what compound for leather strop?

harkamus

harkamus

Joined
Apr 23, 2007
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I'm wanting to strop my knives with leather instead of my cardboard. What kind of compound should I use? Can I use the same compound regardless of blade steel?
 
I would suggest 0.5micron Chromium Oxide(the green stuff), Chromium Oxide will work on pretty much all steels, but very hard steels like S90V, S125V, ZDP-189 you will need to strop a bit longer for a nice polish.
 
Where do I find/buy said compound? Also, what kind of care do I need to take for my own health reasons? Like, is the stuff cancerous? Will it absorb through my skin if I touch it? Should I wear gloves? etc.
 
harkamus said:
Where do I find/buy said compound? Also, what kind of care do I need to take for my own health reasons? Like, is the stuff cancerous? Will it absorb through my skin if I touch it? Should I wear gloves? etc.
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Use Mr2Blue's link, it's a great site, and I use the same brand of CrO(Veritas).

I haven't heard anything about it being health hazard, I think you'll be fine as long as you refrain from eating it.
 
knifenut1013 said:
Nothing even compares to diamond spray, its on sale today for a really good price too. http://www.japaneseknifesharpeningstore.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=27
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How long does 4oz of diamond spray last you?

Also, this is from a strop with CrO :)

tn_DSC06349.jpg


But I cheated lol(power strop).
 
I have a feeling it will last a long time only two sprays are needed for my 12x3 strop. Thats a good looking polish you got their I need to get some of those belts. The speed and level of sharpness is the biggest advantage to the diamond spray I only stropped the gerber in my recent post for 10 minutes maybe less before taking those pictures. The difference in sharpness is also very noticeable, I know its hard to believe but it does make it much sharper.
 
harkamus said:
I'm wanting to strop my knives with leather instead of my cardboard. What kind of compound should I use? Can I use the same compound regardless of blade steel?
Click to expand...

I found that I do not need anything but Green Rouge. Is it leather or not - probably does not matter. Only trick is - Green Rouge should be melted to butter condition. I usually preheat slightly my strop (which is leather, but I am sure it may be any straight surface) and then on warm strop apply Green rouge and polish edge under lamp as well.

I think the fact that Green Rouge is soft play huge part of sharpening edge to whittling hair sharpness. I think similar thing play with water stones.

Thanks, Vassili.
 
I ordered the 3 piece set of the 1 micron, .5 micron, and .25 micron diamond spray before I saw knifenut1013's post, but it was because he had been talking about how great it worked. I just lucked out to see the 3 grits for about 1/2 the normal price, and ordered blank lapping film (I usually use 3M lapping film with Aluminum Oxide for my fine finish work, but it can take a while on the high carbide steels) for my Glass backing on my Hand American corian base. I also have some leather with CrO on it that I will clean off and try the diamond spray on, but I think I may try the Bull leather they sell at Japanese knife sharpening if the lapping film doesn'r work as great as it should. Considering I am so used to lapping film I'm sure I will like the fast cutting diamonds in my usual sharpening routine, but I am always looking for ways to improve my edge, and if leather is the way then so be it. I really hope these diamond sprays live up to the expectations for me of very fast cutting on my super steels to save my lower back from agonizing over the bench to get that final overkill edge.

Mike
 
A lot of the old wood carvers use flat green barn paint brushed onto a smooth wooden board to sharpen their carving tools. The pigment that's in the paint is chromium oxide. If it can get a wood carver's tools sharp enough to push cut woods smoothly, it must be pretty good stuff. One thing's for certain... It's cheap as dirt! :)

Stitchawl
 
You can strop anything with an edge, I use a strop instead of a steel in the kitchen because the strop will remove very small amount of metal and help keep the razor sharp edge rather than just re-align the edge.
 
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