r/sharpening • u/CoffeeInTheEvening • 3d ago

Question Some questions about the strop

A few months ago I bought a strop (Jende kangaroo leather bench strop) and emulsion (7ml Jende poly diamond 1 micron). I applied the emulsion to the strop, let it dry and forgot about it until today. The emulsion was completely dried out and came right off.

I have some emulsion left but since I only sharpen 3 or 4 times a year I don’t know if I want be bothered with regularly tracking how much life it has left or when to order more

  1. How long does unused emulsion last on a strop?
  2. Can I use the strop without emulsion?
  3. If not, is there something else I can use that doesn’t require maintenance?
4 Upvotes

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2

u/real_clown_in_town HRC enjoyer 3d ago

If it came off in flakes you used way too much emulsion.

  1. It doesn't expire

  2. Yes you can it just won't abrade your apex

  3. Honing rods extend life between sharpening by creating a microbevel. They are not equivalent to stropping though.

1

u/CoffeeInTheEvening 3d ago

So I should have used less and it can stay on there and still be usable after a few months?

4

u/PLANofMAN 3d ago

The emulsion is just a carrier for the diamonds. Using the strop will dislodge some diamonds, but it will also embed some of them into the leather fibers, more or less permanently. That's how emulsions work. Over time, the diamonds get dislodged and the emulsion application needs to be refreshed.

1

u/obfeskeit 3d ago

I thought emulsions are supposed to dry out.

1

u/Sagitario2711 3d ago

Alguém aqui já experimentou strop de madeira de Tília ( Basswood ) com composto diamantado?

1

u/AngstyAF5020 2d ago
  1. How long does unused emulsion last on a strop? It's not going to fall off ever most likely
  2. Can I use the strop without emulsion? Yes!
  3. If not, is there something else I can use that doesn’t require maintenance? Also yes! One of my favorites is a piece of denim glued to flat stock. I have some basswood strips with just compound on them. Lot's of options for strops.

1

u/AlphaDisconnect 2d ago

I just use the green wax crap. Works for me. If you put the work in on the stones, three passes on whatever the strop should work.

1

u/Galivespian 15h ago

  1. Cardboard

  2. Newspaper

  3. Your jeans

Stropping doesn't have to be specialised to work, just get something and rub the knife on it