Diamond paste and strop question

A

alabamaomi

Joined
Jan 22, 2012
Messages
37
I will be constructing some strops and have already received the leather. HandAmerican 6" by 12" leather.

My plan is to cut the leather into 3" by 12" pieces and mount to a 3" by 3" block that is 14" long. I have the blocks.

I have received some 3 micron Chromium Oxide powder that I will load onto one stop (rough side).

Correction...

I have one tube of TORMEK at 3 microns and the chromium Oxide is 0.3 microns (from Kremer Pigments)

I received 2 tubes (5grm) of diamond paste (monocrystalline). one tube is 6 microns and the other is 1 micron.

Question is what side of the leather should the diamond paste go on? The "smooth" side OR the “rough” side?

BTW I also purchased the Work Sharp sharpener and received it at work yesterday. Worked quite well and I amazed some of my fellow workers who had dull pocket knives:).

BTW#2 I have also ordered a number of intermediate grit Micro-Mesh belts up to the Micro-Mesh 12000 to use with the Work Sharp. Did get some extra 12000 belts and was going to try installing them inside-out and use as "strops" and load the belt with some of the diamond paste and chromium oxide and see what happens.

A small "learning" curve with the Work Sharp to keep from rounding the tip. I have to work on that:)

Thanks,

omi
 
Last edited:
Most prefer to use the smooth side of the leather. If you use the coarse side, just make sure it's uniform. I avoid it, if there are inconsistencies in the texture (some soft spots, some hard/rough/bumpy). You might be able to improve the consistency by using a wire brush or coarse sandpaper on it, but some leather might not fully respond to that.

I've said this before, but I'd encourage you to at least experiment with as many stropping options as you can. Everybody has their own goals in mind, and you might find something 'unusual' that works for you, regardless of what the experts might otherwise recommend. :)
 
Glued 2 pieces of leather down today. One "rough" side up and the other "smooth" side up. Was thinking I would load the "rough" one up with chromium oxide.

I see where KNIVES PLUS melts a stick with olive oil to use as a vehicle to get the chromium oxide into the leather. Was wondering why olive oil. Was wondering if a good neatsfoot oil might do the trick mixed with the powdered chromium oxide?

Was thinking for the diamond paste to use "smooth" side up and to hit it with a fine sand paper to rough up the leather a bit and allow the diamond paste to bind a bit better into the leather?

Up in the air as to how to handle the TROMEK paste.... May try loading up one with a "rough" side, as the TORMEK is in paste form and should bind well with the leather.

Decisions.... Decisions...
 
Last edited:
alabamaomi said:
Glued 2 pieces of leather down today. One "rough" side up and the other "smooth" side up. Was thinking I would load the "rough" one up with chromium oxide.

I see where KNIVES PLUS melts a stick with olive oil to use as a vehicle to get the chromium oxide into the leather. Was wondering why olive oil. Was wondering if a good neatsfoot oil might do the trick mixed with the powdered chromium oxide?
Click to expand...

I'm also wondering why(?) the olive oil. I've done the same with mineral oil, heated and mixed with some green compound (bar form; scraped off and mixed/ground into the oil). I personally don't see much advantage in applying the green compound in heavy paste form this way. Felt like stropping on mud, for the most part, and always left a bunch of excess on the blade afterwards. I did a couple of strops like this, and eventually scrubbed most of it off and started over. I've gotten better results applying my bar compound in dry 'crayon' fashion, which applies it in a much lighter layer, then using a paper towel moistened with WD-40 to distribute it and help it soak in a bit. Then maybe one or two re-applications in the same manner. It takes very little compound to be effective. A very thick layer of it is overkill, and doesn't seem to improve performance, so far as I'm concerned. Having said all that, with the powdered compound, it may be easier to produce a somewhat lighter 'mix', with the oil. I haven't tried the powdered stuff yet.

Was thinking for the diamond paste to use "smooth" side up and to hit it with a fine sand paper to rough up the leather a bit and allow the diamond paste to bind a bit better into the leather?
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I've been doing with my strops. No complaints. You might notice, when the leather is new and clean (and sanded), it'll be a bit tougher to evenly spread the paste compound. it goes on pretty sticky, and will quickly try to soak in. I found it helpful to use a plastic, flexible 6" ruler as a spreader, which helps even the application. It'll feel pretty sticky when you strop on it, but that will smooth out somewhat with 2 or 3 subsequent applications, and after it's had some time to dry a bit (takes a while). It'll still have some 'grab' to it, on the blade, and will likely leave some residue of the paste on the blade after stropping (that'll diminish with use). But that grabby feedback is a good thing, so far as I'm concerned. I've gotten to like using it. ;)

Up in the air as to how to handle the TROMEK paste.... May try loading up one with a "rough" side, as the TORMEK is in paste form and should bind well with the leather.

Decisions.... Decisions...
Click to expand...

No harm in trying it that way, and in as many other ways as you can. That's the best way to learn. :)
 
Was doing some surfing and it seems that mineral oil will deteriorate the leather over time.
http://www.jarnaginco.com/leather preservation.htm

Loaded one strop with the 6 micron paste. Had a 5GRM tube and it took about 1/2 to cover the strop. The leather sucked the stuff right in. Started with little dots all over, but the leather was sucking in the medium too fast. Moved on to your way:) Plastic rule and a line of paste. Work that in and place another line.

TORMEX went on fast. Dried and left a white film that I rubbed off. Placed another coating and will see in the morn.


