Storing Leather Strops

[Victor]

Opinion in terms of practicality for a mirror polish surface. Whether it is the primary edge or other selected surface over all.

IMO, analogy – when the need to carry a Presidential Rolex watch in a pocket :-

Exterior overall surface, a little common sense along with simple precautions, by not mixing with coins and keys when carried in pockets.

Usage included not as a pray bar or multi purpose tool and such. Simple common sense allowed mirror finished surfaces to look pristine for a long time.

Thanks for sharing your experience with this. I have never owned a fully mirror polished knife.

I never use a knife as a pry bar but I get fine scratches on the sides of blades from abrasive material like cardboard. I don’t think the mirror polish would prevent the scratches, though I do agree that a higher polish seems more stain resistant.

You wrote:

“Unlike other lesser finishes, inadvertent scratches can also be restored back to original mirror’ed glory.”

Surely it is easier to restore a scotch-brite finish than it is a mirror? What kind of “lesser” finishes do you mean? I guess things like bead blast (not that I want that) need special tools but ultimately that seems easier too. As you stated a high quality mirror polish is one of the most demanding wash to finish a blade.[/quote]

I agree that it is easier to restore a scotch-brite finish or other lesser finish such as bead blast, sand blast or even a grind finish – if proper equipment is available.

Various finish boils down to be a personal choice.

As for practicality, everyone is again, different!

I am anal, I have conditioned myself to be slow and deliberate, vigilant as best as I can in all things. I am a believer of using tool for specific purpose. I don’t use my pocket knives to cut cardboard or such. As posted, I have no issue living with a mirror finish in various applications.

Historically, fine steel cutting blades were mirror finished. Hand mirror is considered most difficult to obtain! I suppose, for no other reasons, it is another form, expressed in the pride of ownership.

Again, we all have different interpretation in pride of ownership.

So….I leave it at that!

Aloha!

🙂

[Mr.Wizard]

Again, we all have different interpretation in pride of ownership.

So….I leave it at that!

Aloha!

🙂

Don’t misunderstand me, like I said it looks damn good, and I’d be happy to have mirror polished knives. I however cannot afford the ones I have seen that I would like, and I have neither the equipment nor the technique to apply or restore one myself.

You wrote: “I don’t use my pocket knives to cut cardboard or such.” What materials have you found safe and unsafe for the polish? If I choose to invest the time to hand polish one of my knives to a near mirror I’d rather not find out the hard way.

[Mr.Wizard]

By the way, for your enjoyment:

[Gib Curry]

Polishing molecules……. shining atoms…

Love it… thanks for posting.

~~~~
For Now,

Gib

Φ

"Everyday edge for the bevel headed"

"Things work out best for those who make the best out of the way things work out."

[Victor]

We can accomplish supreme end product using machines. Appreciate your posted video. Very nice.

On the other hand, some of us can have gratification, along with imperfections associated with our own handy works. Certainly not applicable for everyone!

The video reminded me the rare few Master Carpenter of Japan. Master works alone. These rare Masters are sought after by the committed future homeowner. Who sometimes will not live to see the house completed by the few Master Carpenters. House built by these Masters are few in their own lifetime. Hand built, every piece of wood is hand scrutinized and joined by hand formed/fitted wedges/dowels….along with shinning examples of Katana, remnant of Old Japan….

In response to your question “What materials have you found safe and unsafe for the polish? If I choose to invest the time to hand polish one of my knives to a near mirror I’d rather not find out the hard way.”

Again. I am a believer of every tool has its intended purpose. When I decided on the grind for a specific process, every single ground tool bit is made once, never again modified and will serve for a life time, a few example:

I use some of my priced pocket knives on my favorite fruits, one of which is Mango, I have a Hybrid “Pope” variety in my yard. I am looking at the flower booming as I am typing my response! So….when I enjoy my sliced Mango, also soaking in work done on my customized knife – my simple rewards in life!

Only for dedicated use, my modified mirror finish simply last and……..

There is no right or wrong – again – to each his own!

Aloha!

[Steven N. Bolin]

Hey, sandwich bags. Good riddance.

~Steven

[tcmeyer]

Steven:

Not trying to be critical or picky, but if cross-contamination is your main concern, I would have chosen to arrange the blocks with the coarse sides down. The theory being that eventually, some grit from the upper face is going to fall down into the bottom of the tray. You’d prefer to not have the coarse grit fall down to where the fine strop face will be placed.

Tom

[Steven N. Bolin]

Steven:

Not trying to be critical or picky, but if cross-contamination is your main concern, I would have chosen to arrange the blocks with the coarse sides down. The theory being that eventually, some grit from the upper face is going to fall down into the bottom of the tray. You’d prefer to not have the coarse grit fall down to where the fine strop face will be placed.

Tom

Ah, ok. It was a 50/50 shot. I mentally flipped a coin and coarse came out on top.

Would it be ok to just throw them in the dishwasher, dry them, maybe finish them off with some isopropyl alcohol on a paper towel and start over?

[tcmeyer]

Not to mention that I’ve been doing it wrong myself for about two years. I remember thinking about it when I first got my tray, but somewhere along the line it got forgotten. And it explains why I seem to get to many scratches with my 1000’s.

[Steven N. Bolin]

And it explains why I seem to get to many scratches with my 1000’s.

Would you mind elaborating?

[tcmeyer]

Very elementary. I can never seem to clear up all the 1000-grit scratches with my 1200-grit ceramic stones. It hadn’t occurred to me that the scratches might actually be caused by 800 grit contamination.

[Steven N. Bolin]

Very elementary. I can never seem to clear up all the 1000-grit scratches with my 1200-grit ceramic stones. It hadn’t occurred to me that the scratches might actually be caused by 800 grit contamination.

Oh, ok. I was confused since I thought you were referring to your 1000s somehow getting contaminated by your strops or, much worse, your strops getting contaminated by your 1000s (let’s not open that can of worms). But, yes sir, that totally makes sense… Reading this makes me think I need to take cleaning between diamonds as serious as I do cleaning between strops.

[Author]

Posts