stropping compound

[BCpete]

Hey there,

As some of you may have looked at my other thread on making a strop, which wasnt a very exciting thread but i was wandering if you had to use some sort of paste or compound or something on your strop for it to work more effectively? Ive used mine without any paste and it seems to have taken the whats called "wirey edge" of my knife after sharpening but wondered if stropping paste helps even more?

pete

 

[FGYT]

I use Solvol Auto Sol

which reminds me i need to get some more

i use it on a Wood backed bit of leather like a file if you can clamp the knife up in a vice and get a little pressure on it you wont get sharper . I use this to hone and polish my blades before handleing will mirror finish 400to 600 gt wet n dry on the edge with a micro convex and polish up the scratch pattern on the flats.

carefull not to get the paste on wood handles it goes black when used and gets in the grain

i really need to make a clamp up for handled knifes so they dont get damaged

ATB

Duncan

 

[BCpete]

can you just use the strop without anything though?, just go from sharpening straight onto the leather without any sort or compound?

 

[rancid badger]

Solvol's all you need
a piece of mdf is all I use; a little dab of solvol and use the mdf like a bench stone.
good luck
R.B.

 

[FGYT]

can you just use the strop without anything though?, just go from sharpening straight onto the leather without any sort or compound?

yes but i consider it a differnt operation as the loaded leather still abrades as well as removes the wire edge and polishes as well and i use it on the wood backing
just leather (which i rarly use) I use a a belt tied up and hold the other end classic barber style



ATB

Duncan

 

[Draven]

can you just use the strop without anything though?, just go from sharpening straight onto the leather without any sort or compound?

Yes, but it will cut much slower. You can get a high polish with compounds that work much faster than leather will.

 

[Toddy]

500g block in Bill's Tool Store for £3 iirc. They had an incredibly fine one for gold and silver for £7.

cheers,
Toddy..........who doesn't sharpen, but strops on a leather covered board. Why grind away my knives any faster than I need to ?

 

[Hoodoo]

My absolute favorite stropping compound is Notto's white gold. Switched to this stuff awhile back and have been ecstatic with the results.

 

[smoggy]

I use half and old dogs lead dry, that's the half the dog did'nt eat! Rough side first then change to the smooth side......

Now you've mentioned it I can see the advantage and before I read as far as the solvol, I had in mind lapping paste as used for seating car valves......maybe!

Smoggy

 

[Native Justice]

My absolute favorite stropping compound is Notto's white gold. Switched to this stuff awhile back and have been ecstatic with the results.

+1 for first choice, White Gold.

Second Choice, HandAmerican's Chromium Oxide Paste and dry compounds.

Third Choice, Formax Green MicroFine Chromium Oxide Bar.

Lastly, Flexcut Gold polishing coumpound.

 

[British Red]

I use pink and green buffing compound on leather,. Brilliant stuff - far far better than leather alone.

Abrasivesplus sell a block for not much

Red

 

[Ahjno]

A long-long time ago the Starkie (strop / compound) was VERY populair on here - have a searchie for some comments about the stuff

 

[spamel]

I use Smurf Poo Blue and Flexcut Gold, I had some Red Dremel stuff that was pretty good too. I think in terms of cutting steel, red was coarsest followed by blue and gold being quite fine. They certainly do the job, and it is easy to knock up a simple strop on a block to carry along with you. You can also lay fine wet and dry over the leather for normal sharpening, the whole affair weighs next to nothing and will cater for all sharpening jobs you might encounter whilst out and about.

 

[harryhaller]

I read somewhere that toothpaste was good.

 

[BCpete]

I heard that too, tried it on a homemade strop and seemed to make my knife blunter?

 

[Siberianfury]

i dont use a compound just a nice bit of fluffy leather, does the job.