Will go to Wally World and get a can of neatsfoot oil and see what I can do with the chromium oxide.


Did see one site that used a small spray bottle with 91% alcohol (as the vehicle) and mixed the powder with it and sprayed it on.
http://japaneseknifesharpening.blogspot.com/2010/02/applying-chromium-oxide-to-felt-pads.html

Need one more 3" X 3" block. Was going too double side but decided to just use one face of the 3" X 3". Will get that on Monday and use the 1 micron diamond paste on it.
 
Last edited:
Not sure if loading the WS belts inside out is recommended. The abrasive might wear or slip off the metal contact wheel, and the adhesive tape might separate. I would suggest wearing down the belt by rubbing it lightly with some sandpaper while it's running. I would recommend Mother's Mag & Aluminum Polish to apply on the worn belt. I prefer using a toothpick to dab it on manually, and giving it some time to dry off before turning it on(it'll fly everywhere otherwise). The polish seems to cover a wide range of grits, from about 5 microns to a sub micron range(I've heard it was about 0.1 micron), which suggests it breaks down. I find that more appealing than multiple belts with diamond and chromium pastes and sprays(less messy too), and certainly better than multiple strops with the stuff, as well as spending 20 minutes stropping through them all. I prefer 5 strokes per side and I can be done in less than 30 seconds.
 
PIC time.

One loaded with TORMEK
One loaded with diamond paste (does not even look like anything is on the leather)
One "blank" with "rough" side up. Will see about loading it with chromium oxide later today after I get some neatsfoot oil.


P2050337resize.jpgP2050339resize.jpgP2050340resize.jpg
 
I'm not an expert, but here's my $0.02, plus it works well for me.

I have stones (on an EP) down to 1.5 microns. Then I strop with my chromium oxide (about 0.5 microns) then go to bare leather. This setup puts on a crazy sharp edge, but maintenance is hard if I over-dull the blade...at which point I have to go back to stones. I guess that's why you have the higher abrasive compounds.

It sounds like you have a lot of strop options, and I guess my best advice is to simply rub on the chromium oxide on like a crayon...forget making a slurry to add "more" onto the strop. All that excess paste will just get wasted and/or scratch (or polish) your blade.
 
I opted for the pure chromium oxide powder. I have a baggie with 100 GRMs in it:) ... BUT Officer ... It is for sharpening knives... If that does not work... BUT officer it is only green paint pigment and I am an artist:)

At this point I am just experimenting and seeing what I can get to work for me. It is the MAD Scientist in me
I have a Gatco, Lansky and DMT stuff. The WS just amazed.

I live in a small town and stopped at Wally World and a few other places to see if there was any neatsfoot oil around. You would have thought I was talking some kind of foreign dialect:)

Nobody knew what I was asking for.

Then I asked if they might have any mink oil .... Reeealy went downhill after that:)

Still want to try a few things on the WS also. Will take into consideration Noctis3880’s suggestions on the belts.
 
alabamaomi said:
Still want to try a few things on the WS also. Will take into consideration Noctis3880’s suggestions on the belts.
Click to expand...
Might take your fun away though, I don't strop my edges anymore:D. The 12000 WS belt is about 2-3 microns, there really isn't much to strop after that(1, 0.5, and 0.25 micron). But if you're feeling truly psychotic, you could try some of those even smaller sub-micron pastes from the Wicked Edge site which goes down to 0.025 micron. I'll be damned if anyone can tell the difference though;).
 
Hmmmm

With all the $$$ I have spent on systems (Gatco, Lansky, SharpeMaker, ETC.) I could have gotten an Edge Pro or the like. I like messing around though:)

PICs of the Chromium Oxide powder and Neatsfoot oil. I now have enough Neatsfoot oil for a few life times:)

Put one heaping teaspoon and some Neatsfoot oil.

Mixed well.

Painted on in about 3 coats.

Leather sucked in the oil reeeeeeeealy fast.

Ended up with a good coverage.

Tried it out after I let it sit for a bit.

Knife felt like it was sliding on wax.

Used verrrrrrry light touch.

Seemed to work on my Case pocket knife. Once I get my other belts I will re-do it on the WS and see where it takes me. Right now it is getting shaper than I have ever gotten it.

Need one more 3" by 3" block to glue the leather down for the 1 micron paste. I will try hitting the "smooth" side with some 600 grit sand paper and apply a coating of Neatsfoot oil before I spread the diamond paste. Will see if the paste gets worked into the leather.


P2070341resize.jpgP2070342resize.jpgP2070343resize.jpgP2070344resize.jpgP2070345resize.jpg
 
Finished the last block.

The 3" X 3" blocks give a lot of mass and do not move. Holds steady. The 3 inch clearance gives you a lot of room for your hands.

I have 2 multi tools. The blades are factory sharp. I set up my Sharp Maker and hit the blades about 4 times each on the standard, fine and extra fine (an additional purchase above the standard set) triangle stones and then the 4 strops.

Now, the blades were sharp from the factory BUT now they are "hair popping" sharp:)

AMAZING...

Now the diamond paste strops have a fairly heavy coat of that material. Some of the reads say a verrrrrrry little amount is all that is needed. I may have applied too much?

Wondering if applying some neatsfoot oil and seeing if I can work the paste into the leather more would be advisable?



P2110346resize.jpgP2110347resize.jpgP2110348resize.jpgP2110349resize.jpg
 
I've used the chromium oxide "crayon" and applied mineral oil to it to even out the distribution of the chromium oxide. It seems to work well and the paste sticks to the smooth leather well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top