make my diamond paste copy paper strops and I have a few questions about how to spread the paste. Should I use mineral oil like I would with the black/green compound? And should I put all the paste in one place or put a small dot every so many inches? I think I will spread it with a piece of hard plastic.

I am using DMT Diapaste.
Click to expand...

Agree with all the above, use the cheaper compounds for doing heavier work on paper strop. Diamond would work as well, but cost prohibitive. On wood or leather you'll know its time to add more when it turns very dark and results begin to suffer. Also per the above conversation, how you use them will impact considerably how long they last before needing to be cleaned and recharged. Once the compound gets swamped by removed steel it will stop working well.

Don't toss the paper in a recycling bin yet, still works great for a final step after your compound stropping.
 
The stone "chips" are from the Uchigumori stone and that's only for sword polishing because it does not produce scratches in the Tamahagane steel. This is not a knife sharpening method.

As per stropping,

Its all how you look at it, I don't need to strop most blades I sharpen because I can remove the burr on the stone but I know stropping can improve/enhance what the stones accomplish. I also use bare leather after the years of reading your posts and my own experimentation, it was using the leather bare that showed me my flaws in using a stone. And from what I have seen, Japanese professional sharpeners don't bother with total burr removal.
 
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