Stropping compound?

[CPH]

Hello again folks.
I have just received a King whetstone through the post from Japan.
I want to purchase some stropping compound and have seen one chap on YouTube suggesting that Autosol can be used as effectively. I was wondering if anyone has any feedback on that idea please?
The main consensus among the YouTube community though seems to be for the Smurf Pooh.
I have various pieces of appropriate leather, so I don’t want to buy a package of any sort. I was also wondering whether anybody has a link to a reliable source for the aforementioned Smurf stuff online please?

 

[Broch]

You can pay over the top for various 'special compounds' but, in the end, it's just a metal polishing compound whatever anyone says - Autosol works just fine as do other metal polishes.

Having said that, you can get Smurf Poo cheaper than Autosol

 

[crosslandkelly]

Tooth paste will do the job as well.

 

[CPH]

You can pay over the top for various 'special compounds' but, in the end, it's just a metal polishing compound whatever anyone says - Autosol works just fine as do other metal polishes.

Having said that, you can get Smurf Poo cheaper than Autosol

Ok thank you.
Can you recommend somewhere to buy the Smurf Poo?

 

[CPH]

Tooth paste will do the job as well.

Thank you, that’s interesting, so it’s pretty much any slightly abrasive compound.
I have a can of silver polish somewhere I might give that a try

 

[Broch]

Ok thank you.
Can you recommend somewhere to buy the Smurf Poo?

Loads of places sell it on line including Amazon; just Google Smurf Poo and you'll find a choice.

 

[C_Claycomb]

It is worth pointing out that not everywhere that advertises something as "Smurf Poo" is actually the same stuff.

Polishing Wheels & Compounds

From the toughest buffing bars with a super heavy cut, to super finish bars for a high gloss shine, the bolpol range of buffing bars and pastes are complimented with a comprehensive range of quality buffing wheels and accessories.

bolgers.co.uk

https://
youtu.be/hZSen2d475Y?si=SNVJyKMcfdVd2FCt&t=176
(sorry, owner blocks video embedding, so linking to the 3:14 point is blocked, and BCUK insists on embedding all youtube url links.)

More than one place describes the blue buffing bars as "Smurf Poo", and I remember when people referred to the Starkey Sharp blue compound bars as "Smurf Poo". I don't know for sure whether what is now marketed as Smurf Poo was around then and people were being sloppy calling any blue stropping abrasive "Smurf Poo", or whether the slang term entered use and bolpol chose to use it for an actual product. I lean towards believing the latter.

In the early days of this forum I was much more closely involved with knife stuff (British Blades, meets, hammer-ins, and shows) and I don't remember ever seeing the tubs of soft paste now sold as Smurf Poo, but I do remember the term being applied to Starkey Sharp bars.

Bars must be rubbed vigorously on your strop so that by friction and heat it deposits a layer of abrasive waxy stuff (compound) on the strop. With use, the surface of the compound on the strop will develop a metallic glaze and after a while stops cutting and needs to be renewed. Renewing might initially mean just scrubbing some more compound on top, but will soon involve scraping glazed dirty waxy compound off the strop with a steel edge that you don't care about dulling.

In contrast, Autosol, Tormek paste, and Flitz are solvent based creamy pastes that come in tubes, and dry to a powdery consistency on the strop This makes them easier to renew on the strop and less messy to deal with when glazing happens. The strop can be brushed to break up the glaze and expose the leather again.

I haven't used bolpol Smurf Poo paste, but it looks like a water based version of Autosol etc, with similar behaviour for refreshing. Might have to try some since my 24 year old Tormek tube is almost finished!

Bar polishing compound is easier to deal with for field sharpening since a small piece can be sawn off the already small stick and carried in a micro zip bag or pot. Autosol et al need to be stored in a squeeze tube and are less convenient for travelling, I have tried putting them in film pots and the like, and they just dry out.

 

[Nice65]

Starkie Blue, as Chris says, is the original stuff. I’m not keen, I find it glazes over quickly. I bought some diamond paste that’s been good, you can feel it cutting and it leaves a mirror edge.

 

[Buckshot]

While toothpaste does work in that it is an abrasive paste.
I found it does not work anywhere near as well as any of the blue coloured abrasives.
I presume it's something to do with the amount of abrasive particles in the paste and/or a different size?

 

[Nice65]

While toothpaste does work in that it is an abrasive paste.
I found it does not work anywhere near as well as any of the blue coloured abrasives.
I presume it's something to do with the amount of abrasive particles in the paste and/or a different size?

Probably a softer particle, and uneven size. A problem with any poor quality or cheap abrasive is even particle size.

 

[CPH]

It is worth pointing out that not everywhere that advertises something as "Smurf Poo" is actually the same stuff.

