Leather strop, charge or not?

[tlbrooks]

Who here charges their leather strop with either white or green compound versus just using the plain leather?

 

[rpttrsn]

Many strops. Use all of the above along with diamond spray in .50 and .250 micron.

 

[Constant Gardener]

I use an old genuine leather belt dry. It works but I've heard compound cuts faster. My better steel knives do seem to laugh at the dry leather.

 

[blanex1]

i use the green compound on on strop,and use DMT diamond past grade #6 on my other strop that works vary well for cutting/polishing,i never got any where just using plane leather with no compound.

 

[TravisH]

I made my own strops.

Some have green compound, some have 1u diamond paste, some are just plain.

Depends on what is needed. For just touch ups, after a few strokes on the Sharpmaker, I sometimes make just a few passes on the plain stop.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Who here charges their leather strop with either white or green compound versus just using the plain leather?

Yes.

Seriously though, it depends on what you want to accomplish. White compound will be the most aggressive (assuming it's white aluminum oxide; some 'white' compounds are much less aggressive, like tin oxide), and can work FAST for cleaning up heavy burrs or bringing up a polish. Green is considerably less aggressive, won't polish as fast or as well, and is better-suited for cleaning up finer burrs; heavy burrs may not respond to it. Plain leather is the least aggressive, and may not help much UNLESS your edge is already very fine & thin (shaving sharp), in which case it might take it from shaving to tree-topping or hair-whittling; a very small change at the very fine end of edge-finishing, but still noticeable if the edge is ready for it.

In a nutshell, try three strops with each (white, green, bare leather). Each will have it's place in refining your edges, and that will become more apparent with time and usage.


David

 

[Constant Gardener]

Yes.

Seriously though, it depends on what you want to accomplish. White compound will be the most aggressive (assuming it's white aluminum oxide; some 'white' compounds are much less aggressive, like tin oxide), and can work FAST for cleaning up heavy burrs or bringing up a polish. Green is considerably less aggressive, won't polish as fast or as well, and is better-suited for cleaning up finer burrs; heavy burrs may not respond to it. Plain leather is the least aggressive, and may not help much UNLESS your edge is already very fine & thin (shaving sharp), in which case it might take it from shaving to tree-topping or hair-whittling; a very small change at the very fine end of edge-finishing, but still noticeable if the edge is ready for it.

In a nutshell, try three strops with each (white, green, bare leather). Each will have it's place in refining your edges, and that will become more apparent with time and usage.


David

Yes. Great info

 

[Kai Winters]

I use black and green compounds.

 

[tshows]

I just use plain leather and it works for me.

 

[GarosGoods]

I use green and red compound, I find that when you use compound you get the results quicker. However on a shaving razor I finish on leather.