Strop Compound Advice
Strop Compound Advice
I have been sharpening knives for a side business for 6 years now. I currently use The Edge Pro Professional and typically sharpen up through 3,000 grit.
The ending grit typically depends on the intended use of the knife. I will stop at 600 grit for most pairing knives as I have found the toothy edge beneficial to cutting fruits and vegetables. I currently use traditional stropping compound (green) when stropping. I am looking to expand my stropping and incorporate some of the Diamond compounds / strops from CKTG.
How much improvement will I get stropping with the below list after I stop at 600 grit or the 6,000 grit polishing tape?
I also noticed Ben over at Edge Pro now has a 2300 grit and 4000 grit polishing stones. Does anyone have any experience with these or know the micron of them? I’m curious if the polish they put on, is worth the extra cost over the tapes.
This is what I’m looking to get. Any advice or other suggestions? I’m also looking to understand the difference between the emulsion and spray compounds. Obviously I’m looking to get the highest polish and sharpest edge possible.
Thanks in advance.
3x11 Leather Strops
Plain Leather - 3 Micron Richmond Diamond Paste
Plain Leather - 1 Micron Richmond Diamond Paste
Plain Leather - .5 Micron Richmond Diamond Paste
Plain Leather - .25 Micron Richmond Diamond Paste
Plain Leather - .1 Micron CBN Emulsion or Ken’s CBN Spray .10 Micron
Nano - .05 Micron Ken Schwartz Poly Diamond
Nano - .025 Micron Ken Schwartz Poly Diamond
The ending grit typically depends on the intended use of the knife. I will stop at 600 grit for most pairing knives as I have found the toothy edge beneficial to cutting fruits and vegetables. I currently use traditional stropping compound (green) when stropping. I am looking to expand my stropping and incorporate some of the Diamond compounds / strops from CKTG.
How much improvement will I get stropping with the below list after I stop at 600 grit or the 6,000 grit polishing tape?
I also noticed Ben over at Edge Pro now has a 2300 grit and 4000 grit polishing stones. Does anyone have any experience with these or know the micron of them? I’m curious if the polish they put on, is worth the extra cost over the tapes.
This is what I’m looking to get. Any advice or other suggestions? I’m also looking to understand the difference between the emulsion and spray compounds. Obviously I’m looking to get the highest polish and sharpest edge possible.
Thanks in advance.
3x11 Leather Strops
Plain Leather - 3 Micron Richmond Diamond Paste
Plain Leather - 1 Micron Richmond Diamond Paste
Plain Leather - .5 Micron Richmond Diamond Paste
Plain Leather - .25 Micron Richmond Diamond Paste
Plain Leather - .1 Micron CBN Emulsion or Ken’s CBN Spray .10 Micron
Nano - .05 Micron Ken Schwartz Poly Diamond
Nano - .025 Micron Ken Schwartz Poly Diamond
Last edited by BillyJack on Mon Dec 04, 2017 11:32 am, edited 2 times in total.
- ken123
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Re: Strop Compound Advice
Be glad to help. What are you using for coarser grits? The first strop should be a smooth trsnsition. Also what steels do you typically sharpen.
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Ken
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Ken
Re: Strop Compound Advice
Normally I sharpen your harder steels....s30v, cpm m4, and other high carbon steels. But I also sharpen your everyday kitchen knives that are not “super” steels.
Re: Strop Compound Advice
As far as courser grits...I normally start with the 220 grit unless I have to repair bad chips or something. And then I either use the stock 120 or your CKTG 140 and 400 grit diamond stones for the edge pro.
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Re: Strop Compound Advice
So the higher carbon steels are easier to sharpen, m4 and s30v more difficult but not as hard as higher vanadium steels.
Going from 400 grit to the compounds listed is too big of a jump. You can go to 600, 1200 and 3k diamond plates and then transition to strops starting at 4 micron CBN and then go from there.
