Super fine stropping compound?

william8284 said:
I just started convexing on a couple select knives that I wanted to try a different edge type. I went from 80 grit for reprofileing down to 12000 grit. I was wondering if I will get any benifit from using a compound on a strop? Most of the compound I have seen are almost the same micron size as the 12000 grit sandpaper, as far I know it should be around .50 to .60 micron. I am not positive on these fiqures however. Are there any finer compound? Should I just go to bare leather after the :confused:12000 grit?
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A good compound applied to the flesh side of a strop glued to a block of wood. With sandpaper you will allways have micro-serations. I just bought the green compound and the block from I forogot where. But if you want the name PM me cause I have it in my favorites. You pass your thumbnail on a knife, uh um excuse me I see you are using 12000 grit. I do not know where you are finding this grit of paper. The best I have done is 2500 grit and really had to search hard for that, maybe you mean 1200 grit. Any way after my 2500 grit I use the compound and strop, and the edge is smooth. You can run your fingernail on top of the cutting edge and you get the same feel as a razor blade. You feel nothing at all. And it does make a difference from using just the flesh side of a strop alone. A big difference. Slice paper like it is not even there.

Any way the compound is green and if you want the site I bought it at give me a hoot. And if you really have a source for 12000 grit please pass the source on to me. Great for refinishing old blades and make them like mirrors again. But my 2500 does that already.

But I just want to add. How sharp is sharp. What do you want to do with your knife with such a keen edge surgery on someone. Just my toughts but like one persons handle says " Obsessed with Sharp" or something like that. And that is exactly how I see it obsession. But really if you do find paper finer than 2500 I want to see a source, after I just insulted you LOL!

Kind Regards,

Daniel
 
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nativecajun57 said:
A good compound applied to the flesh side of a strop glued to a block of wood. With sandpaper you will allways have micro-serations. I just bought the green compound and the block from I forogot where. But if you want the name PM me cause I have it in my favorites. You pass your thumbnail on a knife, uh um excuse me I see you are using 12000 grit. I do not know where you are finding this grit of paper. The best I have done is 2500 grit and really had to search hard for that, maybe you mean 1200 grit. Any way after my 2500 grit I use the compound and strop, and the edge is smooth. You can run your fingernail on top of the cutting edge and you get the same feel as a razor blade. You feel nothing at all. And it does make a difference from using just the flesh side of a strop alone. A big difference. Slice paper like it is not even there.

Any way the compound is green and if you want the site I bought it at give me a hoot. And if you really have a source for 12000 grit please pass the source on to me. Great for refinishing old blades and make them like mirrors again. But my 2500 does that already.

But I just want to add. How sharp is sharp. What do you want to do with your knife with such a keen edge surgery on someone. Just my toughts but like one persons handle says " Obsessed with Sharp" or something like that. And that is exactly how I see it obsession. But really if you do find paper finer than 2500 I want to see a source, after I just insulted you LOL!

Kind Regards,

Daniel
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I can agree with how sharp is sharp. I dont want them all that sharp just a few for different task. I am not insulted only because I know how hard it is to get finer than 2500 grit paper Maybe I should for being it seemed my intergty is in dout. However It does sound like a strech or typo. I did find some and love it not just for sharpening but also for polishing the bolsters,blades and it mirror finishes edges quite well.It is expensive but seems to last. It is micro mesh type paper. I was informed of it by a guys at work. They used similar kits to polish areas of aircraft and it worked well for that.

I sent you a pm with a post I made before with the details. I will add that most of my knives will never go below a 1 micron edge. Some might not go that low may 3 micron. I know that some times I want a little tooth but some I want to get them as sharp as I possibly can. Besides I want to see how sharp that sharp really is. It is something to do when it is 100 degree outside in GA and you just want to stay cool for a while.
 
then had me pay via email.
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How do you pay for something using email? If you're emailing your credit card numbers DON'T - it's very insecure. :)
 
There's definitely a point of diminishing returns on going past .25 micron (that's 60.000 grit) diamond spray. At that level of refinement, variables in your technique far outweigh your equipment. If you get .5 mic and .25 mic sprays for your two strops, you will be playing in some pretty rarefied air. There's no need to get chromium oxide, which is also .5 micron, but the black compound, which is usually 3-5 micron, works well.

I do hope Keith is able to hook you up. He can run a little spotty, but he's got great stuff. Be persistent, it's worth it.
 
has 'em down to 9000
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They're a d**m sight cheaper than diamond spray too! Thanks for the link. I wonder if they'll leave the "wet look" you get by using the diamond sprays/pastes?

12000 grit
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Pics or you don't have any! :D
 
cziv said:
They're a d**m sight cheaper than diamond spray too! Thanks for the link. I wonder if they'll leave the "wet look" you get by using the diamond sprays/pastes?



Pics or you don't have any! :D
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I don't see why they wouldn't give a high polish, mirror finish (if that's what you mean by 'wet look'). I haven't used these myself, but I've watched a program or two on TV (mainly woodworking programs), where this stuff has been used to sharpen woodworking chisels to a mirror finish. The abrasives aren't diamond, however. So, I don't know how long these sheets will last, compared to diamond compound on a strop.
 
