# Leather strop. What do you load yours with?



## brianh (Jul 7, 2013)

Been reading and searching and find so many opinions. Got my sharpening stones recently up to a 5k Rika. Just got a leather strop. Strop is vegetable tanned leather on a thick plastic base. Do you guys have a preferred chromium oxide paste, or do you use a particular diamond spray? What # of microns? Thanks!


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## NO ChoP! (Jul 7, 2013)

I've tried a few over the years. Although I personally like hard felt over leather, leather will outlast felt by a long shot. For me a good quality diamond spray @ 1 micron is the ticket. I've tried .5 and .25; the 1 micron is by far what you'll want after a Rika 5k (I think 1 micron is equivalent to somewhere near 10-12k, but .25 jumps exponentially higher). Again, I like the diamond for overall ease of use as well as the toothiness it gives, even at such high polish.

Watch out for cheap stuff. I purchased a 2 ounce bottle off of EBay a few years back, and it was crap.


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## bkultra (Jul 7, 2013)

I have a combo of different sprays and pastes (.25-2 micron) and I tend to use the diamond spray in the .5-1 micron the most. I also have felt and leather but tend to use my leather far more (not really sure why... Habit maybe)


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## joetbn (Jul 7, 2013)

I use chromium oxide .5 micron paste from hand American on leather right after my rika 5k for all my nicer double bevel kitchen knives, if I just do a few light strokes it leaves a very nice edge with some bite to it. If I over do it or use too much pressure it can make the edge too polished and/or rounded off. I also loved the edge Dave put on my Hiro, I think he used .25 micron diamond spray on leather after the rika 5k. I think if you have done a good job up through the 5K just about any stropping compound will do well. The reason I like the CrO2 paste is that it seems to last a really really long time on the leather, and being a green paste it is very easy to see that you have an even coat on the leather. On the softer steel knives I leave out for housemates and guests to use I only go to 1200 then a light strop for burr removal. My straight razors I go Rika 5K, Naniwa 10K, Balsa loaded with 1 micron boron carbide, leather with CrO2, plain felt, plain leather. Happy stropping!


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## tripleq (Jul 7, 2013)

I have a few sprays and pastes around. I prefer something around 1 micron. Over the past year I've been using an unloaded leather more and more though.


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## Seb (Jul 7, 2013)

There's a honing compound made and sold by an English bloke calls himself 'Strider' that is nicknamed Smurf Poo - I had to try it on my HA bull pad!


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## brianh (Jul 7, 2013)

VERY helpful, thanks to all chiming in!


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## Mrmnms (Jul 7, 2013)

I tend to use different stuff depending on the steel. Chromium Oxide sees to get the least use.


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## Lefty (Jul 7, 2013)

Chromium Oxide is better for razors, diamond for knives.


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## chinacats (Jul 7, 2013)

https://us-products.com/sitehtml/products/compslur.php

I've been buying my slurry here at a very good price--I use it on felt rather than leather.


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## NO ChoP! (Jul 7, 2013)

Prices look rather good...


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## greasedbullet (Jul 7, 2013)

Dude you can save $86.40 if you by 144 large plastic jars of 1 micron green rouge!! But in all seriousness that looks like a good website to remember.


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## mr drinky (Jul 7, 2013)

I'm a bit boring. Blue diamond on felt and that other diamond stuff on the leather hone. You know the kit Dave sold. I have some chromium oxide and balsa that I have meant to try out, but I haven't yet. 

k.


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## Keith Sinclair (Jul 7, 2013)

Hah Hah Adam's #2 polish cowhide leather glued to wood 16"x4".puts a nice polish on the edge.:groucho:


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## labor of love (Jul 8, 2013)

chinacats said:


> https://us-products.com/sitehtml/products/compslur.php
> 
> I've been buying my slurry here at a very good price--I use it on felt rather than leather.



chinacats, i dont have any experience with compounds at all-where on that site are the .5 or 1 micron diamond or whatever you use that you would recommend?


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## chinacats (Jul 8, 2013)

labor of love said:


> chinacats, i dont have any experience with compounds at all-where on that site are the .5 or 1 micron diamond or whatever you use that you would recommend?



