Loading a leather strop / recommended compounds

M

maskedbacon

Joined
Jan 3, 2011
Messages
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Hi guys,

I've been getting into belt-sander sharpening... and I love it. Everything seems to be falling into place except for loading my stroping belt, which I'm kind of confused about.

I bought green compound from trugrit and it came in a giant block of chalk. To load the strop (based off of some short articles I read), I just scraped off a bit of powder and buttered it onto the belt. That seems a little odd to me. Is that all you need to do? How much would you load onto it? Are other compounds more permanent / easier to apply? Do you ever have to clean the belt and start fresh?

Thanks a bunch!
 
Well, when loading a strop, you basically just "crayon" it on. So, yeah, you did that part right. And, yes, with use you will need to reload your strop, at some point. I use the Bark River compounds.
 
What he said. But also do not paint the strop heavily with compound. The strop should look like leather with a faint coating of compound. If the compound is green, the strop should look like leather that someone dumped green chalk on and cleaned it off poorly.

You might want to do a search...I think there was a thread on here a week or so ago about a guy with an over loaded strop...they posted some good images of how it ought to look and how is should NOT look.

Basically you want to strop on leather that has a bit of compound that has become trapped in the pores. If the compound gets thick, you are basically stropping on pure compound...in which case, one questions why the user does not skip the strop all together and simply strop on the bar of compound?
 
unit said:
What he said. But also do not paint the strop heavily with compound. The strop should look like leather with a faint coating of compound. If the compound is green, the strop should look like leather that someone dumped green chalk on and cleaned it off poorly.
Click to expand...

That describes it about as accurately as I've seen.

You might want to do a search...I think there was a thread on here a week or so ago about a guy with an over loaded strop...they posted some good images of how it ought to look and how is should NOT look.
Click to expand...

This might be the one:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...op-please-and-how-it-is-loaded-update-post-13

Basically you want to strop on leather that has a bit of compound that has become trapped in the pores. If the compound gets thick, you are basically stropping on pure compound...in which case, one questions why the user does not skip the strop all together and simply strop on the bar of compound?
Click to expand...

The compound works it's best, when it has something to 'dig it's heels into' and hold on (embedding itself in the leather). That's why a very thin dusting of it works better. Otherwise, with a thick layer, it just gets pushed around, sort of like trying to strop on mud.
 
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I'm in the process of building my own strop bat. My plan was to use the DMT Dia-Pastes in three different flavors of grit. My concerns is that there are is only 2 or 3 grams of compound in each syringe.

What do you guys think of those over the crayon type compounds?
 
Thanks for the replies -- One clarification please: When you say "crayoning" the block, how much pressure are you putting on the leather? Currently I'm scraping off powder and "buttering" lightly.
 
I don't use the crayon compounds at all. I tried them, and was unimpressed.

I much prefer the silicon carbide and boron carbide pastes from HandAmerican for coarser grits, like 6 micron, 2.8 micron asbnd 1.0 micron. Using a rubber glove, I work the paste into the leather.

For finer grits, i.e. .5, .25 and .125 micron, the sprays, available from various sources (* I buy a most of my abrasives from www.jendeindustries.com and www.chefknivestogo.com ) are my choice, although the paste in the syringes is superb as well. Chef knives to go is a HandAmerican distributor.
www.us-products.com also stocks a very nice selection of top qual;ity abrasives

Don't be concerned about the small amount of paste in the syringes. This is a perfect example of "a little goes a long way." BTW, cubic boron nitride, (CBN) is almost as hard as diamond, and in my personal experience seems to work just as well, even on steels like S90V and M-4.
 
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maskedbacon said:
Thanks for the replies -- One clarification please: When you say "crayoning" the block, how much pressure are you putting on the leather? Currently I'm scraping off powder and "buttering" lightly.
Click to expand...

Sounds about right.

Strops are a low pressure tool. I might use some pressure when applying the compound and massage it in with my fingers...but be careful, you will get blisters quickly doing this. Another rule of thumb I use on the web is to tell people that it is loaded about right when no amount of scrubbing with your finger tips causes the green tint to decrease anymore.

Another tip is that over time the strop will tend to work better and better as the compound gets worked into the leather.
 
maskedbacon said:
Thanks for the replies -- One clarification please: When you say "crayoning" the block, how much pressure are you putting on the leather? Currently I'm scraping off powder and "buttering" lightly.
Click to expand...

Just the weight of the stick, for all intents & purposes. It should leave just a light green 'trail' on the leather, as if done with green chalk. To make the application more uniform, apply it in diagonal lines or a cross-hatch pattern (intersecting diagonal lines), spaced perhaps 1/2" apart or so, down the length of the strop. If you want, you can rub it in a bit with a paper towel. That isn't necessary, though. The diagonal/cross-hatch pattern will ensure that all of your edge will be contacting the compound as you strop.
 
Zatx said:
My plan was to use the DMT Dia-Pastes in three different flavors of grit. My concerns is that there are is only 2 or 3 grams of compound in each syringe.
Click to expand...


Unless you are stropping a dozen different knives 6 days a week, the compound in the syringe should last you about 20 years, give or take a few.


Stitchawl
 
unit said:
Sounds about right.

Strops are a low pressure tool. I might use some pressure when applying the compound and massage it in with my fingers...but be careful, you will get blisters quickly doing this. Another rule of thumb I use on the web is to tell people that it is loaded about right when no amount of scrubbing with your finger tips causes the green tint to decrease anymore.

Another tip is that over time the strop will tend to work better and better as the compound gets worked into the leather.
Click to expand...



That has been my experience as well.
 
Hey thanks guys. I just did the crayon technique this evening and made my first hair-popping sharp knife :) I'm so proud.

(It was a Spyderco FFG Endura)
 
i made my strop from a piece of 2x1 fence baton,then tacked a piece of shoulder leather(ITS THE THICKEST)off a fallow stag i shot to it...i then loaded it with a compound used for recutting car paint jobs.I have no idea what the micron count is but it works extremely well.......FES
 
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