sorry to jump in like this gentlemen but those of you who are using the boron carbide,how long is it lasting on your strops? I have one of Tony's balsa wood bench strops treated with it and it just never seems to quit.
I've got a poplar paddle loaded with BC and it never seems to quit on me either. Because of the color you'll just have to notice that it isn't doing much anymore. Diamond and Cr2O3 are the same way, BTW. Just because they get black doesn't mean they stop working...