Picking a strop/compound

C

CSRevenant

Joined
Jun 13, 2010
Messages
72
Hello,

Id like to get into stropping, but Im confused by the different kinds, and prices of strops, and what compounds to get.

I normally use a Sharpmaker, with extra fine rods, and it works well, but I would like a little more sharpness and polish.

What kind of strop should I get, and how much should I pay? And what compounds do I need for polishing?

Thanks
 
CSRevenant said:
Hello,

Id like to get into stropping, but Im confused by the different kinds, and prices of strops, and what compounds to get.

I normally use a Sharpmaker, with extra fine rods, and it works well, but I would like a little more sharpness and polish.

What kind of strop should I get, and how much should I pay? And what compounds do I need for polishing?

Thanks
Click to expand...

If you already have a Sharpmaker, why not pick up a piece of veg tanned leather from Tandy or Jantz KnifeMakers Supply for under $10, cut a couple of strips the same size as your Sharpmaker rods, and with a couple of dabs of paper glue, slap the strips onto a side of each rod, then use the same stroke but in reverse. That is, start at the bottom and draw the blade upwards across the leather. You will maintain the absolute perfect stropping angle that way!!

If you want to add compounds, cut a few more strips of leather. Use green chromium oxide that you can find at most home centers in small candybar-sized packs, or order some diamond past or spray, perhaps 1micron or 1/2 micron from someone selling HandAmerican products, apply them to the leather and use those right after the ultra fine stone and before switching to the bare leather strop. Which ever methods you choose, just be sure to use very, very light pressure, and maintain that same constant angle.

The glue I'm suggesting is the which stuff that comes in a tube with a screw base, somewhat like lipstick. You just need a couple of dabs to hold the leather onto the rods, and the stuff washes off easily with water.

Stitchawl
 
stitchawl said:
If you already have a Sharpmaker, why not pick up a piece of veg tanned leather from Tandy or Jantz KnifeMakers Supply for under $10, cut a couple of strips the same size as your Sharpmaker rods, and with a couple of dabs of paper glue, slap the strips onto a side of each rod, then use the same stroke but in reverse. That is, start at the bottom and draw the blade upwards across the leather. You will maintain the absolute perfect stropping angle that way!!

If you want to add compounds, cut a few more strips of leather. Use green chromium oxide that you can find at most home centers in small candybar-sized packs, or order some diamond past or spray, perhaps 1micron or 1/2 micron from someone selling HandAmerican products, apply them to the leather and use those right after the ultra fine stone and before switching to the bare leather strop. Which ever methods you choose, just be sure to use very, very light pressure, and maintain that same constant angle.

The glue I'm suggesting is the which stuff that comes in a tube with a screw base, somewhat like lipstick. You just need a couple of dabs to hold the leather onto the rods, and the stuff washes off easily with water.

Stitchawl
Click to expand...

Someone been up all night hitting the bottle or what?? :D
 
cziv said:
Someone been up all night hitting the bottle or what?? :D
Click to expand...


:eek:

"All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed.
Third, it is accepted as being self-evident."
- Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)

:thumbup: :D

Stitchawl
 
Are all green compounds the same grit or micron rating? Also, I was going to make my own strop, will natural cowhide strips work for the strop?

Thanks
 
CSRevenant said:
Are all green compounds the same grit or micron rating? Also, I was going to make my own strop, will natural cowhide strips work for the strop?

Thanks
Click to expand...

NO! Most definitely not! Cheaper compounds often are less choosy about the size of the grit they use. Higher quality compounds get very picky about stuff like that! But... higher quality compounds still only cost a couple of bucks for a bar large enough to last you, you sons, and their sons, a lifetime. The cheaper stuff will come in a package with 3-4 different little bars inside. The question is; are your skill sufficient to be able to see a difference when you use them? The cheaper stuff still works very well. Just not AS well as the higher quality compounds!

If you're going to use compounds, it doesn't make a difference what sort of leather you choose to use, of if you even use leather at all! Many people prefer to put the compound on wooden paint stirring sticks, MDF boards, or any other flat firm surface. You can use the smooth side of an old Garrison belt bought for a dollar at the thrift shop, put on some good compound and you'll have a very effective strop!

If you're going to want a finer (higher) grit polish, then use ONLY vegetable tanned cowhide or horsehide (that's the sort that used for 'leather tooling' to make leather sheaths, holsters, sadles, etc,) but use them bare... no compounds. No sense covering up finer grit with a coarser grit compound.

Stitchawl
 
Do you think I should invest in higher grit abrasives? Something like 2 or 6? Or just transition from UF rods to 1 micron or green compound?

Am I going to need to spend a ton of time if I skip the others and go straight for one.

