Narex Premium Before/After Stropping
This is my 1" Narex Premium unhandled chisel.
The first photo is the bevel from the wood after chopping/paring. Gunk is likely wood fiber with a touch of rust since they sat in the shop for a day or two prior to the photo.
The second is after stropping w/ 15K compound on 2mm buffalo leather glued to plywood.
I've never sharpened the side bevels so we can compare to the grind straight from the factory, which was and is very consistent and sharp.
I strop frequently, though my approach is slow and methodical. I put my finger as close to the edge as possible to keep the bevel flat and then with firm downward pressure slowly draw the chisel across the compound.
After I see iron swarf start to collect in the wax I'll check my bevel and usually I'm about 1/2 there. Once I'm satisfied I'll flip it over the edge and pull the back flat across a few times, careful not to pull it over the edge.