diamond stropping compound instead of "green" compound?

R

ribeyemediumrare

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Oct 5, 2018
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I have been reading about diamond and cbn pastes/emulsions/sprays lately since discovering that the standard green compound will not work for many modern super steels and wanted to know if anyone could recommend a good, cheap general use stropping compound that I could use to maintain/touch up an edge on steels like s35vn, m4, m390, 20cv, bit could also use for regular softer steels? I want to avoid having a dozen different micron grits and not have to reapply often, something that will work like the green stuff but for all steels. Should I get 1 micron paste? Does the stuff easily come off the strop? Makes me wonder why there isn't a stick crayon like type of diamond compound?
 
1-micron diamond compound (either a paste, or liquid emulsion spray) is often recommended as a good all-around compound. It's aggressive enough to clean up and enhance the edge on any steel, yet small (fine) enough not to be overkill on simpler steels. If choosing only one, that'd be a good starting point.

I've also liked 3-micron diamond for a faster polish on high-wear steels, following something like EF/EEF diamond hones. Use it on some firm wood (balsa, basswood, mdf, etc) for best results.

The paste compounds need to be applied sparingly, so excess doesn't get scrubbed off the strop & wasted. Other liquid emulsions in spray form should be easier to apply without overdoing it.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
1-micron diamond compound (either a paste, or liquid emulsion spray) is often recommended as a good all-around compound. It's aggressive enough to clean up and enhance the edge on any steel, yet small (fine) enough not to be overkill on simpler steels. If choosing only one, that'd be a good starting point.

I've also liked 3-micron diamond for a faster polish on high-wear steels, following something like EF/EEF diamond hones. Use it on some firm wood (balsa, basswood, mdf, etc) for best results.

The paste compounds need to be applied sparingly, so excess doesn't get scrubbed off the strop & wasted. Other liquid emulsions in spray form should be easier to apply without overdoing it.
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Is there any reason the diamond abrasives cant be mixed with the same wax that regular stick compound is mixed into, other then cost? It seems to me like the diamond paste just sits on top of the leather or wood and you would need to baby the strop to make sure the stuff doesn't rub off on something, does it eventually get impregnated into the strop like the green compound does?
 
Just buy the 1 micron diamond spray and move on with your life.

It's not that the green has zero effect. It works( skill not tools) but once you go diamond you never go back. It seriously works better.



ribeyemediumrare said:
I have been reading about diamond and cbn pastes/emulsions/sprays lately since discovering that the standard green compound will not work for many modern super steels and wanted to know if anyone could recommend a good, cheap general use stropping compound that I could use to maintain/touch up an edge on steels like s35vn, m4, m390, 20cv, bit could also use for regular softer steels? I want to avoid having a dozen different micron grits and not have to reapply often, something that will work like the green stuff but for all steels. Should I get 1 micron paste? Does the stuff easily come off the strop? Makes me wonder why there isn't a stick crayon like type of diamond compound?
Click to expand...
 
Wax was never intended for leather. That's for buffing wheels, if you can find it the raw green powder that works better but it's messy AF.

Just get the diamond spray and move on :D


ribeyemediumrare said:
Is there any reason the diamond abrasives cant be mixed with the same wax that regular stick compound is mixed into, other then cost? It seems to me like the diamond paste just sits on top of the leather or wood and you would need to baby the strop to make sure the stuff doesn't rub off on something, does it eventually get impregnated into the strop like the green compound does?
Click to expand...
 
DeadboxHero said:
Wax was never intended for leather. That's for buffing wheels, if you can find it the raw green powder that works better but it's messy AF.

