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Stropping
- Thread starter Peter La
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 31, 2004
- Messages
- 1,907
Peter La, first I don't claim to know alot about the sub. but I too have just used plain leather and gotten good results. I have two belts, one plain and one I use with metal polish for use on S30V. I also dampen the leather on both but don't know if this helps. *I have never seen a barber use compound. This gives away my age! 
Walter
Walter
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
- Messages
- 12,955
You can strop on your pant leg using nothing more than your jeans and if done enough times it will actually polish an edge back up. But the polish paste or compound speeds things up so you are not at it all day long.
One thing to keep in mind if you are stropping a folder is that even though this does a fine job of bringing the edge to a highly polished fine tooth cutting tool it can be detrimental to the pivot pin on knives that cannot be tighthened up should they get loose. So, in other words if you can speed things up so you are not doing it 1000 times but only need to do it 100 you are that much ahead.
Most instructions say to 'push down really hard' while stropping so the more you do this the more the chance of blade wobble which can certainly affect the life of the knife over time. Use the paste if you are stropping a folder. It is better for the life of the knife and believe me, it is better for you hands also. Pushing down hard repeatedly once you get into your mid 40s can have detrimental effects on your joints too.
One thing to keep in mind if you are stropping a folder is that even though this does a fine job of bringing the edge to a highly polished fine tooth cutting tool it can be detrimental to the pivot pin on knives that cannot be tighthened up should they get loose. So, in other words if you can speed things up so you are not doing it 1000 times but only need to do it 100 you are that much ahead.
Most instructions say to 'push down really hard' while stropping so the more you do this the more the chance of blade wobble which can certainly affect the life of the knife over time. Use the paste if you are stropping a folder. It is better for the life of the knife and believe me, it is better for you hands also. Pushing down hard repeatedly once you get into your mid 40s can have detrimental effects on your joints too.
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2004
- Messages
- 879
check out www.handamerican.com for tips on stropping and some great products.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
- Messages
- 12,955
Peter I do apologize for not covering all your questions. I just realized this.
I have always prefered using Flex Cut gold polish compound over anything else. Flex Cut is a well known company that makes some of what I consider to be the finer carving knives I've used. Many times in the old days when you bought one of their knives they came with a sample of their gold compound so I always had some around. It lasts a real long time, and it is easy to break apart and have some on you in a vehicle, or nap sack or even in the handle of a knife so equipped. Oh, and it works.
Many people don't like the 'wax' type of compounds but after using both those and the powders I do prefer the wax as it is less wasteful and it isn't anywhere near as messy. The aluminum oxide powders are quite abrasive to table tops and I have scratched up the surface of more than one by not being careful with some of the powders available. Both work though.
There area also many guys that just use a brass paste, or a bar of the red or green rouge for polish wheels. All will do the job, some cut faster and some don't. It is a matter of experimentation to find which one you prefer.
I have always prefered using Flex Cut gold polish compound over anything else. Flex Cut is a well known company that makes some of what I consider to be the finer carving knives I've used. Many times in the old days when you bought one of their knives they came with a sample of their gold compound so I always had some around. It lasts a real long time, and it is easy to break apart and have some on you in a vehicle, or nap sack or even in the handle of a knife so equipped. Oh, and it works.
Many people don't like the 'wax' type of compounds but after using both those and the powders I do prefer the wax as it is less wasteful and it isn't anywhere near as messy. The aluminum oxide powders are quite abrasive to table tops and I have scratched up the surface of more than one by not being careful with some of the powders available. Both work though.
There area also many guys that just use a brass paste, or a bar of the red or green rouge for polish wheels. All will do the job, some cut faster and some don't. It is a matter of experimentation to find which one you prefer.
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2000
- Messages
- 2,116
wwells20 said:*I have never seen a barber use compound. This gives away my age!
Walter
I would tend to think most barber's wouldn't say "excuse me while I go hone my razor!"
However, if they did they would proceed to take the razor to a fine water stone or strop it with a leather paddle strop loaded with compound.
Barbers maintain their razors' edges with their leather strop, but when they require honing they take them to a stone, leather strops with various compounds, or both.
If you sharpen a knife and stop at say 600 grit and then go to a leather strop you aren't removing the scratches from the 600 grit, you are just polishing them to a degree. With a straight razor you normally finish on a 8000 grit water stone and then you may strop with finer grit compound after that before finishing on plain leather.
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2004
- Messages
- 12,955
Wade is quite right. It should be stated that the final polished edge is only achieved by progressivley taking the steps needed to get there. I think it should also be stated that once you have that 'high polished edge' you should avoid touching up your knives with something like a diamond hone or other stone that will scratch up the surface.
The finer edge will last longer and should be maintained regularly. I have always believed that the secret to proper sharpening is through regularity. To me it not only makes more sense but it is far better to sharpen lightly on a frequent basis rather than to sharpen radically on an infrequent one. However, from time to time after stropping you will round off the edge and then it will need reprofiled. This is when you take something to it course enough to scratch it all up and then work it back to that fine polished edge again.
Sorry if this is not needed info but it struck me as something to point out just in case.
The finer edge will last longer and should be maintained regularly. I have always believed that the secret to proper sharpening is through regularity. To me it not only makes more sense but it is far better to sharpen lightly on a frequent basis rather than to sharpen radically on an infrequent one. However, from time to time after stropping you will round off the edge and then it will need reprofiled. This is when you take something to it course enough to scratch it all up and then work it back to that fine polished edge again.
Sorry if this is not needed info but it struck me as something to point out just in case.