Took this 7/8+ Bismarck through a session. Suehiro 1k and Naniwa 4k to set and refine the bevel, and turned to the Naniwa 8k & 12k to take it close to finished. Took it through a stropping routine and then pulled out the translucent Arkansas. I am really not comfortable with this stone yet so nice practice time. I don’t have a good feel so I look at the clock - almost 18 minutes before I got bored. It was good before, it will be nice to see what it us like now. I always dreamed of owning a Ferrari... I couldn’t pass up that tang stamp Happy honing! Tom
What kind of oil, brand name and type, do you use to keep your strop in working condition. How often and just how do you clean and care for the leather in the short and long run. What coatings do you use for stroping, if any. Minor details are great, if you don't mind lots of typing. Thanks! tp
Terry, my routine is bare bones when it comes to stropping prep. I just wipe my forehead and rub the leather with my palm. Every once in a while if I feel something (which hopefully is never) or see some discoloration, I will take a slightly damp washcloth and rub the leather. I have never used any oils or dressings on leather. I do have a felt strop in which I applied CrOx that I got in stick form from SRD a few years back. Can't say I am scientific when I decide to use this as a refresh. Sorry - probably not the best help here. Tom
Thank you! ... how do you use it and how do you know when to use it? I know I'm being complicated but I like to know what people do. tp
On a new strop, not more than 4-5 drops, on your palm, rub it into the leather. You might need less. Less is better with strop leather.
Terry I will wipe them with a cloth that is damp with lighter fluid (the zippo kind). I use just a few drops of neatsfoot oil and rub it in with my hand.
Today's line up: Vorpal (Gold Dollar) touched up on Naniwa 12k then Shapton glass 16k Riga Razor - this guys was dropped so I had to tighten the pins. Fortunately the edge was not chipped. Naniwa 1k, 5k, 8k, 12k Shapton glass 16k Koraat 14 2.0 Shapton glass 16k Joe Edson Kamisori - touched up on Naniwa 12k then Shapton glass 16k Wade and Butcher - touched up on Naniwa 8k then Zulu Grey
Otto Deutsch Hans. The photo doesn't do it justice. I restored this one, and took it to the Welsh Slate Stones, as finishers. I then used a Balsa Strop coated with CrOx and FeOx. The edge came on, quickly, and was popping hairs, all the way through the progression.
C-MON Carl Monkhouse Ellicottville, NY. Full on restore with this one, and a blade swap. Once again, my photos stink, and it looks brand spankin new, in hand. This one took a fast edge, and was a joy to hone. Everything fell into place, without any difficulties. Finished on the Welsh Slate Stones.
Diamondine No7 M.E. Reppenhagen Germany Scale sway, and full restore. This was a rusty crusty razor, with crappy scales, to start with. I'm just glad I was able to fit the blade, in the scales, with minor mods to the wedge. Honed through the Welsh Slate Stones. This one had some pitting, on the bevel, that required some of the edge to be removed, but not much at all. It took a little longer than the others I did today, because it is a Full Hollow ground blade, and not a paper thin Extra Hollow Grind, like the Otto Deutsch.
A nice evening refreshing a few with the 12K followed by a surgical black Arkie. I honed the Kami at 5K, 8K, 12K, SB.
Nice hardware and stones showing up here, my compliments gentlemen. Up for a full honing from bevel set to finish is a pair of Touron-Parisot ~11/16 tortoise scaled near wedge blades. I’ve had these for a couple of years and just never got around to putting proper edges on them. They date from 1850-1860. One layer of 1 mil (actually about 2.3 mil with adhesive) Kapton tape was used and one layer lasted for the entire probression. The progression was bevel set on a Shapton Glass HR 2k, followed by a Glass HR 4k. The transition to finisher was worn 1200 diamond plate slurry on the finisher followed by a tomo nagura (slurry stone) on the finisher. This got me silent HHT root in or root out. Cheers, Steve
Comparing quartz on a whale fishy blade It's a damn tough life, full of toil and strife, we whaler-men undergo And we don't give a damn when the gale is done, how hard the Winds did blow Rolling down to old Maui, me boys, rolling down to old Maui We're homeward bound from the Arctic ground, rolling down to old Maui