Chemico grinding paste

[Elines]

I use Chemico grinding paste on my strops when sharpening knives and am getting good results. However.....


I have just checked the 'grit' rating on the Chemico web site (it doesn't tell you on the tin)

http://www.chemico.co.uk/products.html

and this tells me that the 'double ended' tin I have contains:

coarse - 80 grit, and

fine - 220 grit


I currently use the paste as follows on three strops:

Strop 1 - flesh side - coarse

Strop 2 - flesh side - fine

Strop 3 - skin side - fine

(all three are stuck onto plywood)

And this is after using 1200 grit and 5000 grit to sharpen the knives


As I say - I am getting good results (=shaving sharpness) but should I be using finer grinding pastes to get even better results?

Views please.

 

[Mesquite]

If you're happy with the results you're getting now Chris and the knife is sharp enough for the tasks you're doing why bother trying for uber sharp?

 

[John Fenna]

An Uber-sharp edge is often more likely to chip or roll and need constant attention ...
Is shaving sharp not sharp enough?

 

[Elines]

Thanks for the confirmation to continue as I am

Following (Lucky)lee's excellent mini tutorial to me at a Rough Close meet I always put a secondary edge on the blade anyway to help stop it rolling etc.

It's just that I have only just started using the 5000 grit (as part of the 'British Red' sharpening system using wet and dry paper). Previously the highest W&D I had was 1200 but Santa found the 5000 grit and left it for me on Christmas Day morning. So it made me wonder if I was actually blunting the blade with the paste (of allegedly 220 grit) after sharpening it with the 5000 grit.

As you say - I'm happy with current results so I'll stick to what I know.

 

[lannyman8]

sharpening is a funny thing, and TBH im pants at it, i dont like stones and so dont have or use them, i use a dimond sharpener (small stone shape) 1 1/2 by 3 inches long...

i hold the knife in my left hand and just rub the stone/dimond along the blade with my right hand, twisting the blade every stroke, i start with 2 each side if its very blunt then move to 1 stroke each side, i can get a shave sharp edge with it, and it must only be high 400 to 600 grit max.....it works for me and why would i need a sharper blade?????

i sometimes use a ceramic rod or steel but other than that its al i ever use, i never bother with strops and i manage fine does all i want...

as for your grinding paste, it will wear with time, and unless applied every time should get finer also working its way into the leather to reduce it further....

good work chaps and keep up the "GOOD" shapening, as i cant...

regards.

chris.

 

[sasquatch]

Autosol works well, it's a lot finer than grinding paste. Once you've sharpened you just want to polish the edge to bring it up and grinding paste is really abrasive. If you're getting good results no need to change anything but try a tube of autosol and see if it makes any difference.

 

[Elines]

Autosol ...... it's a lot finer than grinding paste.....

Thanks for explaining that - I thought Autosol was a grinding paste, useful to know the difference

 

[sasquatch]

It's a polishing paste and works very well for stropping, I use it on straight razors as well it's that fine. Grinding paste is very abrasive, I've always been too scared to take an edge to it but if it's worked for you it must be fine. A tube of autosol will last you years for a fiver and might take your edges to the next level. Then again it might not make much difference at all. Drop me a pm before the next meet you're at and I'll bring my paddle strop and compound...

 

[Elines]

... Drop me a pm before the next meet you're at and I'll bring my paddle strop and compound...

Ok - thanks for that - I am provisionally at North Wood in Feb but still not certain at moment