Thread: ?? Best way to charging a new strop with cutting compund

G'day Everyone,

RSSER, thanks for the Lee Valley suggestion. I contacted Lee Valley tools and they kindly sent me back the following information:

"Tallow or hard fat can usually be found at a local butchery. However, in Mr. Lee’s book “The Complete Guide to Sharpening” he states that mineral oil is also acceptable for laying a base to the Honing Compound. Mineral Oil can be found in Pharmacies and some Grocery stores."

Spreads some light on the tallow front.

Cheers

Grant

...which is what Derek was saying: baby oil is "scented mineral oil".

Don't think tallow is just the hard fat you can cut out of the bolar before roasting it, though: isn't it refined in some way?

I've been using a motorcycle chrome and metal polishing paste made by Meguiares for my gouges which works ok on a hand strop, also use a paste called Trefolex intended for tap and die cutting. I got it from a bearing place that recommends it for polishing pitted bearing races.

This is a very interesting thread.
But now I am getting confused. So many suggestions I do not know which product I should buy next time.
If, one of these new ideas are used, can the product go on a felt wheel straight over the top of what is already there, or must I buy a new felt wheel.

Terry

You need a diff felt wheel for each compound I'm afraid Terry, otherwise a coarser grit left there will 'scratch through' a finer grit.

Just stumbled across some relevant comments in Leonard Lee's book on sharpening, to add to Grant's comments.

For felt wheels, first singe them to remove the fur, then prepare with hard fat or mineral oil. After that the honing compound should stick. But such compounds can dry out making sticking less likely. If so, I'd suggest charging as far as you can get, then rub a warmed bit of steel over the wheel and try again.