Strop and compound for Traditional slip joints.

[Big Papa]

I am new to using a strop and a compound for my traditional slip joints.

Can someone please explain the process and what product is best to use for the strop and compound?

Thank you. I will get there eventually

 

[Humppa]

I built several strops from a wood board and a piece of leather. One runs with compound, one without.

I bought the PUMA strop compound (green color) and added it to the leather strop. Used too much, but it doesn´t matter, I realized. Just use it as on other strops that run without compound. Use it in a lower angle as the angle you sharpen, so you can break the burr that comes after sharping.

I made the experience that using the strop (in general) brings back a better edge than anything else. Imo people too often use stones. But for sure, only with stones you can reprofile the edge.

 

[Sadden]

Well before i can make any reccomendation i need to know what you use in your regular sharpening routine.

But i will say this. Do not pick out compounds based on color. Use a quality product of a known particle size and concentration. For a strop i use either Kangaroo or Nanocloth. The roo creates a heavy burnishing effect plus the effect of whatever compound your using. The nanocloth alone has no effect on the edge so it is solely the effect of whatever compound you use on it.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

This linked thread does a nice job explaining the concept/philosophy of stropping on a conformable surface, like leather:
Stropping: angle plus pressure

As for materials and compounds, some of that depends on what steels you're sharpening, and also with what stones/hones you're using. Desired edge finish (coarse/toothy or polished, or a compromise of the two) will influence which compounds may work best for you. Most traditional slipjoints are made with simpler carbon and stainless steels like 1095, Case CV, 420HC, 440A/C and others. With most or all of those, usually green, white or black compounds work very well. Most of the time, just green compound (chromium oxide) works for maintenance purposes and daily upkeep; the black/white compounds can be used after sharpening on stones to quickly remove burrs and refine the edge somewhat, before finishing off with green and/or bare leather. Depending on how coarse you like your finished edges, the black and/or white compounds may also work well for maintaining coarser edges, or restoring the bite to them. Green compound is very fine, and will be better-suited for final polishing stages.

You can very easily get acquainted with the stropping technique, and produce excellent results, even without using leather. Just a piece of paper laid atop a firm surface (wood, glass, bench stone, etc), with some compound applied to it, can work very (very) well by itself. This happens to be the way I've been maintaining the edges on my traditionals and other knives lately, and I like it. I also occasionally strop on the inside face of my leather belt, using green compound on part, and a bare section following that. Works great for 1095 (Schrade USA) and Case's steels (CV and 420HC, a.k.a. 'Tru-Sharp' stainless), as well as Buck (420HC), Opinel ('carbone' XC90 and 'INOX' 12C27Mod stainless) and other similar steels.


David

 

[Big Papa]

Well before i can make any reccomendation i need to know what you use in your regular sharpening routine.

But i will say this. Do not pick out compounds based on color. Use a quality product of a known particle size and concentration. For a strop i use either Kangaroo or Nanocloth. The roo creates a heavy burnishing effect plus the effect of whatever compound your using. The nanocloth alone has no effect on the edge so it is solely the effect of whatever compound you use on it.

I am a chef and use japanese water stones for my kitchen knives.
For my collectable traditional slip joints all I currently use is a spyderco sharpmaker and thats it.

 

[HeavyHanded]

Flexcut Gold compound, just wrap a sheet of paper around one of your waterstones - preferably one with some texture but not too coarse. A bit of compound rubbed on the paper and strop gently. Have also mopped up waterstone mud with a sheet of paper (gently) and let it dry. Wrap that around a dry stone and it works great for a strop too.

 

[jon_slider]

if you email me, I will give you a link to a strop with 4 sides to it and 3 included compounds
this forum frowns on sales discussions regarding non paying vendors

 

[neeman]

I am a chef and use japanese water stones for my kitchen knives.
For my collectable traditional slip joints all I currently use is a spyderco sharpmaker and thats it.

Do the water stones get your kitchen knives sharp enough?
Is there a reason not to use your Japanese waterstones on the slippies?
Do you strop your kitchen knives?
Do you want to learn that, then the slipjoints will be easy.

 

[Big Papa]

I do not strop my kitchen knives. I have been using a steel. It works better when I need it on the fly.