Applying Chromium Oxide to a Felt Strop

For applying chromium oxide powder to a felt strop I use a mister bottle with an alcohol 70/30 CrO mix. This makes a really neat even distribution without clumping up the felt.

 

Nice. what would be the advantage of using it on felt v. Leather or vice versa?

 

Well first of all I should state that chromium oxide isn't well suited for most kitchen knife sharpening as it makes an edge that's too keen. A chromium oxide edge will slip on a tomato so it's not the best thing for a gyuto but applied to a yanagiba it'll glide through fresh fish like it's not even there.

On felt vs leather, the key differences are that leather gives the cleaner/sharper edge where felt is a lot more forgiving to poor technique. I often use the felt chromium oxide loaded strop on the bevel side on a yangiba while stropping the back side on a stone - crazy stupid sharpness achieved!

 

Dave, I have some of your green powder i purchased second hand with a leather strop loaded with it. I also have some grey powder and a felt strop that appears unloaded. What is the difference between the two powders and could I load the grey powder on the felt in the described manor?

 

The only gray powder I can recall selling is 36x silicon carbide. If you have this then it's meant for use on a cinder block to flatten sharpening stones. Don't put this on any strop.

 

What I have is definately not that. I'll take a pic when I get home

 

OK, I'll check back in later.

 

What i have is actually beige in color, not grey. It has 2.5 micron written on the bag. I never noticed that before. I got it in a combo deal and have never used it. Is felt a good for this or would a different material be better? I have stroped with diamond on balsa but it has been a while. I usually strop on stones now but have been interested in trying these powders. The green I have is labeled .5 micron.

 

I'm not sure what you have there exactly. Does it say on the package who the maker is?

 

No maker on either bag. They are in Ziploc bags with hand written labels.

 

You got me on that, I have no idea what you've got there.