Strop vs. Stone? (Equal grits)

[cm_bushman]

I recently received my DMT Aligner and I am very pleased with the results I am getting after a little practice. I was thinking of expanding my stone set with the (60 micron) X-Coarse stone to speed up initial shaping (thought he diamonds in the coarse stone really do blow away natural and ceramic attempts), and either the (3 micron) XX-Fine stone or the 3 micron Dia-paste tube, which is roughly the same price. Don't get me wrong, I like my edges a little toothy, and the EF stone is excellent, but with this, I am really looking to see how far I can take my edges. If this works out, I'll look into the Hand American compounds in even finer grits.

My question is will my edges from stropping with the 3 micron paste look, feel, or perform differently than an edge sharpened with the XXF stone with the same grit size? I would either be stropping freehand, or using an improvised strop (would balsa or leather work better?) attached to my Aligner, so as to keep everything as consistent as possible. Also, assuming moderately frequent sharpening, how long will the small syringes of Dia-paste last? Is it a better investment in the long run to spring for the stone?

 

[Ernie1980]

My experience is coming from a wicked edge, but it should be the same. I bought the extra fine ceramics, and later bought leather strops with diamond paste in the same micron. I prefer the strop, the ceramic just never seemed to really make the edge that much finer than the 1000 grit diamond stone I have.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

A hard stone will always cut deeper than a strop with the same abrasive type & size. The difference is in the backing into which the grit is embedded. A strop (leather, wood, etc.) will always 'give' more under the pressure exerted by the blade, so the grit will perform to a finer effective grit. Think of it in terms of sprinkling gravel on two surfaces, then walking barefooted across each surface. One surface is deep, thick carpet, and the other is a concrete driveway. Which surface is going to be more painful to walk on?

If you're hoping to leave some 'teeth' in the polish on your edges, I'd choose the EEF hone over the paste. And, it's not like you can't pick up the paste anyway, sometime down the road.


David

 

[Ernie1980]

Thanks for the mental picture David, that helps me too! I saw the result but now I better know why:thumbup:

 

[Joseph Loveland]

After reading these posts, I remember my Grandpa and his Razor Strop. I asked him one day why he used a stone then the strop. Ya have ta understand that IS was just 7 and didn't really understand much of what he was doing. He explaied it this way...When I sharpen my knives I get them pretty with the sharpening stone. Then I start with the Razor Strop fr it has two strops. I work the bkades on the rough strop side first then flip the trop over and finish sharening with the Leather side which finshes sharpening the bade. I used ta watch my Grandpa shave with his pocket knife that was a Case with the X's down.
I miss him and over the years hs knives and strop have been lost due ta the many moves we've been through. But I still have the memries. If this has been if ny help then I glad. I know there are many techniques and folks are set in their ways. I myself am still looking for a goid piece of leather so I can strop my knives.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Thanks for the mental picture David, that helps me too! I saw the result but now I better know why:thumbup:

I previously overlooked your other questions, re: wood vs. leather, and how long the Dia-Paste will last. I'd highly encourage you to try as many different substrates as you can for stropping (leather, soft/hard wood, paper, cardboard, paper over wood, paper over glass, etc). Sort of amazing how much difference it can make, if you're otherwise not-too-sure about the compound itself. I'm still experimenting to this day; and the steel type will often respond better to a given combination of compound and substrate. For example, some compound/backing combos are MUCH better for cleaning up burrs on steels that are otherwise very prone to them.

The little 'syringes' of Dia-Paste will last a long time, potentially a very long time. Only need maybe 3-5 BB-sized dabs on a typical bench strop (if even that), and the compound will stay embedded and keep working essentially indefinitely. On the occasion that the strop becomes very dirty, a wipedown with a dry paper towel will usually remove enough excess swarf to keep the strop working. Can also use a WD-40-moistened paper towel, which does a more thorough job. May also remove some compound, but there'll still be plenty left embedded in the strop. Apply new compound even more sparingly than the first application. Wood strops, like balsa, will work more aggressively than leather (that's the firmness of the backing, as I described before), so they need to be cleaned more often. You'll notice them blackening up pretty fast in use.


David

 

[cm_bushman]

Thanks for the responses guys, especially Obsessed (David).

I was just wondering about the differences in stones vs. strops because stropping on bare leather has been so positive for me (much more so than freehanding on stones) that I think it would probably work better for me, if there is little difference. I think I'll try out the Dia-Paste (or another option?) soon, and maybe rig up a strop insert for my aligner if I get some free time!