How do you get a hair splitting edge from a strop?

[Omega Leather Works]

I find stropping too much can actually round an edge. YMMV, but after finishing on 8000 grit I only do about 10 passes per side at most on green loaded strop. If I overdo it, then I get a tearing edge like what you mention. Without overdoing it I get an amazing edge.

By the way, what kind of knife are you using? What does the back bevel look like? Your edge could be good but if the blade gets thick too quickly behind the edge then it could also cause the tearing of the newspaper.

I wouldn't go to the green compound that I use after 8k. You might consider a finer compound.

 

[stitchawl]

I find stropping too much can actually round an edge. YMMV, but after finishing on 8000 grit I only do about 10 passes per side at most on green loaded strop. If I overdo it, then I get a tearing edge like what you mention. Without overdoing it I get an amazing edge.

IMightBeWrong, you are not wrong! Correct stropping shouldn't require more than 8-10 passes per side to achieve a great edge, and incorrect stropping will ruin an edge. I've read posts here by people talking about stropping for a half hour or more... I guess if you stop using stones at 400, it will take that long with some coarse compounds, working down to finer ones, but that's NOT correct use of a strop.

When going for the gold, I use polishing tapes up to 15,000, then go directly to a good quality horsehide strop for just a handful of passes to refine the edge. If you are using green compound and like the results you're getting, follow up with a bare strop for another 8-10 passes and you'll be really amazed!


Stitchawl

 

[Omega Leather Works]

then go directly to a good quality horsehide strop

My 11 year old daughter would start bawling if she so much as glanced at that.

 

[IMightBeWrong]

I wouldn't go to the green compound that I use after 8k. You might consider a finer compound.

I'm using the green compound that I use for double duty with my straight razors. It's .5 micron paste. It's supposed to be roughly the equivalent of 30k. I also have some red that I use for some blades, usually only carbon steel, that's a red compound the equivalent of roughly 60k. I find that carbon steel loves the 60k but many stainless knives don't benefit from the red that much and will even round their edges faster than they can gain anything from it (i.e. SAKs and other soft metal blades). Again, YMMV.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

I'm using the green compound that I use for double duty with my straight razors. It's .5 micron paste. It's supposed to be roughly the equivalent of 30k. I also have some red that I use for some blades, usually only carbon steel, that's a red compound the equivalent of roughly 60k. I find that carbon steel loves the 60k but many stainless knives don't benefit from the red that much and will even round their edges faster than they can gain anything from it (i.e. SAKs and other soft metal blades). Again, YMMV.

Sounds like you know your compound. :thumbup:

Me? I only buy unidentified crap.

 

[wdtorque]

Sounds like you know your compound. :thumbup:

Me? I only buy unidentified crap.

Me too! I gotta block of Red and one of Green. No idea specs. Kinda silly if I think about it, So I won't.

 

[Omega Leather Works]

The thing is that I'm a firm believer in trying out what you have on hand before running out and buying expensive stuff. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with dropping some coin, Lord knows I've done enough of it. But if what you have works very well I say use it, which is what I've done with my cheap Harbor Freight green and white compounds. The green leaves some fine scratches that can be seen with the loupe, the white is great. Puts a near perfect mirror finish on the steel I've used it on. Admittedly I've only used it with O1, 1070 (just for a little refinement on that one) and aus8. I have yet to try it on my s30v, 204p or m4.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Many of the 'green' stick-type compounds aren't so pure. They're very inexpensive for the quantity obtained, so it's not surprising that they might not be too refined. I've noticed some hazing or scratching with the green stuff I picked up at a Woodcraft store. That shouldn't happen if the compound is pure and within the often-spec'd size of 0.5µ - 1µ for chromium oxide (green). I've read that many cheaper compounds, like the sticks/crayons, are often blended with other abrasives at larger particle size, like aluminum oxide. Not to mention other impurities that might also be in it.


David

 

[ericvar101]

I used to spend alot of time trying to get my edge that sharp then came to the conclusion, if it will shave hair on my arm, its sharp enough. After all, its a knife its used for cutting. If you want to shave, get a razor. At leaste for me, there is no sense in spending that kind of time to get an edge that sharp on a knife. its un-nessesary for practical uses. But thats just one mans opinion.

 

[Moses_3]

By the way, what kind of knife are you using? What does the back bevel look like? Your edge could be good but if the blade gets thick too quickly behind the edge then it could also cause the tearing of the newspaper.

I have had issues with attempting to strop the following knives:
CRK Umnumzaan (S30v), BM MPR (M390), Lionsteel SR-1A (D2), Brous Blades Silent soldier (D2), Busse Game Warden (Infi), & ZT 561 (Elmax).

I have noticed that there are strops available for the EdgePro system, I am tempted to try on of these. Have any of you used a strop on a guided system like the EdgePro?

And, thanks again for the lively discussion.

 

[stitchawl]

I have noticed that there are strops available for the EdgePro system, I am tempted to try on of these. Have any of you used a strop on a guided system like the EdgePro?

And, thanks again for the lively discussion.

I've mounted some shell cordovan horsehide onto EdgePro blanks to use after 10,000 or 15,000 grit tapes, but frankly, I don't see much difference between using them and freehand stropping on horsehide.

Stitchawl

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I have had issues with attempting to strop the following knives:
CRK Umnumzaan (S30v), BM MPR (M390), Lionsteel SR-1A (D2), Brous Blades Silent soldier (D2), Busse Game Warden (Infi), & ZT 561 (Elmax).

I have noticed that there are strops available for the EdgePro system, I am tempted to try on of these. Have any of you used a strop on a guided system like the EdgePro?

And, thanks again for the lively discussion.

Very high-wear steels like S30V and D2 are the reason I've started to move away from stropping on leather at all. I'm getting much better results using alox or other 'white' compounds on very firm stropping substrates like wood, very thin cardboard over glass, or just a thickness or two of paper over glass. The wear-resistant nature of these steels makes it difficult to see significant progress on leather, without feeling tempted to really lean into it. That obviously will be counter-productive, as the leather will roll over/around the apex and dull the edge. A firmer backing, like hardwood or glass, will allow the compounds to work much more efficiently for the pressure exerted.

I've found that leather still works well, with or without compound, on simpler steels like 1095, CV or basic stainless steels (420HC, 440A, etc.), although I'm seeing excellent results using cardboard/paper with compound, over glass, with these steels as well. I'm almost at a point where I see very little need for leather at all, save for the occasional convenience of quickly fine-tuning my simpler blades on my belt, if I'm not within easy reach of other means.


David