Compound for a strop??

gga357

gga357

Joined
Dec 3, 2007
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Many years ago I bought a set of buffing cakes (maybe sticks) black, brown and white. I think they are white rouge, brown tripoli, and black emery. Any reason I can't use the brown tripoli and white rouge on a leather strop? I ask because it seems most poeple use the green chrome oxide.

Steve Tall said:
The catalog from Supergrit includes these buffing compounds:

"Black Emery...used for steel...approx. grit 4-500"

"Brown Tripoli...used for alum.,brass,copper...approx. grit 800"

"White Rouge...used for alum.,brass,copper...approx. grit 1500"

"Chrome Oxide [green]...used for honing chisels...approx. grit 1800"


I am starting to experiment with using Black Emery and Chrome Oxide for stropping.
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tripoli is too soft to be very effective, and white isn't as fine as finely grade green. people use a lot of things though, Mother's, Flitz, diamond sprays, etc.
 
Sharpening compounds and buffing compounds are different. Quality chromium oxide is 0.5 micron 50,000 grit and very rarely come in bar form. A bar compound will not be as pure and have a broader range of "loose" grit mixed in, This will effect your finish and final sharpness. Its the reason better compounds cost more.

You can use what you have but don't expect top level results. Spend a few dollars to get a quality product and you will be much happier.
 
The white is usable, just not the best stuff for the job. Green Chrome oxide is harder and has finer particle size, so it works really well on strops (especially on wear resistant steels) compared to other or more traditional strop compounds. I got my CrO crayon at home depot, cost like 5 bucks???? That much should last you a lifetime if only used for stropping. The important thing is to get a good compound that spreads well on the leather, some cheap sticks aren't waxy/greasy enough and you try to apply them and all you get is chunks and crumbly bits on the strop, :foot: .
 
gga357 said:
Many years ago I bought a set of buffing cakes (maybe sticks) black, brown and white. I think they are white rouge, brown tripoli, and black emery. Any reason I can't use the brown tripoli and white rouge on a leather strop? I ask because it seems most poeple use the green chrome oxide.
Click to expand...

I think it's more a matter of hardness than grit size... CrO is hard enough to cut blade steels while some of the other compounds might not be.

I use chrome oxide semi-liquid that I bought from Hand American. It is detergent based. It goes on easily and can also be removed easily with a damp rag. I also have a bag of CrO powder.

Go green!

Stay sharp,
desmobob
 
i just wipe the ground up blade gunk from my stones onto my strop as "compound".

if i'm feeling fancy, i might even add in some Brasso.

i've never felt the need to measure my compound in fractions of a micron.
 
For a coarse strop, I use Clover Lapping compound - 1200 grit.
I follow this with a strop loaded with very fine Norton diamond paste - If I recall, I think that it is about 1 micron.
I am allergic to the green chromium compound.
 
Whoa arty, thanks for the info on the coarse compound, I'll have to get me a container of that.

I personally use Mother's Billet on my strops, refines fast and gives an aggressive yet fine edge. CroOx and Mother's Mag are nice but gives a very smooth edge that I feel is just not as good for shaving.
 
yep great stuff. and while you're here check their base system too. i know it's cheap to make your own strop but here you have a magnetic base with the choice between a very thin and smooth leather, great for non convex edges as it's very hard and thin, a more grainy horsehide or felt. you can buy a couple of leather strops load them with different compound, keep one bare if you like and swap them easy ... i love mine.
 
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