Strop Maintence

Hi:

I am wondering if there are any 'standard' maintence procedures for strops. When do you add compund? Can you add too much? Do you have to remove old compound first and how? Do you ever replace the leather?

Tanks

Bob

[FatEddy]

The answer is a definite - It all depends

With some of the stick compounds the carrier will build up and need to be removed periodically. When? You will be able to bell, it will get a waxy look to it. Just scrape it off with the back edge of a knife blade or some such. Nothing sharp to avoid messing up the leather.

As for replacing the leather,I've never had to. Then again, I use a power strop (read that buffing wheel) when at home so the only use my strops get is when I''m out and about.

Adding new compound: The best advice I can give you there is to use a light colored compound (white or gold or some such) and when it turns black add compound.

There's probably as many ways to deal with compound as there are materials that you can strop a tool with. Before I know about compound and leather strops, I used to use my denim trousers (yes I had them on). tje sole of my shoe, or my belt. The compound just makes it a lot quicker.

I have never had a power strop and didn't think it necessary as I only have to take a few strokes on the strop and the knife if good as new.....tell how the power strop works and is to your advantage? and does it remove metal each time?

[lorax]

I use a cabinet scraper to remove my old compound. Think of compound as sandpaper. When it gets black, that's like the sand paper getting full of dust and you have to get another piece because it doesn't have enough grit showing. The blackness on the strop is tiny bits of metal doing the same thing. I remove the old compound, but I am not even sure how necessary it is.

Power strops earn their money when sharpening gouges and oddly shaped chisels. If all you have is a basic set, or a v tool, knife, flat chisels, and only a couple of gouges you can save you money. But if you have numerous gouges, it really makes life easier.

Hihosliver--you remove metal each time you strop your tools, albeit a miniscule amount.

[whittlin]

I use Yellowstone honing compound on my strop. The instructions say that it works best when it becomes black and sticky so I only add compound when it starts to lose that sticky feeling. I have only been carving for around a year so maybe I am doing it wrong, but my knives feel like they are sharp.

[FatEddy]

Here's my opinion again - there aint no wrong way as long as you get em sharp it don't matter how you do it.

[AlArchie]

I use jewelers rouge on a leather strop glued onto a hardwood strip. Never have had to remove compond in YEARS. I add a little when the stuff wears off.

One other favorite of mine is a 1x3 diamond stone from the fishing dept at Wally world! when my knife finally seems a little dull and stropping just won't bring it back, a couple swipes on that diamomd stone, and a few strops, and its razor time again!

Al

[Butch]

Whittilin,
Your right. Herb Dunkle says in the instructions that Yellowstone compound works best when it turns black on the strop. A great product. As good as the Dunkle knives.

Butch

[Kenny_S]

Two great minds think alike AlArachie. I too, user dimaond hones and leather strops backed up with jewekers rouge. I have several leather pieces glued to boards,various wwlths and lengths.

No offenses to anyone else as I am sure you all have great minds also.

I tend to agree with FatEddie, Is there a wrong way as long as the end results is a sharpe tool?
When teaching boys in Boy Scouts, I showed the difference in dull and sharpe knives and that a dull one is more of a danger to you than a sharpe one.

Keep those chips flying

Ken

[makenchips]

Has anyone heard of using neatsfoot oil on a leather strop to keep it from drying out? A fellow carver suggested it I was just wondering if anybody else does it or has ever heard of it. Would it ruin the compound on the strop?