Currently I use a bench strop for my knives. I was thinking about getting a leather wheel for my grinder and using that as my strop. Has anyone used a leather wheel on a grinder? If so, do you put anything on it, like the Yellowstone compound? How do you apply it? Currently I take a cheese grater to the Yellowstone and butter it on the bench strop. It doesn't seem like this would work for a wheel. Do you just take the stick and apply it to the wheel as it is turning?

Thanks for any advice you can give me.

Whittlin,
I am no pro but I bought the power strop before I got a regular flat strop. I think I did more damage than good with the powor strop. My blade maitainence improved when I got the regular boring low tech bench strop. It was likely not the fault of the power strop but my lack of understanding at the time of the angles needed for sharp tools.

The bar of compound that came with my set just rubbed on as the wheel rotated. That was pretty straight forward.
My $0.02
Ah Chip

[Dave_from_Toronto]

I use a hard felt wheel charged with Veritas green honing compound from Lee Valley. You charge the wheel while it is turning. I've got the wheel mounted on a bench grinder that I access from the back (the wheel must rotate away from you.)

I've been using a power strop on my drill press for a couple of years with excellent results, this of course is running at a much slower speed than a bench grinder... 8)

I'm using both and also have better luck with hand stropping. I'm still experimenting with the power strop speed. Grinders (1725 rpm) seem to fast. My drill press has it down to 320 rpm.... better but how much lower should I go? Your grating the compound is good but I've taken one more step... at least on the first application to a new surface. I've put a few drops of honing oil on the leather and then worked in the compound. In a few minutes that stuff seems to cake on and stay. It like stropping on compound only. Maybe that's my reason for wanting to find the lowest effective power speed.

[mdallensr]

My Tormek has a 10' wheel with a leather surface for stropping after honing. It runs at 90 rpm and uses a paste compound that is refreshed with mineral oil. It also has a profiled leather wheel attached that lets you get the inside of bevels and v-tools. It does a fine job. I can't visualize the same wheel turning at 1725 rpm; way too fast.

[dart]

I use a piece of leather on a piece of wood. About 8'long by 1' square. I used red jeweler's rouge that I purchased at Sears. The electric grinder is way too fast for me. Builds up a lot of heat too. I have a 4' felt wheel on my dental lathe that runs about 1650 rpm and that's too fast. I have my wood lathe that I slow down to about 250 rpms and use a 6' rubber or 4' felt wheel on it with the compound. I polish a blade using very little jeweler's rouge. It doesn't take much compound. When the felt wheel gets clogged or won't take anymore compound , I use a 'horsebrush' to remove the excess compound while it's running. It really is not an exercise for a beginner to do. Many things can happen when using power tools. The best and cheapest way I've found is to use a variable speed reversable drill secured to my workbench. Set it at a slow speed and use a felt wheel chucked in the drill. The drill is also reversable. Just be careful that the drill is really secured to the work bench.

I saw a belt sander mounted on a vise, with 80 grit sandpaper, I wonder how good this works?

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

80 grit is awful coarse....I use the scary sharp method but only use 400, 800 1200 and 2000 grit.

[AlArchie]

Sounds like that 80 grit would be ok for a splitting maul!
I've use 400 grit and that takes a lot off in a few swipes!

Al

Al