On to the 10 micron diamond and top grain leather strops. We've lost our sedge/chicken foot scratch but we now have an odd little hole for reference:



Still alternating strokes so we can see the new scratches clearly.

Finally the 14 micron diamond and top grain leather strops:



Still switching stroke directions.

Climbing back up the ladder, switching stroke direction on each grit:

10 micron diamond and top grain leather strops -



5 micron diamond and top grain leather strops -



3.5 micron diamond and top grain leather strops -



So far so good. More to come.

Now it gets weird again:

1 micron diamond and top grain leather strops (Wicked Edge paste)-



This looks good. Onto the next - .5 micron and top grain leather strops (Hand American spray)-



weird?!? And the next - .25 micron diamond and split grain leather strops (Hand American spray)-



weirder still. Next are the .125 micron CBN and split grain leather strops (Precise Sharpening spray)-

Contamination? Maybe something to do with the split grain leather.... My guess is that the top grain leather really does move the metal around the surface and the leather is doing most of the work. With the split grain leather, the diamonds are doing more work than the leather. Lots more testing to be done here!

I decided to go back to the 1 micron diamond paste and top grain leather strops since that was where I had my last, best result:



It was a worthwhile move, the bevel cleaned right up again.