# sharpening compund



## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

Hi, I have some black emery polishing compound I use on my sharpening strop but have heard alot about Flexcut Gold is this better than emery. I have been having a problem of dulling the knife with the stop, could this be the problem


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## diverlloyd (Apr 25, 2013)

Do you know what grit the compound you are using is? Black is usually a cutting compound if you sharpened to a 600 then a you could go straight to a white compound. Black is going to be more for cutting the edge no polishing. So I would think you have a rolling movement when sharpening so rounding the edge and the black is taking you back a couple grits. Red jewlers polish is ment to polish and not cut. So black cuts, white polishes hard metals,red polishes without cutting, blue does the same as red but it has less grease and then green is for stainless. So white should be your last compound if you are using polish compounds you could go higher but I don't think you will see much difference. Never mix compounds it defeats the purpose of different grits. 
Having said that different manufacturers have different compounds so check the manufacturers charts. Sometimes green is used before the red if it's not being used on stainless


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

Hi, there are no grits on the compound, at this point I don't sharpen to grit I use what I have I use medium and fine Carborundum and Arkansas stones then stop with emery on coarse belt then plain fine belt. here is the chart for the compound set


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## mpounders (Jun 22, 2010)

Most carvers will only use stones or sandpapers when needed to reshape an edge or remove a chip. Stropping with compound is used to maintain a sharp edge. It is often years before any of my knives or gouges need to be touched to anything coarser than the leather strop on my Burke Sharpener. If you are sharpening manually, you might try a strop that is stiffer than leather. Thick leather especially can be soft enough to easily round over edges. Try using the cardboard from a cereal box glued to a piece of wood. Flexcut Gold is a good compound.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

I started using a mora #106 and haven;t had to use anything but a strop yet but my mora hook knife needs more edge it came sharp but not carving sharp. ill try a stiffer strop, thing is on some knives it works quite well


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

For honing I think yellow is typical but the green works for me.


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## Karda (Nov 19, 2016)

I guess I just keep trying, I know a lot of utbe instruction envolves very fine sandpaper but that is expensive and don't last long. I would like to use stones if i could and then strop. but i end dulling what i sharpen and can't get that carving edge I need


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