Just get the diamond spray and move on :D
Click to expand...
thanks ill just start with 1 micron paste or spray and try it on balsa, leather, and denim to see what I like. Just to make sure diamond will work better then green with cheaper steels like 8cr13mov, aus 8, 1095 as well right?
 
ribeyemediumrare said:
thanks ill just start with 1 micron paste or spray and try it on balsa, leather, and denim to see what I like. Just to make sure diamond will work better then green with cheaper steels like 8cr13mov, aus 8, 1095 as well right?
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I've liked green compound with simple steels like 1095, CV or 420HC. It's not that the 1-mic diamond wouldn't also do well with those, but the green will do everything expected of it (clean, refine, polish) with such steels, and it's less expensive. But with something like S30V, green starts to disappoint a little bit after attempting to refresh an edge too many times with it, without going back to a diamond hone to reset the edge. If the edge isn't reset on diamond, it'll start to overburnish and round off or dull with continued stropping on green. That's the result of the green compound's inability to do much with the vanadium carbides if/when they start to lose their crispness at the edge with some use and wear.
 
Just go with diamond and call it a day. I've tried green compound on s110v before and let's just say it's not effective to say the least. Diamond compound on the other hand will get the job done and your not removing a lot of material while stropping so I wouldn't worry about about using it on low wear resistance steels.
 
if you are already set up for green, keep that setup as a backup for "basic" steels

but the diamond stuff is great
 
Green polishes the blade nicely,and for woodwork is ok.Ill buy some diamond paste to try it.For me toothy edges are best and edge from sil carbide stone,when working with wood some stropping on green compound does the job.
 
Obsessed with Edges said:
1-micron diamond compound (either a paste, or liquid emulsion spray) is often recommended as a good all-around compound. It's aggressive enough to clean up and enhance the edge on any steel, yet small (fine) enough not to be overkill on simpler steels. If choosing only one, that'd be a good starting point.

I've also liked 3-micron diamond for a faster polish on high-wear steels, following something like EF/EEF diamond hones. Use it on some firm wood (balsa, basswood, mdf, etc) for best results.

The paste compounds need to be applied sparingly, so excess doesn't get scrubbed off the strop & wasted. Other liquid emulsions in spray form should be easier to apply without overdoing it.
Click to expand...
From what I’ve seen, the sprays are very expensive, even compared to the diamond compounds. Does one go further than the other. I would assume by the price points of the two. Maybe I’m just looking in the wrong place.
 
Mick.meik said:
From what I’ve seen, the sprays are very expensive, even compared to the diamond compounds. Does one go further than the other. I would assume by the price points of the two. Maybe I’m just looking in the wrong place.
Click to expand...

I haven't used the spray compounds. But, many here have, and it seems like most feel they're worth it. There's a lot of variation in the concentration of diamond (look for carat weight) among the sprays, with the more expensive ones having more of it in the emulsion. Reputable brands mentioned have been those from Ken Schwartz and Hand American, for example. Others have found less-expensive diamond sprays elsewhere online, and some seem to be happy with those. Still others have purchased raw diamond powder online and made their own emulsions from that. But the bottom line is, it's best to shop around and also read up as much as you can here, on what others have found.
 
I've found the same, green works great on stuff like 8cr13mov or 440. Diamond works greats on everything I've tried so far.

I also like using .5 and .1 micron diamond lapping film, I get a pretty similar effect as stropping with leather and diamond spray.
 
Mick.meik said:
From what I’ve seen, the sprays are very expensive, even compared to the diamond compounds. Does one go further than the other. I would assume by the price points of the two. Maybe I’m just looking in the wrong place.
Click to expand...
The spray can range from mid 20s to 50

It varies on the amount of diamonds and also the consistency of the diamonds. Usually a good brand will lay out the diamonds and look at them in a microscope and verify there are no diamonds above the advertised grit size. Some will use a good emulsion for leather so it doesn't dry out etc.

Ken's sprays are worth it to some. But it's not necessary for everyone. Not everyone is looking to get. 0002 micron edge with alot of diamond in solution.
 
Out of curiosity, is there a chart or grid that compares diamond micron sizes to grit sizes in the bars? Not looking to boil the ocean, but maybe where Black and Green bars compare to diamond grits around their abrasive size.

EDIT

DUH I Found It.
 
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