Sorry, I should've given a more direct page. I have been buying the 1 micron diamond slurry located here in 100 gram bottle ($10). Choose diamond lapping slurry/choose 1 micron (or whatever size you prefer)/then options. I pick the heavy concentration.

They also sell the green and red rouge--same link then choose medium to extra fine grit lapping compounds. I've not bought any of this before, but have called in my orders in the past and found them very helpful if you have questions. I found shipping rates were reasonable as well.


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## labor of love (Jul 8, 2013)

thanks man! where do you guys get your strops from?


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## chinacats (Jul 8, 2013)

I'm using one of Marko's felt strops, but would also be interested in getting a leather one if it isn't too expensive. I think you can get balsa wood at craft shops.


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## labor of love (Jul 8, 2013)

funny you mention that, because thats exactly what ive been doing-craft shop balsa. cheap and effective. but i would like to invest in something nicer. markos felt strop and micron spray seems reasonable, ill probably pick up both.


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## Squilliam (Jul 8, 2013)

Nothing for me at the moment.


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## James (Jul 8, 2013)

labor of love said:


> funny you mention that, because thats exactly what ive been doing-craft shop balsa. cheap and effective. but i would like to invest in something nicer. markos felt strop and micron spray seems reasonable, ill probably pick up both.



I picked that exact combo up not too long ago and it's brilliant. My edges have never been better. One thing though, make sure you give the diamond spray a few test squirts. I didn't and a large glob of the liquid came out after a few pumps which caused the felt to become a bit raised in that area. Nothing a little ironing couldn't handle though.


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## riba (Jul 8, 2013)

Last weekend I stropped on leather loaded with 0.75 CBN after the Rika 5k, turned out very nice


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## Seb (Jul 8, 2013)

Ages ago, I went and bought the whole shebang from Hand American - balsa, horse, bovine, diamond spray, etc, yadda. But all I really like is boron carbide on split leather or felt. I don't mind the naked bovine either.


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## NO ChoP! (Jul 8, 2013)

I'd like to add that newspaper in a pinch works brilliantly.


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## Chuckles (Jul 8, 2013)

Felt and magnetic backing are also easy to find at a craft store. Really cheap. 

Got some of this http://www.dicoproducts.com/compounds.html in the SCR gray to use on felt. Wondering if anyone else has used it or knows anything about it.


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## Keith Sinclair (Jul 8, 2013)

Newspapers do work well,how about naked horse


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## deanb (Jul 9, 2013)

I strop a lot. The best strops I've seen are from Phoenix Knife house. The base is magnatized and the strop is glued to steel (I think). They're the texture of a fine suede and thin, perfect for loading and nice just naked. I have strops loaded with .5 micron CrO2, 1micron diamond spray, .25 micron spray, and a few not loaded at all. I'm a home cook and I'm retired so I have lots of time on my hands to experiment with strops. Since kitchen knives is one of my main hobbies I like to see just how sharp I can get a knife and that always involves a strop. So far, my most used strop is loaded with .5 micron CrO2 paste and CrO2 powder ( a la Dave ).


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## Seb (Jul 9, 2013)

keithsaltydog said:


> Newspapers do work well,how about naked horse



Naked horse is simply fantastic.


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## Sambal (Jul 11, 2013)

Apologies to the OP for this segue. Aussie members, can you suggest where I can get chromium or diamond stropping compounds or horse hide in Melbourne or anywhere down under? Thanks!


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## GlassEye (Jul 11, 2013)

NO ChoP! said:


> I'd like to add that newspaper in a pinch works brilliantly.



That's almost all I use.


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## zitangy (Jul 11, 2013)

Chuckles said:


> Felt and magnetic backing are also easy to find at a craft store. Really cheap.
> 
> Got some of this http://www.dicoproducts.com/compounds.html in the SCR gray to use on felt. Wondering if anyone else has used it or knows anything about it.



if you are referring to the "brick" compound I tried the Green and white compound. Difficult to apply on the raw hide of cow hide. I use the rough portion.Resorted to teh red jewellers rouge/ OK with me.. better than nothing. Don't like the spray diamond compound.

These bricks are meant for the buffer wheel solution/method. I also use the tripoli ( red compound on my knife handles and also the white compound for polishing steels.

rgds
d


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