Strop versus X-fine Stone

[JohnG10]

I'm trying to decide whether to purchase a 6000 or 8000 grit waterstone versus using a strop.

Does a 6000 or 8000 grit would give as fine an edge as the "green" stropping paste ?

Is it easier to avoid rounding the edge with the stone ?

Does the paste rub off the strop onto other tools when it's in a toolbox, etc ?

How hard is it to periodically clean the paste off the strop when it gets too much metal in it ? Is the paste water soluable, or is paint thinner (etc) needed ?

Thanks.

[Paul_Guraedy]

"Does a 6000 or 8000 grit would give as fine an edge as the "green" stropping paste ?" I am not familiar with the green stropping paste nor how it works. I use the dry stick type powder to charge my strop. My only comment would be that I am sure that the paste does not do any better than the dry powder. The thing that would concern me about a waterstone would be that I like to strop very often as I carve. The dry powder makes this much more convenient.

Is it easier to avoid rounding the edge with the stone ? I made my strop by gluing a piece of leather (an old leather belt does nicely) to a piece of wood. Rounding over is prevented as much by technique as it is by the medium. The easiest way initially to prevent rounding over is to put the tool on the leather, make your stroke, come to a complete stop, then lift the tool off the leather for the next stroke. Before long the stop will not be necessary.

Does the paste rub off the strop onto other tools when it's in a toolbox, etc ? I have not had a problem with the powder rubbing off onto other tools; but, I keep everything separated in my tool box to protect the cutting edges.

How hard is it to periodically clean the paste off the strop when it gets too much metal in it ? Is the paste water soluable, or is paint thinner (etc) needed ? The powder will cake up on the strop and some eventually falls off; but, I have never bothered cleaning it. I just apply more powder periodically and keep stropping. The powder was put directly onto the leather without a carrier. Don't know about the paste.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

I have a very fine stone that came with a chip carving kit when I first started...I don't however use it, I much prefer the strop. imho

[xsailer]

From what I've read the green paste is made for Stainless Steel buffing. No reason to not use it for other material thou. If it fits what you want why change.

Personally I would use a strop vs a stone. I have an 8000 grit stone for sharpening my chip carving knife and thought of using for my other knives but the bevels just aren't the same so haven't followed thru with my carving knives. The leather strop is pretty convenient and works.

I use Yellow Gold primarily and I don't notice it coming off my strop once embedded by use.

I've used once or twice a hacksaw blade sideways to scrape off excess compound and started over again.

[CarverFromNoWhere]

I prefer the yellow or gold strop compound and when it gets dark and glossy I clean it with a butter knife on edge. The very best stuff I found has to be Tormek's strop paste for the leather wheel, it works on flat strops great. A little more messy then the hard wax type compounds but I think it cuts better and leaves a finer finish. This is my opinion and I hardly use stones unless I am redoing a blade or really cause some damage, and then it's diamond stones.
Carl

[againstthegrain]

I strop to sharpen(with the gold compound) and use a diamond stone (fine or very fine) when I have a bur that needs smoothing out.

Just the way I was taught...always use a strop to sharpen, when you can. It removes much less metal from your blade.

[FK]

I use the water stones in 6000 and 8000 grit on my japanese kitchen knives and woodworking plane blades. The green CrO on a strop will be finer and give a more polished edge.

To avoid rounding or dubbing the edge when stroping, some important tips.

1. Do no use an old belt or scrap of leather, they are soft and will deflect easily causing edge dubbing. Use a thin hard leather material that will stay flat with the knife pressure.

2. At the end of your stoke on the leather, stop and lift the knife blade up vertically,,,,if you flip the knife (like the old time barbers) you have a tendence to round or dub the edge.

3. Use very light pressure on the knife blade, pressing to hard will,,, again cause the leather to deflect and round the edge.

4. The green color in CrO is just a dye for identification,,,, not all CrO is created equal some is fine and most are a mix of various compounds dyed green. The best CrO is 0.5 microns in particle size.

5. This is an expensive option but you buy it once and it will last for may years:

JapaneseKnifeSharpening.com

Full Grain Horse Leather Pad - 11"x3"

Liquid Chromium Oxide - 0.5 micron

Chromium Oxide - Dry (4oz)

Japanese Knife Sharpening

Japanese Knife Sharpening

I also really like Herb's Yellowstone on his hard thin pigskin strop, this leather is about 1/32 inch thick and deflects very little in stropping.

Regards,
FK