Leather Strop build question ... Strop Compound

[GordieWhooo]

Hi all,

Making a Leather Strop to finish plane blades .. wood chisels .. etc.

Have a great piece of leather and a hardwood block to start ...

Now, have not been able to find this local (Greensboro, NC) in the box stores ... [h=1]Green Chrome Oxide Compound[/h]
Amazon.com has it for sure ... hoping to buy local .. sigh

Oh, anyone suggest a BETTER compound to strop with?

Thanks!

Gordon

 

[KenOfCary]

There are several available at Klingspor including the green and yellow as well as jewelers rouge I believe. Also you can use valve grinding paste available at your local car parts store. It comes in various grits and works just fine.

 

[Jim M.]

Gordon try this from Harbor Freight.

https://www.harborfreight.com/1-4-quarter-lb-green-polish-compound-96778.html

 

[GordieWhooo]

WOW!! Thanks .. Harbor Freight never crossed my mind .. it's waaaay on the other side of the city from me ... guess I need to head that way !!

Many thanks !

Gordon

 

[jhancock]

Ill second harbor freight. Also rub it into a piece of mdf or smooth hardwood, and use the wood as a strop.

 

[Rwe2156]

Also rub it into a piece of mdf or smooth hardwood, and use the wood as a strop.

This brings up an interesting point.

I am pretty convinced that leather stropping, if not done properly, can result in dubbing of the edge. I've seen videos of guys really bearing down on the strop which I think is incorrect. I have had the experience of the edge actually being duller coming off the strop. So Gordon, keep this in mind when you start using the strop the angle of stroking is just as critical as when honing.

I plan to make a strop of MDF just so see if I like it better. One advantage is you can simply scrap off the compound to renew the surface.

 

[tarheelz]

This brings up an interesting point.

I am pretty convinced that leather stropping, if not done properly, can result in dubbing of the edge. I've seen videos of guys really bearing down on the strop which I think is incorrect. I have had the experience of the edge actually being duller coming off the strop. So Gordon, keep this in mind when you start using the strop the angle of stroking is just as critical as when honing.

I plan to make a strop of MDF just so see if I like it better. One advantage is you can simply scrap off the compound to renew the surface.

All the stropping knowledge I'll ever need I learned from Paul Sellers.

[video=youtube;Ki8tt-VjwqI]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ki8tt-VjwqI[/video]

 

[Hmerkle]

Has anyone used this from Klingspor?
http://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/jd10001/
Blue Velvet stropping Compound

Or this;
http://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/hrbd1/
Yellowstone honing Compound

[h=1][/h]
[h=1][/h]

 

[KenOfCary]

One thing when using honing compound, be sure you don't accidentally get any on your glasses - you won't like the result when you try to wipe it off.

If it does happen best to take them to an eye glass store and tell them what happened rather than try to clean them yourself. DAMHIKT.

 

[Rwe2156]

All the stropping knowledge I'll ever need I learned from Paul Sellers.

Personally I don't see the need for 30 vigorous strokes like he advocates. Somehow it works for him.

 

[Mike Davis]

The purpose of stropping is to polish and refine the edge. I prefer to take long light strokes alternating sides of the blade with each stroke.

 

[GordieWhooo]

Okay ... now, another "ponder" on strops ...
Went into a WoodCraft store in Raleigh last week ... just to LOOK around. We guys know how THAT goes ... right?
Wandered by the sharpening of blades section ... noticed that have pre-made strops on what looks like a glorified paint stir stick. soooo .. on closer look ... the WORKING side of the leather is in the rough, not the smooth side of leather . Me thinks it was the SMOOTH side to have to work with and the Green stuff applied there. Someone please enlighten me as to which is the better side of the hide to use OR.. OR is it just a matter of personal choice and which side holds the compound to the best advantage?
Sooo many question and so little time to make a pile of sawdust ...
I've never been this OLD in my life and I still have a metric ton of questions.

Gordon in Greensboro

 

[Phil S]

Has anyone used this from Klingspor?
http://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/jd10001/
Blue Velvet stropping Compound

Or this;
http://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/hrbd1/
Yellowstone honing Compound

I do typically use the green Chromium Oxide but have found the quality in stick form varies widely, so I shifted to pure Chromium Oxide pigment powder from the art store. I put just a pinch on an pdf board and it works great.
I am setting up a second sharpening station in the house and decided to give the yellowstone compound a try. I have some on a leather strop and also on another piece of pdf - I still like the mdf much better. As for the yellowstone compound, I must use it some more but my first impression is it is as good as CO pigment and better than CO compound

 

[Mike Davis]

50,000 grit diamond dust is the best.

Most of the time I use white aluminum oxide, sold as Stainless Steel polishing compound

 

[GordieWhooo]

I do typically use the green Chromium Oxide but have found the quality in stick form varies widely, so I shifted to pure Chromium Oxide pigment powder from the art store. I put just a pinch on an pdf board and it works great.
I am setting up a second sharpening station in the house and decided to give the yellowstone compound a try. I have some on a leather strop and also on another piece of pdf - I still like the mdf much better. As for the yellowstone compound, I must use it some more but my first impression is it is as good as CO pigment and better than CO compound

PDF board ... hmmmm ??? But, back to my question .. leather side to use .. smooth / finished OR rough side ??

 

[Phil S]

PDF board ... hmmmm ??? But, back to my question .. leather side to use .. smooth / finished OR rough side ??

Meant MDF If you are using leather, I have been told to use the rough side - not sure why

 

[Mike Davis]

I have some antique strops that all use smooth side.

Why would rough side of leather be better when MDF is better than leather?

logic is lost of some of those experts

 

[danmart77]

50,000 grit diamond dust is the best.

Most of the time I use white aluminum oxide, sold as Stainless Steel polishing compound

That is what I use on my buffing wheels to polish off burrs on carving tools and chisels. Its aggressive but that works for me. Green is too slow and working slowly does not impart a nicer edge for me. So.. now or later.

Gordon
Some like leather to tool edge others like compound on mdf or other flat surface to hone the final edge. They both work and you can have both for pennies.

In addition to the strop, I keep a smooth piece of hard maple in my tool box and a tube of 6micron and 3 micron diamond paste. Squeeze a tiny dot of this on the wood surface and you can hone a chisel to nice edge quickly. Its renewable, its cheap, and you can make stopping shapes out of wood and impregnate with compound or diamond paste. Very handy for the different carving tool shapes.

Like preparing a card scraper, you'll get lots of information that seems different at times. Find someone to show you how they do their work with leather and see what suits you.

"A dog with no Master never learns the tricks"

 

[danmart77]

http://www.tarheelparts.com/catalogx3.pdf

Gordon I forgot to post this business owner in NC. I have been using their Baldor polishers, wheels, compounds and a list of other stuff too long to mention. They helped me out when I was painting some cars and buffing.

Their supplies are first class and they will give you solid advice if you give them a call.

I think they are down around the Charlotte area??

 

[Pop Golden]

The rough side holds the compound better. Just for laughs and giggles I was told long ago that the cardboard behind a note pad worked just as well as anything else.

Pop :rotflm: