Stropping compound

H

hectorlektor

Joined
Sep 14, 2018
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4
I have been using cheap ebay green (non descriptive, but I guess it's chromium oxide) bars for stropping compound, but lately the quality seem to have dropped and I got a couple of bars that cut extremely slow.

So I ordered some chromium oxide from the UK (I live in the EU, Sweden) and waiting for it, and my plan was to melt the "bad" bars and add chromium oxide powder to get it to perform better.

But then I realized that I can make my own bars as well.

Do you have any tips on binding materials? I was thinking just using candle wax, because I like the crayon like bars. I tried Puma compound, but that was almost as butter and I hated it.

I found a place in the UK which sell chromium oxide powder for a descent price (since I don't seem to be able to find it here in Sweden at all).
 
If you'll be using the powder, it's much easier just to mix it with a little bit of mineral oil and 'paint' it onto your strop (leather, wood, etc). I've even used some mineral oil-based hand lotion for the same purpose, in applying chromium oxide powder to a leather belt. It'll bind it just as well to the leather and is much less of a hassle to work with than the waxy binders used in other stick or bar compounds. And it'll apply in a very uniform coverage as well, literally just like paint, which is likely the best attribute of doing it this way.

In 'painting' it onto a strop (use a small arts/crafts paint brush), GO VERY LIGHT with the application. It's easy to overapply it, and you'll end up scraping the excess off the strop with your blade, fingers, etc. It'll continue to come off for a while, but the amount that needs to embed in the substrate will do so, and the strop will work just fine with what stays on it.

I wouldn't bother trying to melt down your other bar compounds. Just put them away and mix up the powder as above. It's much easier and it'll work better as well, without all that waxy stuff getting in the way. That wax really does impede the effectiveness of the compound on a strop; the wax is only in those compounds to make it stick to motorized buffing wheels. We don't need or want it, for stropping.
 
Straight Razor Designs sells a spray bottle of crox with water carrier. I find it quick and easy to use and good quality chromium oxide. You can apply it as heavy or as light as you like.
 
A couple recipes I have found on this are:

60% beeswax
30% paraffin
10% pine rosin or dancers rosin
Add some baking soda to get the pine rosin to distribute evenly.
Melt with good ventilation because you don't want to be breathing the fumes.

or
1 lb beeswax to 2-3 tablespoons of neatsfoot oil.

So far I am using the abrasive dry and find it works just fine. I am using diamond powder since that is what I have lying around. Sprinkle a little on the strop, rub it in with my finger, and good to go.
 
I really like the wax bar form of stropping compound though.

Diemaker, thank you! I dont even know what pine rosin and dancers rosin is. Could I replace it with maybe some vaseline or something along those lines?
 
Pine rosin is dried pine tree sap. It is used for stringed instrument bows and in climbing and other sports to increase hand/finger grip. You should be able to find it easily with a Google search.
 
hectorlektor said:
I really like the wax bar form of stropping compound though.

Diemaker, thank you! I dont even know what pine rosin and dancers rosin is. Could I replace it with maybe some vaseline or something along those lines?
Click to expand...

The pine rosin comes in chunks at any dance/ballet supply shop. It is crushed and applied to ballet slipper toes and bottom of competitive dance shoes.

That looks like my formula! You need the ventilation as the pine rosin is pretty much the same rosin used for soldering - a little is no problem but a bunch will give you a nice headache - wives are particularly sensitive to the effects!

Don't bother with the baking soda - that's only needed if you aren't adding any abrasive. Figure about 60% minimum abrasive content added to the above.

Candlemaker's Stearine (vegetable tallow) is what many commercial blocks are made from, I have read it can be found anywhere serious craft candlemaker supplies are found but have never used it myself.

FWIW, the Formax microhoning compound at Woodcraft is top quality stuff. For carbon and low alloy stainless it would be very difficult to outdo.
 
All good tips! Thanks! The thing that sounds most alluring is the candle wax/stearin, and cut it with sonething to make it a little bit softer! Or maybe the hardness is a good thing, so you dont overapply.
 
I tried to melt down one of my "bad" bars and added chromium oxide powder. It worked, but it wasnt worth it imo. To much work.

Have anyone tried veritas brand compound? It seem to have good review (seem to be a uk brand)
 
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