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<DIV><FONT size=3>Maura, I wish you luck on the move. An adequate size shop is
important.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>Here's my opinion to your question, "what is the best compound
to use on a leather strop?"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>I prefer the green compound. At one of our GOW's we tested the
green against the Yellow Stone. We tried to control the variables as much as
possible following the directions on both. In the end we all decided that there
wasn't any difference, both yielded good results. I believe both are 1/2 micron
particles of aluminum oxide for the abrasive with different binders. 1/2 micron
is not quite optical quality because if used on glass it does cloud. In the
buffing section of most hardware stores you can get sticks of buffing compound
for Plexiglas and glass that is about 1/4 micron, which appears to be optical
quality because it will not cloud glass. I feel that the 1/4 micron would
produce a finer edge on our carving tools but would not be worth taking almost
twice the time for polishing where the 1/2 micron does a good enough job, on our
tools, for even the softest of woods. I have tried the powdered aluminum
oxide (jewelers quality 1/4 micron) with success as well as the larger sticks of
the cheaper white compound, and the compounds found in the buffing section at
most hardware stores and prefer the green compound over all of those. My
preference is based on ease of use (just rub it on), how it holds to the leather
or any other substrate, overall cost (one stick lasts a very long time) and
especially how quickly it polishes.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>I've never heard of using baby powder for buffing (just
babies in the buff) but I have heard of toothpaste as a substitute for
buffing compound. My feelings on that is I would rather take advantage of all
the testing those companies did, experimenting with hundreds of
materials to engineer a high quality product. </FONT></DIV><FONT size=3>
<DIV><BR>Joe Dillett<BR>The Carving Shop<BR>645 E. LaSalle St. Suite
3<BR>Somonauk, IL. 60552</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(815) 498-9290 phone<BR>(815) 498-9249 fax<BR><A
href="http://www.thecarvingshop.net">http://www.thecarvingshop.net</A> [business
web site]<BR><A
href="http://www.carvingmagazine.com">http://www.carvingmagazine.com</A> ['Ask
Joe' column]<BR><A
href="http://community.webshots.com/user/joe_dillett">http://community.webshots.com/user/joe_dillett</A><BR>******************************************************************</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Linehan718@aol.com
href="mailto:Linehan718@aol.com">Linehan718@aol.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=woodcarver@carverscompanion.com
href="mailto:woodcarver@carverscompanion.com">woodcarver@carverscompanion.com</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, March 12, 2009 4:36
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Spam:****, Re: [Woodcarver] Even
at this unnatural hour ...</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>Friends in Carving: Please support our List - visit the
Carvers' Campanion Shop at <A
href="http://cafepress.com/woodcarving">http://cafepress.com/woodcarving</A><BR><BR><BR>
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<DIV>
<DIV>In a message dated 3/12/2009 5:31:04 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, <A
href="mailto:celtcarver@me.com">celtcarver@me.com</A> writes:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue 2px solid"><FONT
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" face=Arial color=#000000 size=2>In any
event, even if I can't type, I can hear the faint sounds of <BR>tools
being sharpened. What are you working on? What is the burning
<BR>woodcarving question of the day on the cold, blustery
morn?<BR><BR><BR>Matt Kelley<BR></FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV>
<DIV>I am as always carving more mini wolves (3/4" tall) , have done about 200
at this point, people keep buying and I will keep carving.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>My question of the day will be "what is the best compound to use on a
leather strop" Is it aluminum oxide??? I have heard baby powder is
excellent. Does anybody have any knowledge of that???
</DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P align=center><FONT lang=0 face=Arial size=2 PTSIZE="10"
FAMILY="SANSSERIF">Maura<BR><A
href="http://www.carvinginnyc.com/">www.Carvinginnyc.com</A><BR></P></FONT></DIV></FONT>
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