New strop help- rouge, polish, etc
- Thread starter dawgvet
- Start date
Thanks for the input but where do you get the stuff? I've got some Flitz paste at home and wonder if that will work but interested in what most folks have found to be the best. BTW, made strop from some suede and block of "carving wood" purchased at Michaels Arts and Crafts (don't laugh, had to go with daughter for school project stuff
So where to get the goods?
So where to get the goods?
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- Sep 2, 2004
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Lee Valley Tools has the 0.5 micron green compound. Here's the link: http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32984&cat=1,43072
I'm not affiliated with them. I purchased a strop and the compound from them and it's worked out well.
Good luck and good stropping!
Gary
I'm not affiliated with them. I purchased a strop and the compound from them and it's worked out well.
Good luck and good stropping!
Gary
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Green buffing compound (chromium oxide) works pretty well. You can also look for white buffing compound. The red stuff (ferric oxide) is not hard enough to work well on stainless. You can find these at hardware stores. You could also try a rock shop for ultrafine lapping powders.
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- Sep 19, 2001
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I got my stuff from www.handamerican.com, but they seem to be having some trouble getting things running smoothly
I got some stones from www.congresstools.com, but they have compounds as well. my order with them went smoothly http://www.congresstools.com/congresstools/catalog?action=getcat&parent=164
you may want to try flexcut gold, it got some good posts. should be able to get it several places, can be found on ebay & amazon
I got some stones from www.congresstools.com, but they have compounds as well. my order with them went smoothly http://www.congresstools.com/congresstools/catalog?action=getcat&parent=164
you may want to try flexcut gold, it got some good posts. should be able to get it several places, can be found on ebay & amazon
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Lee valley has a good assortment, as mentioned.
U.S. Products also is a good source.
www.us-products.com.
I like 6 microm SiC for fast cutting, and 2.5 micron, 1 micron, and .5 micron for final polishing.
BTW, if you use anything like D-2 or S30V, diamond paste is available at both places. It's a bit pricey, but you don't need very much of it.
U.S. Products also is a good source.
www.us-products.com.
I like 6 microm SiC for fast cutting, and 2.5 micron, 1 micron, and .5 micron for final polishing.
BTW, if you use anything like D-2 or S30V, diamond paste is available at both places. It's a bit pricey, but you don't need very much of it.
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- Apr 26, 2007
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Is Flitz an abrasive? I always thought its primary purpose was removing oxide.
If you have a Rockler or Woodcraft store near you, they usually have CrO in the sharpening area.
If you have a Rockler or Woodcraft store near you, they usually have CrO in the sharpening area.
HandAmerican sold me quite an assortment of pastes (silicon carbide, boron carbide, and chromium oxide), as well as chromium oxide powder. I have to say: hardheart is right: HandAmerican's been a bit overwhelmed lately. They'll be back soon - Keith and Lee are good people.
I've also used diamond pastes in various micron sizes. Half micron chromium oxide seems to be the standard for edge finishing, but on the really hard steels, it isn't that effective. Diamond is better. Also, I had terrible luck with Lee Valley's green stick and sent it back.
Truth told, just ordinary tanned leather works just fine in most cases. The silicates in the leather will polish an edge very nicely.
I've also used diamond pastes in various micron sizes. Half micron chromium oxide seems to be the standard for edge finishing, but on the really hard steels, it isn't that effective. Diamond is better. Also, I had terrible luck with Lee Valley's green stick and sent it back.
Truth told, just ordinary tanned leather works just fine in most cases. The silicates in the leather will polish an edge very nicely.
nozh2002
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You could use suede, I suppose, but I've found that the smooth side of 2 to 10 ounce leather works well. Heat it up with a lamp, hair dryer, heat gun, or whatever before rubbing in green chromium oxide (or your choice of colors and grits).
My strop is leather, smooth side up, mounted on a (approx.) 3" x 11" piece of 5/8" mahogany. Mahogany is stable and I have lots of it - you could use whatever you have at hand.
I buy leather at Tandy, but not online. As far as I can find, you have to buy a side from them - I go to their walk-in store in Albuquerque when I'm up there. You can get 12" x 12" pieces of vegetable tanned shoulder, from 6 to 9 ounce, from knife suppliers. Do a search for Jantz, Texas Knife Supply, etc.
You're hankering to get to work stropping your blades now with locally purchased stuff, I know, but you'll only need to wait a week or so if you order your parts online (at least, the parts you can't get locally). As far as the green chromium oxide, I bought mine at Woodcraft - a 6 ounce bar for $7.00. I have some white that another forum member sent me, but I don;t use it much. It's Thiers-Issard, some French or other European gunk that goes on the leather pretty smooth. He sent to me a Spyderco Delica that he stropped with that white stuff and it was the sharpest knife I ever held.
Here's a photo or three of the strop setup (and convex sharpening pads) and some rouge....
The strop you see is green chromium oxide on smooth leather. The other side of that board is rough leather.
Formax chromium oxide $6.95
Formax and white Thiers-Issard
My strop is leather, smooth side up, mounted on a (approx.) 3" x 11" piece of 5/8" mahogany. Mahogany is stable and I have lots of it - you could use whatever you have at hand.
I buy leather at Tandy, but not online. As far as I can find, you have to buy a side from them - I go to their walk-in store in Albuquerque when I'm up there. You can get 12" x 12" pieces of vegetable tanned shoulder, from 6 to 9 ounce, from knife suppliers. Do a search for Jantz, Texas Knife Supply, etc.
You're hankering to get to work stropping your blades now with locally purchased stuff, I know, but you'll only need to wait a week or so if you order your parts online (at least, the parts you can't get locally). As far as the green chromium oxide, I bought mine at Woodcraft - a 6 ounce bar for $7.00. I have some white that another forum member sent me, but I don;t use it much. It's Thiers-Issard, some French or other European gunk that goes on the leather pretty smooth. He sent to me a Spyderco Delica that he stropped with that white stuff and it was the sharpest knife I ever held.
Here's a photo or three of the strop setup (and convex sharpening pads) and some rouge....
The strop you see is green chromium oxide on smooth leather. The other side of that board is rough leather.
Formax chromium oxide $6.95
Formax and white Thiers-Issard
Flitz cuts extremely quickly and aggressively, IMHO -- sometimes so much that a little too much pressure will either dull the edge or create a wire edge.
It does leave a really nice polished edge though.
Currently, I'm using white rouge -- you can get it at your local hardware store in the buffing/sanding tools section.
I tried green jeweler's rouge at one point (the kind you use to polish watches), and it didn't seem to cut at all.
-j
It does leave a really nice polished edge though.
Currently, I'm using white rouge -- you can get it at your local hardware store in the buffing/sanding tools section.
I tried green jeweler's rouge at one point (the kind you use to polish watches), and it didn't seem to cut at all.
-j