Stropping Compound

[Obsessed with Edges]

I didn't want to start a new thread since this one was already there (and relevant ).


Thanks for all the info . I assume you don't use Windex on your kitchen knives unless you thoroughly rinse it afterwards or something since I read it isn't food safe.
I read a lot of things about oiling and have avoided it until now since I dry my knives quickly after use. I think I will try some rubbing alcohol gel (wonder if there are any relatively pure ones without any perfumes and other added chemicals).


May I ask how can one avoid getting it airborne? I assume every time you rub it (the solid form) on your stropping surface and while you strop some of it will be released into the air.

With dry powdered compounds, I've always mixed them with a little bit of mineral oil (or even a mineral oil-based hand lotion) to bind them to the strop (I've used leather and mdf for substrates with compound applied this way). That by itself is enough to prevent it from getting 'dusty' again (ever) and becoming airborne. Some will still come off; but it's always more clumpy and still bound together by the mineral oil. So it doesn't have the same tendency to become airborne anymore. I did this especially with green (chromium oxide) powder, which I picked up from a lapidary supply shop (for rock polishing, etc). That powder is extremely fine and makes a heckuva mess if you spill it. It embeds into the smallest of surface pores and stains green anything it lands on.

Regarding the Windex, it largely evaporates like alcohol does, after wiping a blade with it. Leaves no discernible trace of itself behind. You can rinse or wash the blade afterward, if you feel you need to. But I've not worried about it, when I've used it on my folder blades for food prep. The ingestion warnings on these products generally only apply if/when one actually drinks it in quantity (ounces or more), as opposed to microscopic traces left on a blade's surface.

 

[idanp]

With dry powdered compounds, I've always mixed them with a little bit of mineral oil (or even a mineral oil-based hand lotion) to bind them to the strop (I've used leather and mdf for substrates with compound applied this way). That by itself is enough to prevent it from getting 'dusty' again (ever) and becoming airborne. Some will still come off; but it's always more clumpy and still bound together by the mineral oil. So it doesn't have the same tendency to become airborne anymore. I did this especially with green (chromium oxide) powder, which I picked up from a lapidary supply shop (for rock polishing, etc). That powder is extremely fine and makes a heckuva mess if you spill it. It embeds into the smallest of surface pores and stains green anything it lands on.

Regarding the Windex, it largely evaporates like alcohol does, after wiping a blade with it. Leaves no discernible trace of itself behind. You can rinse or wash the blade afterward, if you feel you need to. But I've not worried about it, when I've used it on my folder blades for food prep. The ingestion warnings on these products generally only apply if/when one actually drinks it in quantity (ounces or more), as opposed to microscopic traces left on a blade's surface.

Thank you kindly for all your help!