I have the following grits of micro mesh it is1500,1800,2400,3200,3600,4000,6000,8000,12000. I posted a link couple weeks ago one where I got them. Mine are made by micro mesh. I like them alot seem to hold up very well. I have worn out several pieces of 800 grit to none of these. I have only sharpend 4 blades. but the kit looks and feel new. That is after washing them off. I would not buy the kit unless I was just tring them out however. They make larger sized just have to look around. I have 4x6 and it works just fine. I would like bigger for my Cold steel SRK though. It is faily expensive mine was like 25 dollars for the kit. You only get one of each grit. I got it for polishing some blades not sharpening. I just thought what the heck lets see what it can do. I am impressed to say the least. It will give you that mirror polish that you are looking for.

It is awsome at polising bolsters, glass and wood even. I am wanting to get more but will buy them seperate from now on. Having said that the kit is perfect if you just want to try it. I am not promoting any brand or website but this a link to my previous post. mine.http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=747065.
I have a link in there for a site to find it. I would just search it to find the best deal. I just want to go finer grit that why I am taking knifenut1013 advise. If you want picks of the knife edges I see if I can unpack it refinsh my benchmade and post some.
 
To get your feet wet I would suggest the 3 pack of DMT compound and 3 pieces of wood. I like hardwood but have heard good things about balsa. It will be cheap and WILL produce a perfect mirror finish by the finish of 1 micron, truthfully most would consider it perfect after 3.

After your finishing stone and the use of these compounds if you do not have a perfect mirror finished hair splitting edge then technique is to blame.

Can't access my user CP send me a email.
 
cziv said:
How do you pay for something using email? If you're emailing your credit card numbers DON'T - it's very insecure. :)
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..

Sorry, I meant paypal, it then shipped the next day.


.
Knifenut,

What do you use for hardwood?
 
Well that sucks Knifenut I just got 2 sets of strops oh well. oh well guess I will order some dmt and put on some good hardwood I do love some good oak. I will get the DMT kit on the way. I may go with some finer compound after that just to try and put those on the strops. Thanks for your help as well as everyone here. i should have waited to buy those two sets from mr2blue. I might have some good gifts for when I get home. On second though I think they can buy there own. I can always use extra stuff.:D
 
I have been wanting to get some maple but for now I have been using oak. The oak works but I would not suggest it, its just what I had around.

MDF works very well to but you must be careful when using a spray, that stuff does not like to get wet.
 
Keep the strops just don't use the DMT compound on them, for some reason that compound is not very effective like that.
 
Ok I could not figure out how to post pics. I also suck at taking them as well I just found out.The light keep washing out the images. I will try later But I have some more packing to do right now.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
There are some 'micro-abrasive' sheet products available, which go a good ways below the 2000 grit sandpaper. The link below has 'em down to 9000 (0.5 micron). Don't know for sure if they're available beyond that (such as to 12000).

http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=33004&cat=1,43072
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I can get the sheets down to 15,000. All the local DIY shops have 4,000/8,000/10,000 for sale in packages of three sheets (roughly 8x10) and the larger DIY and hobby shops have the 15,000 grit sheets. Cost is about $8 US dollars per package. I like to cut them down and mount them on EdgePro blanks to use as finishing steps. After using the 15,000 I just strop on bare horsehide.


Stitchawl
 
wow that is pretty fine bet it works well on the edge pro.Just crious but do you go pull on the edge pro kinda like stropping or just place the paper when it gets cut? I was thinking it would work on the edge pro last night. I dont have one just curios. Would it even work in a stropping motion on the edge pro? That is what is unique bout knife guys we will think of anything to get a better system than we can have.
 
william8284 said:
wow that is pretty fine bet it works well on the edge pro.Just crious but do you go pull on the edge pro kinda like stropping or just place the paper when it gets cut?
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When I'm paying attention I pull it like stropping. It works beautifully that way. When I stop paying attention, I pull and push and it doesn't last more than a couple of strokes... :o Fortunately the sheets aren't that expensive, and when cut down to EdgePro size I can get about 20 out of one sheet. I use removable spry adhesive (the stuff that graphic artists use) to hold it on the blanks.

It takes a VERY light hand, just the weight of the stone arm alone, and a pull motion as when stropping, but you can get some really fine edges with this stuff. I still finish with a horsehide strop mounted on a stone blank. It's always (except for kitchen knives) my final step.


Stitchawl
 
knifenut1013 said:
I have been wanting to get some maple but for now I have been using oak. The oak works but I would not suggest it, its just what I had around.

MDF works very well to but you must be careful when using a spray, that stuff does not like to get wet.
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I picked up some cherry today. I was thinking of sanding it down to 400 in preparation for the paste. Does this sound about right?
 
I picked up some cherry today. I was thinking of sanding it down to 400 in preparation for the paste. Does this sound about right?
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Keith at Hand American told me on the phone to use diamond compound on balsa wood. YMMV :)
 
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