What is the best strop material for the highest polish possible that doesn't convex the apex?

[HeavyHanded]

ToddS, will diamond not create a foil burr no matter what is used to strop for the BESS test? Since I think we are looking for the keenest edge at the lowest angle then diamond would be a good abrasive as it cuts with so low a force, so that fine apex deforms the least while cutting it. I have diamond down to .1 micron with each size up double the last. I only have a light microscope so probably won't be able to see the foil burr if it's less than .0005" or so in size. What do you suggest to remove that tiny foil burr, assuming there will be one?

I am thinking the target BESS test in mind will be with a top secret new SS for knives, just a guess.

HH, trying paper is easy since I am using EP polish tape blanks, and have a few seconds I can modify if need be. I can fold the paper over and take it to the back where the two edges come together to present a very even surface to the knife. I like the idea of keeping the softer bond to a minimum thickness. I expect it will be firmer than the leather. Are there specific papers for that ultimate polish? Vellum? What does compressing do? I have a vise with precision flat surfaces that I can get up to 12,000 lbs of clamp pressure to do this with. I do it when gluing the leather to the aluminum carriers, it really helps flatten them out!

Compressing the paper just makes it more dense, this is a better strategy for working knives where you want the deepest scratch per abrasive. This also the reason for using a coarse stone or other open surface, it increases the unit pressure. When sharpening woodworking tools I finish with one or even two sheets of paper with chromium oxide. For a utility edge I use one thin sheet with more applied pressure.

 

[000Robert]

Compressing the paper just makes it more dense, this is a better strategy for working knives where you want the deepest scratch per abrasive. This also the reason for using a coarse stone or other open surface, it increases the unit pressure. When sharpening woodworking tools I finish with one or even two sheets of paper with chromium oxide. For a utility edge I use one thin sheet with more applied pressure.

I was thinking about trying some Nano Cloth. Do you have any experience with it that you could share?

 

[Mr.Wizard]

I have not found actual diamond pastes to be good for this application as you will likely throw the tape out after only a couple uses, rendering your diamond paste consumption far too high to be economical.

Do you mean that with the diamond powder you don't have to throw the tape out after "only a couple of uses" or is it that the diamond powder is less expensive than the pre-made compound that causes you to declare the latter uneconomical?

 

[HeavyHanded]

I was thinking about trying some Nano Cloth. Do you have any experience with it that you could share?

Give it a try. My experience is that the harder and/or more aggressive a substrate, the more often it will need to be cleaned or replaced. Whatever it is it should be inexpensive.

In context of this competition, more expensive purpose built items might have merit. I've never tried the stuff myself.

 

[RadialBladeworks]

Do you mean that with the diamond powder you don't have to throw the tape out after "only a couple of uses" or is it that the diamond powder is less expensive than the pre-made compound that causes you to declare the latter uneconomical?

Just that it’s comparatively much cheaper. You can grab bags of industrial diamond for quite cheap. But it still feels weird throwing it out, even as little as you do. I don’t even pinch the powder at that grit level, I just dip my finger in the stuff and rub that on. Economically, the diamond and the wood pair better and the painters tape and the chromium oxide pair better, but I still get enough use from the diamond on the tape to be worth it for me

 

[HeavyHanded]

It takes very little diamond powder to achieve a good effect. I put about 8 carats per compound slug combined with silicon carbide and that does a great job on high Vanadium steels. A slug lasts a long time.

 

[NORTHWEST_KNIFE_GUY]

It has to be stiff enough to not convex the apex, soft enough that it doesn't cause the abrasive to form deeper random scratches, and doesn't cause any scratches itself. So far I'm using veg-tanned cowhide and have yet to try balsa, but have some so it's on the to-do list. I think denim convexes the edge too much and surgical tape is too stiff. I am pretty shy of trying other fabrics for fear they will be like denim.

This is not for practical edges, looking for the absolute extreme for a BESS winning edge. I don't think the strop should have any abrasive qualities, that should be for the abrasives that are added separately.

What I have tried so far and my thoughts on it. All are mounted on EP aluminum blanks using 3M Super 77 with a finished thickness of .24".

Veg tanned cowhide, .08" thick smooth side out - My favorite but my gut is hesitant about going down to .1 micron diamond with it. My gut is wondering about balsa?
Denim, old 501s - I like how it polishes but convexes the edge noticeably more than leather.
Surgical tape - What I have is a plastic cloth and doesn't absorb the abrasive so it does not work.

