Swarf on My Paddle

**Alum of Potash** · 02-29-2012, 07:53 PM

I recently bought a paddle from Sharpening Supplies (http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/8-...p-P315C11.aspx) and proceeded to load the suede side with the Thiers-Issard alox-diamond crayon and the leather side with a crox solution. After having stropped four or five razors with it, I'm noticing a slight grey build up of swarf on the tan-colored suede side (~40-60 laps each here). Any suggestions on how to clean the suede to remove the swarf? Otherwise, the combo is great IMO.

**rickboone1** · 02-29-2012, 07:56 PM

You're doing that many laps on CrOx?

Probably way too much. 4 or 5 is enough. If it needs more than that, it's time to hit the stones. The grey build up is metal you're taking off.

Okay, wait...you're stropping 40-60 on the Crox solution side, then noticing a greying on the plain leather side? Are you cleaning your blade before going to leather? Wipe/ rinse it off, whichever or both before changing 'strops'.

**Alum of Potash** · 02-29-2012, 07:59 PM

No, the laps to which I am referring are on the preliminary alox/diamond suede side, as is the grey build-up. This is followed by crox on the leather side, where I'm doing around 8 laps. The question has to do with the preliminary suede alox/diamond side--Jarrod at TSS recommending "a few dozen laps" with the Thiers-Issard alox/diamond crayon. How to clean this?

**rickboone1** · 02-29-2012, 08:02 PM

Originally Posted by Alum of Potash

No, the laps to which I am referring are on the alox/diamond suede side, as is the grey build-up. For crox I am doing around 8 laps.

Oh, okay. Sorry, man. I can't read.

Ummm....a way to get rid of that? Probably not without a total cleansing and removal of all the alox/ diamond on there. Like if you were cleaning a vintage strop. Removal of everything. That sort of thing.

**Alum of Potash** · 02-29-2012, 08:11 PM

Thanks for your advice. Perhaps it is okay to leave the metal build-up there for a spell instead? I don't really want to forgo the diamond crush just yet.

**Greybeard** · 03-01-2012, 04:00 AM

The grey color is caused mostly by the transfer of oxidation coating your razor (what eventually would be grey patina) to the strop. There's not much metal in there. If you want to reduce it, do 10 to 20 laps on an unpasted fabric strop before going to the TI pasted leather.
It should take a long time before the swarf build up is enough to possibly affect sharpening your blade. It just looks dirty.

However, TI paste is a sharpening paste. It's about 10k (approx. 2 micron) and cuts quickly. It's like a barber's hone but faster than the equivalent grit stone because of the diamond content. A couple of dozen laps is definitely removing some metal. I would only use it when you can't recover your edge from a touch up on CrOx alone. YMMV.

**Alum of Potash** · 03-01-2012, 05:56 AM

Originally Posted by Greybeard

The grey color is caused mostly by the transfer of oxidation coating your razor (what eventually would be grey patina) to the strop. There's not much metal in there. If you want to reduce it, do 10 to 20 laps on an unpasted fabric strop before going to the TI pasted leather.
It should take a long time before the swarf build up is enough to possibly affect sharpening your blade. It just looks dirty.

However, TI paste is a sharpening paste. It's about 10k (approx. 2 micron) and cuts quickly. It's like a barber's hone but faster than the equivalent grit stone because of the diamond content. A couple of dozen laps is definitely removing some metal. I would only use it when you can't recover your edge from a touch up on CrOx alone. YMMV.

Thank you for your remarks. Think I'll cut down on the lap count here and just leave it looking dirty as such, since the metal would just transfer to the fabric strop as well, wouldn't it? I have been going from a coticule w/water to the T-I paste before CrOx as a progression, so maybe I should skip the T-I paste and go straight from the coticule to CrOx, using the T-I paste for touch-ups only? Another possibility might be to stop honing earlier (e.g., around 5k), then use the paste as a "finisher" at around 10k.

**whavens** · 03-01-2012, 06:01 AM

Or you could just go to linen and leather after the coticule. The coticule edge should be a pretty nice shaving edge.

**Greybeard** · 03-01-2012, 06:07 AM

You might as well experiment to see what you like. There's nothing wrong with your progression if you like the shave. The only thing I would recommend is to try fewer laps on the TI paste (10 - 12) before going to CrOx.
I like going straight from a coticule to a strop. Occasionally I use CrOx after the coticule. I found diamond pastes to leave the edge a little too "biting" and uncomfortable for me. Lots of others like the feel.

**danjared** · 03-04-2012, 02:49 PM

If you want to get rid of the build-up, try using a very strong magnet. Just be careful where you place that magnet when you're done.

**Alum of Potash** · 03-04-2012, 06:16 PM

Originally Posted by danjared

If you want to get rid of the build-up, try using a very strong magnet. Just be careful where you place that magnet when you're done.

Thanks. This one sounds like fun!

**Pkrankow** · 03-04-2012, 06:56 PM

I wouldn't worry till you were ready to re-paste. At that point use soap and clean the strop. After the strop dries then re-paste.

Wipe your blades between each and every strop! If you carry product over from one to the next you end up with a mess.

Phil

**honed** · 03-06-2012, 02:37 AM

You'd be amazed by how much metal that is actually picked up from a pasted strop by a strong neodymium magnet.
Even on a non-pasted linen strop you pick up swarf with a strong magnet.

**Alum of Potash** · 03-06-2012, 07:10 AM

Looks like I'm going to have to cruise around for a pair of dedicated magnets (one for T-I strop, the other for linen). Tomorrow evening, everyone in the neighborhood puts out their weekly trash. So maybe someone will put out an old, cracked-up pair of speakers...