Stropping Compound Reccomendations

ncrockclimb

ncrockclimb

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Nov 20, 2014
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I have gotten moderately proficient at sharpening with my Sharpmaker, but would like to expand my skill set to include stropping. I would like to start using strops for maintaining my fixed blades and only use the Sharpmaker on my fixed blades to repair damage or reprofile.

I got a Flexcut strop and it came with the yellow / gold compound. I am not sure if this is a good compound to use for sharpening / polishing my blades. It seems that a lot of people use a two step stopping process, and I am trying to figure out what compounds to get. What do you guys suggest?

Also, how often do you have to resort to stones instead of stropping? I am a total stropping neophyte, so any advice you want to offer would be really appreciated.

Thanks.
 
The Flexcut Gold is one of the best all purpose compound out there in my opinion, it will work fine as a finish stropping compound for all but straight razors, and some will use it even for that.

Some will use a black compound to restore the edge a bit before using the finer compounds, or you can take it to a fine stone for a few passes and then right to the Flexcut.

Flexcut is a blend of approx 3micron and .5micron. Using a dual grit makes for a compound that can do more repair and still refine very well. Most black compounds are in the 20micron range.

The harder the strop, the greater the margin of error for you when using. I am not sure how firm/hard the Flexcut strop is, but I'd start there since you already own it and they enjoy a solid reputation for carving tools and related gear. Hard to believe it won't work well. Many will apply it to balsa or other softer woods, or any variety of surfaces that will hold the compound.

Generally I use paper over a bench stone or on one of my Washboards for stropping. A side benefit of using with paper - after the initial passes, one can rub the paper down with a paper towel or rag - the smaller particles will be worked into the paper, the larger particles will come off on the rag along with most of the binders. Continuing with this surface will refine the edge even more.

Use light pressure and approach at a slightly lower angle than your grind angle to avoid microscopically rounding the edge. A few dots of Sharpie along the edge will tell you where you're hitting.
 
I have used all three or the Bark River compounds. Black, green and white. On my Viel 1x42 I use the white on a leather belt as the finish step on my most of my customers knives. I have used all three on paddle strops from DLT. They all work well for what they are intended for and last for along time. I never have been fond of the green as it does very little other than polish.

On to the CBN compounds in your link. If the don't say "Engineered by Ken Schwartz" on the bottle I'd be wary. I use Ken's products exclusively and the quality is unsurpassed. At one time Ken provided the vendor in your link and a few others with CBN compounds with the Bark River label. That may no longer the case since they may have gone in another direction. Even though the picture shows the product to be Ken's I would call that particular vendor before purchase to make sure of what your getting. The water based emulsions can be used on darn near anything. Strops of all kinds. Linen, leather and Nano cloth belts on the belt sander. Water stones to improve cutting or polish. Oil stones would be one item I can think of that they might be ineffective with.

I use the 30, 16, 8 and 4 micron CBN emulsions. Its really is amazing stuff. Extremely versatile and gives great results. I can't recall the complete range of Ken's offerings in CBN. But its quite wide and is offered in three formulations. Possibly more.
 
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