Polishing Wheels & Compounds

From the toughest buffing bars with a super heavy cut, to super finish bars for a high gloss shine, the bolpol range of buffing bars and pastes are complimented with a comprehensive range of quality buffing wheels and accessories.

bolgers.co.uk

View attachment 92890
https://
youtu.be/hZSen2d475Y?si=SNVJyKMcfdVd2FCt&t=176
(sorry, owner blocks video embedding, so linking to the 3:14 point is blocked, and BCUK insists on embedding all youtube url links.)

More than one place describes the blue buffing bars as "Smurf Poo", and I remember when people referred to the Starkey Sharp blue compound bars as "Smurf Poo". I don't know for sure whether what is now marketed as Smurf Poo was around then and people were being sloppy calling any blue stropping abrasive "Smurf Poo", or whether the slang term entered use and bolpol chose to use it for an actual product. I lean towards believing the latter.

In the early days of this forum I was much more closely involved with knife stuff (British Blades, meets, hammer-ins, and shows) and I don't remember ever seeing the tubs of soft paste now sold as Smurf Poo, but I do remember the term being applied to Starkey Sharp bars.

Bars must be rubbed vigorously on your strop so that by friction and heat it deposits a layer of abrasive waxy stuff (compound) on the strop. With use, the surface of the compound on the strop will develop a metallic glaze and after a while stops cutting and needs to be renewed. Renewing might initially mean just scrubbing some more compound on top, but will soon involve scraping glazed dirty waxy compound off the strop with a steel edge that you don't care about dulling.

In contrast, Autosol, Tormek paste, and Flitz are solvent based creamy pastes that come in tubes, and dry to a powdery consistency on the strop This makes them easier to renew on the strop and less messy to deal with when glazing happens. The strop can be brushed to break up the glaze and expose the leather again.

I haven't used bolpol Smurf Poo paste, but it looks like a water based version of Autosol etc, with similar behaviour for refreshing. Might have to try some since my 24 year old Tormek tube is almost finished!

Bar polishing compound is easier to deal with for field sharpening since a small piece can be sawn off the already small stick and carried in a micro zip bag or pot. Autosol et al need to be stored in a squeeze tube and are less convenient for travelling, I have tried putting them in film pots and the like, and they just dry out.

Thank you. That’s really helpful and very much appreciated.

 

[CPH]

Loads of places sell it on line including Amazon; just Google Smurf Poo and you'll find a choice.

Thank you.

 

[CPH]

Starkie Blue, as Chris says, is the original stuff. I’m not keen, I find it glazes over quickly. I bought some diamond paste that’s been good, you can feel it cutting and it leaves a mirror edge.

Thanks. Seems like there are lots of alternatives.

 

[CPH]

While toothpaste does work in that it is an abrasive paste.
I found it does not work anywhere near as well as any of the blue coloured abrasives.
I presume it's something to do with the amount of abrasive particles in the paste and/or a different size?

Thank you. I as wondering if even T Cut would work?

 

[Nice65]

Thank you. I as wondering if even T Cut would work?

It will, but it’s a very fine abrasive. I’m not sure, but I think that polishing pastes, like toothpaste, T Cut, Flitz have particles that are softer than carborundum or diamond and therefore smooth down in use so they gradually stop cutting and begin to polish. T Cut in particular is for polishing out minor scratches for a relatively soft application, car paintwork.

Personally, for steel, I like something that cuts and keeps cutting, like this diamond spray.

 

[HillBill]

It will, but it’s a very fine abrasive. I’m not sure, but I think that polishing pastes, like toothpaste, T Cut, Flitz have particles that are softer than carborundum or diamond and therefore smooth down in use so they gradually stop cutting and begin to polish. T Cut in particular is for polishing out minor scratches for a relatively soft application, car paintwork.

Personally, for steel, I like something that cuts and keeps cutting, like this diamond spray.

I'll have to give some of that stuff a try. All my stropping is done on the Tormek wheel with tormek paste, but it's quite messy.

How long does a bottle last? As a quick google shows its not exactly cheap.

 

[Nice65]

I'll have to give some of that stuff a try. All my stropping is done on the Tormek wheel with tormek paste, but it's quite messy.

How long does a bottle last? As a quick google shows its not exactly cheap.

It’s hard to say. I bought that from a bloke on here ages ago and there’s still a load left. But it does depend on what you’re sharpening and how often etc.

I’m sure it’s not the only 1 Micron diamond compound available. Axminster must do something similar?

 

[HillBill]

It’s hard to say. I bought that from a bloke on here ages ago and there’s still a load left. But it does depend on what you’re sharpening and how often etc.

I’m sure it’s not the only 1 Micron diamond compound available. Axminster must do something similar?

I'll have a look. I expect you don't need to load the strop as often with diamond stuff?

 

[John Fenna]

I use the blue and white stuff that Dave Budd sells at the Moot - not sure what it is but they are both great on a leather strop

 

[Nice65]

Here’s a chart with the polishing compounds, the colours all designate the grit. So a blue, from a reputable supplier, should be a standard grit compound for final polishing.