Also, just as an update, I bought some leather a green compound, and am currently working on making my first strop.:thumbup:
 
1 micron from the UF rods will give you a PERFECT mirror finish, Quality "green" compound is 0.5 micron and will take you considerable amounts of time to get the same results.
 
knifenut1013 said:
1 micron from the UF rods will give you a PERFECT mirror finish, Quality "green" compound is 0.5 micron and will take you considerable amounts of time to get the same results.
Click to expand...

Whoa..... Are you saying that a 1 micron compound will give the same finish as a .5 micron finish. 1 micron is still twice as coarse as .05 mics. The finish can NOT be the same quality. It may still be a 'good' quality but not 'as good.'

As for time, I agree with you. I do notice that I save almost three minutes stropping with diamond paste compared with chromium oxide... It takes me two minutes of stropping with with diamond compound compared with five minutes of stropping on CrO2. Of course I do have to spend $22 more for the diamond stuff. The CrO2 costs about $3, so it figures out to about a buck a minute. :D

Stitchawl
 
Well 1 micron and 0.5 both leave mirror finishes but the 0.5 will be a deeper finish. No it will not give you the same results but sitting side by side you would have a very hard time telling the two apart.

You must be using some crappy diamond compound ;)
 
knifenut1013 said:
Well 1 micron and 0.5 both leave mirror finishes but the 0.5 will be a deeper finish. No it will not give you the same results but sitting side by side you would have a very hard time telling the two apart.

You must be using some crappy diamond compound ;)
Click to expand...


No... good stuff. I crushed up my wife's engagement ring and mixed it with bacon grease. Slides right onto the rough side a a good chrome tanned piece of leather that I nailed (but only around the edges so it could stretch) onto a piece of 25 year old Brazilian rosewood I had been saving to make into a guitar. I figured when I'm ready to make the guitar I can take out the nails. :D

Stitchawl
 
Agreed, plus the longer you're on the strop, the greater the chance of dulling that nice edge you've worked up IMO. :)

stitchawl said:
No... good stuff. I crushed up my wife's engagement ring and mixed it with bacon grease. Slides right onto the rough side a a good chrome tanned piece of leather that I nailed (but only around the edges so it could stretch) onto a piece of 25 year old Brazilian rosewood I had been saving to make into a guitar. I figured when I'm ready to make the guitar I can take out the nails. :D

Stitchawl
Click to expand...

Hey, any of that paste for sale? :D
 
cziv said:
Agreed, plus the longer you're on the strop, the greater the chance of dulling that nice edge you've worked up IMO. :)
Hey, any of that paste for sale? :D
Click to expand...

I never sell things. I give 'em away. But for this you'll have to bring your own container. Something with a tight fitting lid would work best to keep out the flies. :)


Stitchawl
 
stitchawl said:
I never sell things. I give 'em away. But for this you'll have to bring your own container. Something with a tight fitting lid would work best to keep out the flies. :)


Stitchawl
Click to expand...

Pheww - thanks for the offer, but I forgot it was in bacon grease. You should have used vegetable shortening. Prolly none around when the idea overtook you though. Perfectly understandable. ;)
 
cziv said:
Here ya go http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=750008 :)
Click to expand...

I took a look at that. I see people with knives with a complete mirror finish on the entire bevel and edge. Most of my knives came from the factory with a 30 deg edge, and the sharpmaker put a 40 on them, will stropping put a mirror polish both bevels? Or just the main edge?

Sorry if im asking dumb or redundant questions, but I want my knives to look like the awesome ones I see from all of you:)
 
CSRevenant said:
I took a look at that. I see people with knives with a complete mirror finish on the entire bevel and edge. Most of my knives came from the factory with a 30 deg edge, and the sharpmaker put a 40 on them, will stropping put a mirror polish both bevels? Or just the main edge?

Sorry if im asking dumb or redundant questions, but I want my knives to look like the awesome ones I see from all of you:)
Click to expand...

Stropping will polish which ever bevel you hold it to.If you want both bevels polished to a mirror finish you'll have to strop at both angles. Double the pleasure. Double the fun! :)


Stitchawl
 
CSRevenant said:
Are all green compounds the same grit or micron rating? Also, I was going to make my own strop, will natural cowhide strips work for the strop?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Koyo from JapanWoodwoker works to do hair whittling sharpening - I verified this.

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/product.asp?s=JapanWoodworker&pf_id=01.098&dept_id=13100

Upholstry leather works fine. You may see it here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WY8rhecws8&feature=fvsr

upholstery leather from Tandy leather factory 9831-00:

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/s...t_1&kw=9831-00

Thanks, Vassili.
 
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