Regarding the strop

T

The_Guide

Joined
Feb 1, 2009
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604
Hey, just a quick question regarding stropping compounds.

When sharpening at home, I like to do EVERY little thing I can (OCD maybe?... lol) and am wondering if there would be a point in using two final stropping compounds?

The procedure I have now is to use stones (800, 1200, 6000) first, then move on to stropping. I go from green CrO (.5 micron) to fine diamond (.25 micron) to plain leather.

Regarding the compounds, am I just wasting time and money using both the 0.5 and 0.25 micron? Could I get the same result just using one?

The_Guide :cool:
 
Are you getting a noticeable jump in sharpness moving from 0.5 microns CrO to 0.25 microns C?

More importantly, how much sharper are your blades getting when you jump from 1200 grit to 6000 grit and from 6000 grit to 0.5 microns? At 1200, your edges should already do most of the stupid things we use as sharpness tests (i.e. whittle hair off your arms) and at 6000 grit you should be able to pushcut handheld newsprint from a further distance from your hand than with a 1200 grit finish and further still at 0.5 and 0.25 microns. If this doesn't happen (after some practice as skill is slightly involved), your technique might need more work before going finer than 6000 grit matters.
 
I can get my knives quite sharp. I notice quite a difference in edge retention after using the 6000. Regardless of whether or not I use the compounds, I always have to finish with a plain leather strop. It makes my edge last a lot longer it seems. The coumpounds just take the sharpness up a notch and give a nice polish (following the law of diminishing returns of course, where each succesive step does less and less with the same effort).

I guess Im asking if I really need the .5 micron before the .25 micron?
 
If I eliminated one, it would be the .25 stuff. it is just beyond what I think of as useful.
 
The_Guide said:
I can get my knives quite sharp. I notice quite a difference in edge retention after using the 6000. Regardless of whether or not I use the compounds, I always have to finish with a plain leather strop. It makes my edge last a lot longer it seems. The coumpounds just take the sharpness up a notch and give a nice polish (following the law of diminishing returns of course, where each succesive step does less and less with the same effort).

I guess Im asking if I really need the .5 micron before the .25 micron?
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You probably don't "NEED" either of them, unless you are cutting up bacteria. :p At this level of sharpening, it's more a question of "having fun."

If your strop is a properly made one, the natural silicates in the leather are good enough for straight razor maintenance without any compound. Now THAT is a sharp edge! (That really does require a properly made strop though, not just some piece of old belt leather, and horsehide would be preferable to cowhide for this.) Of course, this wouldn't be a much fun as running through all the various levels of compounds. I go from 1000 grit stones, 2,000, 4,000 grit polishing tapes to 6,000 grit and 9,000 silicon carbide, then 11,000 aluminum oxide compound, then 60,000 chromium oxide. I finish on a bare horsehide Russian Red Leather strop. But all this is just for fun. For function I could easily stop at the 1,000 grit stone and the blades would work perfectly with no noticeable difference on what I usually cut. (There would be a very visible difference in my edge testing cuts though.) I could also jump from the 1,000 grit stone to the 60,000 grit compound, but instead of 50 strokes on the green it would take 500 to get the same sort of finish I get when I go up in complete order. If you skip one of the levels of grit it will simply take you longer on the next finer one. Same as if you jumped from 360 grit straight to 1000 grit without any intermediate stones. Each successively finer abrasive polishes out the scratch marks of the one before it, making the edge thinner and thinner.

I'm having fun, just like you. We can let our hobby/disease soar to whatever heights we want. :D Just don't tell the neighbors... They won't understand!

Stitchawl
 
stitchawl said:
I'm having fun, just like you. We can let our hobby/disease soar to whatever heights we want. :D

Stitchawl
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Thanks for that. You make a very good point. It is fun isnt it... :D

Maybe thats just the excuse I need to pick up that 64000 grit glass sharpening stone :thumbup:

The_Guide :cool:
 
I rarely if ever go past a strop loaded with 1 micron diamonds. My regret after getting some diamond paste was that I didn't get it sooner, so I'd recommend saving up to get some 3, 6 or 10 micron diamond paste for stropping.
 
Broos, do you stop with the diamonds on a leather strop or on a MDF as I've often seen recommended?
 
Broos said:
I rarely if ever go past a strop loaded with 1 micron diamonds. My regret after getting some diamond paste was that I didn't get it sooner, so I'd recommend saving up to get some 3, 6 or 10 micron diamond paste for stropping.
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Can you tell me where you got the diamond paste? Website is fine...I am using green right now with a leather belt, but would like to build a better strop.
 
cj65 said:
Can you tell me where you got the diamond paste? Website is fine...I am using green right now with a leather belt, but would like to build a better strop.
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Cj, can I just offer a quick suggestion? :o Get a good piece of tooling cowhide from Jantz Knifemaker's Supply http://jantzsupply.com/cartease/item-detail.cfm?ID=AG512
and turn THAT into your strop. There really IS a difference. It's only $10 and there will be enough for two or three strops for each of your different compounds. Cut to 4"x12" and mount on a stiff board.

To make them even more effective, run under warm water for 20 seconds, wrap in clingfilm overnight, then in the morning let the leather dry out to the point were the surface is just changing back to natural color, then with a heavy roller (marble rolling pin is great, wooden rolling pin, lead pipe, etc.,) roll on the leather for a few minutes. Then let it dry completely. When dry, apply your compound. Don't worry about the water ruining the leather. You have no need to flex it and the brief exposure wouldn't hurt it anyway. Cows don't shrink. :p

You can get all the various compounds and grits of every size at
http://www.gravescompany.com/polishin.htm

Have fun! ;)

Stitchawl
 
The_Guide said:
Thanks for that. You make a very good point. It is fun isnt it... :D

Maybe thats just the excuse I need to pick up that 64000 grit glass sharpening stone :thumbup:

The_Guide :cool:
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64,000? Guide.... there really is a very fine line between hobby and mental illness.
Welcome to the other side. It's actually very nice over here! :D

(Some mornings I wonder if it's worth it to chew through the leather restraining straps.)

Stitchawl
 
I got my diamond paste at Woodcraft on one of their 20% off days - it's made by DMT and sold for $50 for 3 tubes. You can get it a lot cheaper some places, but to really figure out which is the best deal you gotta know how many diamonds are in each. I always mix it with handamerican gel when applying (a mineral oil based gel, I have heard) - it improves the feel of the strop over just the diamond paste.

With a polished edge I'll stop with the 1 micron loaded strop, though often I'll stop with a 3 micron strop. Very light pressure on finishing.

I wouldn't say the finer grits have no benefit, but I have been happy with stopping at 1 micron to get to a telephone paper tube slicing, arm hair tree-topping edge.
 
Thanks, today I reloaded my green paste and stropped a couple of blade edges, got improvement, but not where I want to be.
 
cj65 said:
That quest, for the perfect edge,.... is close but just out of reach. Oohhh the fringe lunacy of it all.:D...I am in a great place....:o
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There is no lunacy in the quest for the perfect edge, only in thinking we've found it. ;)

I think it's time to up my meds.

Stitchawl
 
stitchawl said:
There is no lunacy in the quest for the perfect edge, only in thinking we've found it. ;)

I think it's time to up my meds.

Stitchawl
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Thanks for reminding me. I will use the spatula blade on my Dr. to sort my pills.:D

BTW- should I be stropping the edge of my spatula blade, and if so....What grit?:cool:
 
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