Remember, I am looking for an extreme polished BESS edge so it can't convex the apex.

I've had good luck with harder/denser balsa, not the cheaper softer stuff you get from the local hobby store I had to order it. If I remember correctly it was 14+ lb or so and felt noticeably firmer, closer to basswood. My favorite though is basswood from local hobby lobby 3/16" that I sand / prep on piece of float glass with 3m 120 grit lowes/homedepot sandpaper. I use it freehand and also with my guided systems and seems to work fairly well. I've sharpened quite a few higher carbide steels like s110v on my edge pro's using a well broken in cktg 400 grit diamond plate followed by a 1 mic diamond on balsa that was easily sub 50 bess @ 15dps. I've tried surgical tape, different painters tapes ect. and didn't care for them or the results however everyone is different.

 

[S-3 ranch]

Question?
Seems I have to be the resident knife sharpening guy out here
On the ranch, what is the best set of compounds I can load on a series of different strops according to the different steels hunters and hands bring in as I am finding out one size doesn’t fit all , usually start on a dmt
The steels are
1. 440c
2. D2
3 420hc
4.8cr13
5. S30v -s35v
6. Cruwear-O1
and higher hr like maxmet and other spyderco steels
And case trappers Cv and other Carbon steels
My main objective is to just look @ the steel and use correct strop loaded with correct compounds! Please help me get my 3-4 strop labeled for right use

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

(Re: "Question?" posted above...)

The simple carbon, CV and stainless steels like 420HC can be nicely maintained with nothing more than green compound (chromium oxide) on most any substrate, like leather, fabric, paper, wood. The stainless steels (420HC, 440A/B/C, 8cr, etc.) will also respond and polish very quickly to stropping with aluminum oxide compounds like white rouge or grey stick compounds. Those compounds work very, very well on hard-backed fabric, like denim, canvas or linen.

The more wear-resistant steels like D2, S30V/35V, etc. will respond well to diamond compound on very firm or hard substrate, like wood. D2 sort of straddles the responsiveness line between compounds used with simpler stainless as mentioned above, and more wear-resistant steels - this means it can also do OK with stropping using the AlOx compounds mentioned. My preference though, for D2, is for the hard-backed strops using diamond compound. I think it does a better job on D2, leaving the apex crisper and the big chromium carbides in the steel more cleanly shaped.

 

[S-3 ranch]

The simple carbon, CV and stainless steels like 420HC can be nicely maintained with nothing more than green compound (chromium oxide) on most any substrate, like leather, fabric, paper, wood. The stainless steels (420HC, 440A/B/C, 8cr, etc.) will also respond and polish very quickly to stropping with aluminum oxide compounds like white rouge or grey stick compounds. Those compounds work very, very well on hard-backed fabric, like denim, canvas or linen.

The more wear-resistant steels like D2, S30V/35V, etc. will respond well to diamond compound on very firm or hard substrate, like wood. D2 sort of straddles the responsiveness line between compounds used with simpler stainless a mentioned above, and more wear-resistant steels - this means it can also do OK with stropping using the AlOx compounds mentioned. My preference though, for D2, is for the hard-backed strops using diamond compound. I think it does a better job on D2, leaving the apex crisper and the big chromium carbides in the steel more cleanly shaped.

thanks so I can break up down to 3 strops
1 green for simple steel like a case trapper or China steel
2. White for the middle grade 440c ect
3. A kangaroo leather with 1micron - .5 diamonds for s30v or harder

I am seriously thinking about just buying a spyderco make sharp to bolt on the table out @ the butcher table so the workers can do a quick touch up

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

thanks so I can break up down to 3 strops
1 green for simple steel like a case trapper or China steel
2. White for the middle grade 440c ect
3. A kangaroo leather with 1micron - .5 diamonds for s30v or harder

I am seriously thinking about just buying a spyderco make sharp to bolt on the table out @ the butcher table so the workers can do a quick touch up

Regarding use of the Spyderco Sharpmaker, as you mention above:

I personally like the Sharpmaker's medium (grey/brown) rods for maintaining the knives I use in CV, 420HC and similar steels. Barely need to strop at all after that, giving them just a few swipes on the sueded inside face of a leather belt with NO compound. I usually use a Fine India stone to set the edges on those, to begin with. Then, for follow-up maintenance down the road, I just give them a few light passes on the SM's medium rods - they follow that Fine India very nicely. So, as you might guess, the SM might be similarly useful in your situation, at least for those particular steels.