Hi, I’m Tom Blodgett from Jende Industries. Today I’d like to show you how to properly load our new color-coded Jende Nano Cloth Strops with our Poly Diamond and CBN Diamond Emulsions.

Our Nano Cloth Strops are available in multiple sizes and are fully color-coded, making it quick and easy to identify the correct grit during sharpening.

For example:

• Pink represents 4 Micron
• Green represents 1.25 Micron

Each Nano Cloth Strop is mounted on a matching acrylic paddle, and both the paddle and the emulsion label share the same color coding. This makes identifying your sharpening progression simple and eliminates any guesswork.

Preparing a New Nano Cloth Strop

Every Nano Cloth Strop arrives with a protective seal covering the surface. Before applying any emulsion, simply peel away the protective film to expose the clean Nano Cloth.

Now you’re ready to load the strop.

For this demonstration, I’ll be using our 4 Micron CBN Emulsion, but the process is exactly the same for our Poly Diamond emulsions.

Our emulsions are available in:

• 7 ml
• 25 ml
• 50 ml

The size you choose depends on the size and number of strops you’re maintaining. Smaller bottles work well for compact paddles, while larger bottles are ideal for larger bench strops such as 1×6″, 2×6″, 3×8″, or 210×70 mm strops.

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Applying the First Coat

Before spraying, give the bottle a quick shake to ensure the abrasive particles are evenly suspended.

Apply several pumps of emulsion directly onto the Nano Cloth. At first, it may seem like you’ve applied too much, but the material absorbs a surprising amount during its initial loading.

You can spread the emulsion with a clean plastic spreader, a butter knife, or simply use your finger.

As you spread it across the surface, you’ll notice the emulsion quickly disappearing into the Nano Cloth’s honeycomb structure. The material absorbs the emulsion rapidly, filling the microscopic cells throughout the cloth.

Be sure to work the emulsion evenly across the entire surface, paying extra attention to the edges since they often receive the most use.

Allow the Strop to Dry

After the first application, allow the strop to dry for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

The first coat usually isn’t enough.

Once dry, apply a second coat. During the second application, don’t be afraid to use a little more emulsion than the first time. The Nano Cloth will continue absorbing the abrasive until it becomes properly saturated.

It’s perfectly normal to see excess emulsion remaining on the surface during this stage.

What to Expect During Initial Use

A freshly loaded Nano Cloth Strop will feel more aggressive than one that has already been broken in.

This happens because some of the abrasive remains on the surface before it becomes fully worked into the cloth.

After the first few sharpening sessions, the excess abrasive is naturally distributed and the strop settles into a much smoother, more consistent cutting action.

This is exactly what you want.

The stropping feel becomes increasingly refined while still maintaining excellent polishing performance.

Achieving Proper Coverage

As additional coats are applied, you’ll notice the Nano Cloth begins retaining more emulsion on the surface rather than immediately absorbing it.

The goal is a uniform gray appearance across the entire stropping surface.

Once you’ve achieved an even coating, allow the strop to dry for 20 to 30 minutes, although waiting about one hour before use provides the best results.

Using the Nano Cloth Strop

Once dry, the Nano Cloth Strop is ready to use.

Whether you’re stropping a straight razor or a knife, the technique is essentially the same as with a traditional leather strop.

Always trail the edge—never push the cutting edge into the strop.

One of the biggest advantages of Nano Cloth is its uniform honeycomb surface.

Unlike woven fabrics that have a noticeable grain or directional feel, Nano Cloth provides smooth, consistent feedback in either direction.

There is no preferred stropping direction.

This gives you exceptional control throughout every stroke.

Adjusting Aggressiveness

The amount of pressure you apply directly influences the cutting action.

Using more pressure increases abrasive contact and produces faster material removal.

Using lighter pressure creates a gentler polishing action, making it ideal for highly refined edges such as straight razors.

This versatility allows the same strop to perform a wide range of finishing tasks simply by adjusting your stropping pressure.

Performance on Straight Razors

For straight razors, I like using our 0.25 Micron Nano Cloth Strop.

The smooth, consistent contact helps refine the edge evenly while maintaining excellent control throughout every pass.

The feedback remains identical regardless of stropping direction, making it one of the easiest stropping surfaces to use.

Performance on Knives

The same Nano Cloth performs beautifully on knives.

Simply match your sharpening angle and strop as you normally would.

The larger paddle size makes it comfortable to hold by hand, and it also fits most standard stone holders since it’s built to the same dimensions as conventional sharpening stones.

Another benefit is the color-coded system.

Instead of stopping to read every label, you can immediately identify your abrasive by color.

For example:

• Green = 0.25 Micron
• Pink = 4 Micron

This makes progressing through your finishing sequence quick and efficient.

Final Thoughts

Our color-coded Jende Nano Cloth Strops provide outstanding consistency, excellent abrasive retention, and incredibly smooth feedback. Combined with our Poly Diamond or CBN Diamond Emulsions, they deliver a highly effective stropping system suitable for everything from working knives to straight razors.

Just remember one thing…

Try not to cut the strop!

Thanks for watching, and thank you for sharpening.

A special thanks to Mike Martinez of Martinez Blades and to Mark Reich of Reich Precision for allowing their razor and knife to make a cameo appearance.