Stropping compound question

K

Khuku'nut

Joined
May 28, 2009
Messages
59
Hello All,

Sorry for another sharpening related question, but I was wondering if anyone has used or heard about this sharpening compound I saw at Lowe's.

It's the store brand, and they have five different compounds. (I would link from their website, but I can't find it on there.) They come in 3.8 ounce sticks for about $4 each. It doesn't say what is in the compound nor grit/micron size.

#1 Hard Materials Heavy Duty Cleaning Compound (black colored compound)- Used for removal of burrs, corrosion, and scratches from iron, steel, and other hard metals.
#2 Hard Materials Regular Duty Cleaning Compound
#3 Soft Metals
#4 Light Polishing
#5 High Gloss Polishing (green colored compound)- Used for high gloss polishing for all metal types.

I wasn't really looking at 2-4, but I know one was white colored, another was blue, and I think one was yellow.

I went ahead and bought #1 & 5, there was only one each, but I wanted to get some info before using them.

Any help will be appreciated. Thank you.

P.S. If anyone is looking for cheap leather to make strops, I went to my local hobby store and bought a 3 pound bag of scrap leather peices for about $5.
 
Khuku'nut said:
Hello All,

Sorry for another sharpening related question, but I was wondering if anyone has used or heard about this sharpening compound I saw at Lowe's.

It's the store brand, and they have five different compounds. (I would link from their website, but I can't find it on there.) They come in 3.8 ounce sticks for about $4 each. It doesn't say what is in the compound nor grit/micron size.

#1 Hard Materials Heavy Duty Cleaning Compound (black colored compound)- Used for removal of burrs, corrosion, and scratches from iron, steel, and other hard metals.
#2 Hard Materials Regular Duty Cleaning Compound
#3 Soft Metals
#4 Light Polishing
#5 High Gloss Polishing (green colored compound)- Used for high gloss polishing for all metal types.

I wasn't really looking at 2-4, but I know one was white colored, another was blue, and I think one was yellow.

I went ahead and bought #1 & 5, there was only one each, but I wanted to get some info before using them.

Any help will be appreciated. Thank you.

P.S. If anyone is looking for cheap leather to make strops, I went to my local hobby store and bought a 3 pound bag of scrap leather peices for about $5.
Click to expand...

I use these Lowe's compounds on my buffing wheel, that's what they were made for. I'm not sure how well they would work on a strop, but i suppose they'd be usable....... what info are you looking for?
 
I think the rouge (which is what it's called) is the same for buffing wheels and strops (at least I use the same stuff for both.

If you got #1 and #5 (the black and green), that's really all you need.
Sharpen the blade down to where you want with a fine stone. then strop with the black compound, then the green, and if you want, end it with bare leather. If you strop periodically with the black and then green after that, you'll rarely have to sharpen a blade.
 
Thanks for the replies so far.


Karda said:
I use these Lowe's compounds on my buffing wheel, that's what they were made for. I'm not sure how well they would work on a strop, but i suppose they'd be usable....... what info are you looking for?
Click to expand...

I know in a lot of the sharpening guides and forum posts I've read, tons refer to Lee Valley's chromium oxide 0.5 micron honing compound. I was wondering if this was relatively the same stuff and could be used the same way on a leather strop.
 
Yes, it is and you pretty much can.
Follow the Cpl's advice and you should be fine.
 
I think the green is overkill for a knife, it's supposed to be 1 micron and I only use it for my straight razor... wich is a little sharper than a khuk.
 
cybrok said:
I think the green is overkill for a knife, it's supposed to be 1 micron and I only use it for my straight razor... wich is a little sharper than a khuk.
Click to expand...

I gotta go along with Cybrok, but then it depends on the individual and what you're using the knife for. I do like a nice slick shiny sharp edge on a kukri or any tool for chopping wood as I think it's more efficient for the job. However over the years I've changed my mind for general purpose knives and prefer a more toothy edge. Like Ed Fowler said a while back in here, "Try using a 320 grit." among other things.:thumbup: :cool: :)



.
 
I had a conversation with Mike Stewart (BRKT) and he told me on the field, he doesn't even bother using the green one, and BRKTs are a tad thinner than our khuks ;)
 
Thanks guys, you all are so helpful.

I am not planning on putting an edge like that on all my knives, just a select few.

And I am using sandpaper for the initial sharpening/convexing. I have 220, 400, 600, 1000, and 2000. That should cover my needs. :)
 
Last edited:
cybrok said:
I think the green is overkill for a knife, it's supposed to be 1 micron and I only use it for my straight razor... wich is a little sharper than a khuk.
Click to expand...

I mentioned the green as a good choice (with the black, and later, raw leather) because he didn't specify what he was sharpening. Could be just his kukris, or he could also be stropping a razor. ;)
 
Cpl Punishment said:
I mentioned the green as a good choice (with the black, and later, raw leather) because he didn't specify what he was sharpening. Could be just his kukris, or he could also be stropping a razor. ;)
Click to expand...

Then for a straight, forget the black ;)


I've been shaving with a straight for a year now, you guys should really try it.
 
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