Surfing around the forums, I just ran into some references to Herb's Yellowstone stropping compound. Anyone heard of this stuff? Anyone ever tried it?
Brian, seems that I've heard about it before, may have even seen the website. I've never used it. Got a Linky? After using a 120 grit belt and the buffers on my Grizzly equipement and getting a knife so sharp that it cuts without feeling it and with a nice smooth edge I'm pretty happy with what I've got. Speaking of the bloodthirsty choppin sumbeetch of course.
I haven't used it, but they sell it at Woodcraft and a number of tool places that carry carving tools. I have used green compound - the chromium oxide bar that is available from Lee Valley. It works great, but I have had allergic reactions to the stuff. I switched to Clover compound with 1200 grit abrasives. I generally just use a good leather strop after an Arkansas stone. I don't always need a stroping compound - it depends on how sharp I want to get a knife.
Dan might know. A while back he mentioned someone had compiled a huge list of sharpening compounds. That might have been someone named Herb.
Correct, Jeb. I have some and have used it. It is a super fine polishing compound, meant for putting on a final hone. I'll try to dig it up - admittedly, I don't use it as much as I could.
I found these: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=286627&highlight=yellowstone http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=290028&highlight=yellowstone
Here ya go.....found it. Since I had mentioned having more than just the regular compounds hangin' around I figured I would post a pic of a few. You'll just never understand how much research Warren did....it was phenomenal. We had enough information to fill a spreadsheet. Couldn't take it all in at once....I begged Warren to organize, but he just never found the time. Hope to get him back here someday. Anyway......from the pic: 1 - 1200 grit Silicon Carbide powder 2 - Yellowstone compound - hard and "peach" in color. 3 - Pure Chromium compound paste 4 - A "Warren Strop" - super handy. Don't know what you're missing...really!
And this: http://www.woodcarvers.com/yellowstone.htm http://www.woodart.com.au/a_bojan06.htm http://www.jacquescoulombe.com/warren.htm
That strop looks almost the exact same as the ones I made. Edit: Oh Look! I have another Peyote button, only a mutated one this time!
Wow, you guys are good! Thanks. I have some green Chrome Oxide powder from Hand American and it works fine. They also sell it suspended in a solvent for impregnating leather strops, which works very well. For years I have used Simichrome paste too. Also Fliz and Metalglo. All are fine metal polishes hard enough to polish chromium plating. Gunsmith trick: If you have some Semichrome laying around, go over the bluing on a gun with a little dab of it on a rag, and see what comes off. Red rust. The bluing is left much bluer without the red layer on top dulling the color. Works on stainless too.
