Thread: Favorite abrasives and surfaces for paddle strops?

Originally Posted by Brontosaurus

Any idea what is okay to use for lapping kosher coticules? I know there is a prohibition against using them with oil.

I always used water on the ones I sold and lapped them on wet/dry paper stuck to a granite machinist surface plate.

I know CBN and diamond are all the rage but for razors I always liked Dovo(Herold) Red and TI White on a smooth leather strop. Loom or cushioned paddle preferred. The really fine "peach skin" leather is fine too. I find that it increases keenness by convexing the shoulders of the bevel also....as always YMMV.

The reason that imperfections or "serrations" are not allowed in schechita is to prevent tearing of the esophagus or trachea with would render it non-kosher.

I use formax white lightning compound on a flesh sided paddle strop. I do about twenty passes then about 40 passes on a clean flesh paddle strop that I sanded down with 2000 grit wet/dry sand paper then I go to the strop no linen. Whether im off the stone or just refreshing its the same routine...it works for me but that's just me...… I find it works better than any green paste ive used but ive never felt the need to try diamond (maybe I should) so....ther ya go!

Having tried them all, and still my personal favourite it would have to be Chromium Oxide on a linen strop.

Originally Posted by celticcrusader

Having tried them all, and still my personal favourite it would have to be Chromium Oxide on a linen strop.

On cloth or real flax linen? I tend to not put anything on real linen since the linen is already somewhat abrasive. Seems like whatever is on top will be doing the work and whatever is underneath will now just be covered up.

Originally Posted by Tony Miller

On cloth or real flax linen? I tend to not put anything on real linen since the linen is already somewhat abrasive. Seems like whatever is on top will be doing the work and whatever is underneath will now just be covered up.

That's correct Tony, I should have said flax linen, that's the only linen I have.

Interesting thread. I never really thought about what to use on a strop.

Originally Posted by PatrickA51

Interesting thread. I never really thought about what to use on a strop.

PatrickA51, This would be for strops specifically for honing/sharpening. I would not use anything on my daily strop. Every day stropping on any abrasive would be overkill in my opinion. That said, many knife guys make it a practice of doing a few passes on an abrasive strop any day they have actually used their blades. Wirth some knife steels that are very difficult to sharpen (like M4), keeping it sharp is key. With razors having such a delicate edge I feel it would be too much.