I can review strops next
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Ken
Going from 400 grit to the compounds listed is too big of a jump. You can go to 600, 1200 and 3k diamond plates and then transition to strops starting at 4 micron CBN and then go from there.
I can review strops next
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Ken
Re: Strop Compound Advice
Sorry Ken...I misspoke earlier. My progression of grits normally goes: Edge Pro Stock Stones and Polishing Tapes...220...400...600...1,000...1,200...2,000 Polish Tape...3,000 Polish...6,000...and lastly Leather Strop with Green Compound. I sometimes start with the Edge Pro 120 grit or the CKTG 140 and 400 diamond plates, depending on how bad the edges are.ken123 wrote: ↑Sun Dec 03, 2017 10:47 pm So the higher carbon steels are easier to sharpen, m4 and s30v more difficult but not as hard as higher vanadium steels.
Going from 400 grit to the compounds listed is too big of a jump. You can go to 600, 1200 and 3k diamond plates and then transition to strops starting at 4 micron CBN and then go from there.
I can review strops next
---
Ken
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Re: Strop Compound Advice
Use what you have up and when your films and stones wear out, then upgrade, rather than build around what you will ultimately discard.
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Ken
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Ken
Re: Strop Compound Advice
Ok...So by incorporating the strops and your diamond compounds after my normal sharpening progression, I would not see much of a difference from what I am doing now. In other words, the strops and compounds I mentioned would replace what I am doing now.
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Re: Strop Compound Advice
Hi Bradley,
Here is my advice. Ditch the stock stones and tapes (just use them up and replace) and try this progression. I think you would get really good results. Add the diamond plates if you need to do a repair.
Shapton Pro 320 https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shpr320fored.html
Shapton Glass 1K https://www.chefknivestogo.com/sh1kglstfore.html
Shapton Glass 6K https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shglst5kfore.html
Leather strop loaded with 1 Micron Diamond Paste https://www.chefknivestogo.com/chdipa1mi.html
Nano - .025 Micron Diamond Spray https://www.chefknivestogo.com/11x3naclst.html
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/ke1misp.html
This is a simple and effective progression and I think you'll be able to sharpen more quickly and with better results.
Here is my advice. Ditch the stock stones and tapes (just use them up and replace) and try this progression. I think you would get really good results. Add the diamond plates if you need to do a repair.
Shapton Pro 320 https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shpr320fored.html
Shapton Glass 1K https://www.chefknivestogo.com/sh1kglstfore.html
Shapton Glass 6K https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shglst5kfore.html
Leather strop loaded with 1 Micron Diamond Paste https://www.chefknivestogo.com/chdipa1mi.html
Nano - .025 Micron Diamond Spray https://www.chefknivestogo.com/11x3naclst.html
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/ke1misp.html
This is a simple and effective progression and I think you'll be able to sharpen more quickly and with better results.
Re: Strop Compound Advice
Thanks Mark!! As for the Nano cloth u mentioned the .025 Diamond Spray, but the link is to your .25 Diamond Spray.ChefKnivesToGo wrote: ↑Mon Dec 04, 2017 11:48 am Hi Bradley,
Here is my advice. Ditch the stock stones and tapes (just use them up and replace) and try this progression. I think you would get really good results. Add the diamond plates if you need to do a repair.
Shapton Pro 320 https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shpr320fored.html
Shapton Glass 1K https://www.chefknivestogo.com/sh1kglstfore.html
Shapton Glass 6K https://www.chefknivestogo.com/shglst5kfore.html
Leather strop loaded with 1 Micron Diamond Paste https://www.chefknivestogo.com/chdipa1mi.html
Nano - .025 Micron Diamond Spray https://www.chefknivestogo.com/11x3naclst.html
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/ke1misp.html
This is a simple and effective progression and I think you'll be able to sharpen more quickly and with better results.
As far as the Shapton, can they be leveled with the silicon carbide?
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Re: Strop Compound Advice
Sorry I meant .25 so the link is correct. The .025 is so fine I really don't mess with it.