Stropping compound advice?

[Matt]

When I ordered my wicked edge pp2 several months ago, I chose to leave the Stropping compounds out (for credit towards ceramics). I have a decent existing selection of sharpening compounds from using a work sharp and edge pro, and was curious if I could get some advice on what progression/substrate people would recommend. I was also curious if anyone has tried CBN vs. the wicked edge diamond paste. I’m able to get a hair whittling edge, but looking to try for a mirrored bevel, and just chasing a “perfect” edge.
The compounds I have:
(Ken Schwartz)
16 micron CBN emulsion
4 micron CBN emulsion
1 micron CBN emulsion
1 micron polycrystalline diamond spray
(Hand American)
1 micron boron carbide
.5 micron chromium oxide

Strops-
2 sets leather
1 set balsa
1 set WE glass blanks w/1 micron diamond film

Thanks for any advice you can give, this forum has been very helpful!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Attachments:

You must be logged in to access attached files.

[Steven N. Bolin]

When I ordered my wicked edge pp2 several months ago, I chose to leave the Stropping compounds out (for credit towards ceramics). I have a decent existing selection of sharpening compounds from using a work sharp and edge pro, and was curious if I could get some advice on what progression/substrate people would recommend. I was also curious if anyone has tried CBN vs. the wicked edge diamond paste. I’m able to get a hair whittling edge, but looking to try for a mirrored bevel, and just chasing a “perfect” edge.
The compounds I have:
(Ken Schwartz)
16 micron CBN emulsion
4 micron CBN emulsion
1 micron CBN emulsion
1 micron polycrystalline diamond spray
(Hand American)
1 micron boron carbide
.5 micron chromium oxide

Strops-
2 sets leather
1 set balsa
1 set WE glass blanks w/1 micron diamond film

Thanks for any advice you can give, this forum has been very helpful!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Try browsing the forum using the “search” feature. There’s a plethora of threads related to stropping, some of which members have already spent a substantial amount of time providing awesome information in great detail.

[Matt]

Thanks for the reply. I did search first, and have read most threads in this forum(been lurking and reading for over a year.)
I didn’t find an answer to my question, although I found a couple similar questions. To wit: has anyone done a head to head of Ken’s CBN and wicked edge diamond paste? *in particular the larger grits.
And is a 16/4/1 micron CBN jump too big?
And if anyone is feeling extra generous: if I have only one set of balsa strops, any advice on which compounds to use on them? (Eg, 16/4 Cbn, or 1/1 CBN/poly diamond)

Thanks!

[tcmeyer]

I can’t help you on strops… Don’t use them since I went to film. But FWIW, I happened on the same 16/4/1 progression when I ordered the diamond buffing compounds from Ken Schwartz. I’ve only used all three sequentially as an experiment. I had the impression that the step from 16 to 4 was a bit of a reach, but was still workable. Adding a little more doubt to the issue is the fact that all three were brand-new wheels – not broken in yet.

Also FWIW, my chart (extrapolated from grit equivalency list on AdvancedAbrasives.com) lists 16 micron as a 1100-1200 grit equivalent. 4 micron is about 6,500 grit. 1 micron is about 15,000 grit.

I would doubt that anyone would use the 16 micron on a strop as that level of coarseness (?) is intended for removing metal and strops are used to polish. Qualify that statement with the full disclosure that I’ve been known to make stupid posts before.

[Mark76]

You have quite a range of stropping compounds! 🙂 But good stuff, I also use Hand American and Ken Schwartz sprays and I’m very happy with them.

I wrote a couple of blog posts on the Wicked Edge (and some other) pastes: https://moleculepolishing.wordpress.com/category/stropping/ . The main difference between the WE pastes and the sprays is the amount of burnishing these pastes cause. This makes them very suitable for polished edges.

Be careful in mixing strops with different types of compound, since they easily cross-contaminate.

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Matt]

Tcmeyer – the 16/4/1 was originally intended ( based on Ken’s recommendation) for use on linen belts on the work sharp powered sharpener. They worked very well, But it took lots of extra passes on the 4 micron belt to get a decent mirror.
I was curious about stropping with the 16 micron too, but was wondering if it was analogous to the WE 14 micron paste.
Since reading your post on the VSTA and subsequently buying and learning how to use them I can see the appeal of films… I sharpened a blade the other day all the way through all my stones and followed the micro fines with 1 micron film. The edge was my sharpest yet after 20ish passes with the film. I kept going, and somehow lost the very keen edge after another 20 passes. Is there a set number of strokes you use? I think I might have lost the edge due to paddle wobble. I have read about your bushings, but don’t have the tools or technical know-how to put those in yet.

Mark – your blog is awesome! I had found it a while ago, and haven’t had a chance to read through it yet. I will tonight. Thank you for sharing so much info. Do you have a preference on what compounds you use now? Also, in those articles on stropping, are you dropping your angle when you stopped? And thanks for the advice, I do keep all of my strops in their own ziplock to avoid cross-contamination.

[Mark76]

Honzi, it depends what I’m after. If I want the quickest polished edge (mirror-like, but not super polished like in this thread I use leather strops with 5 / 3.5 mu paste after the ceramic stones. (With leather strops, indeed lower the angle 2 degrees. That’s not necessary with balsa strops.)

If I want a truely refined edge, I use Shapton stones up to 16K and then 1 mu down to 0.125 mu diamond/CBN spray.

And many other combinations. It’s fun to experiment.

Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge

[Author]

Posts