Hey everyone! I'm looking for advice on using stropping compounds for wood carving indoors while having pets around. I have two curious cats, and sometimes the honing compound doesn't entirely stick to the strop, leaving some residue on my table. I'm concerned about my cats potentially getting into it. How do you all handle carving indoors with pets? Should I be worried, or am I just being overly cautious? Thanks for your insights!
4 Answers
If you're worried, just clean up any leftover compound after you carve. I have three cats and carve inside all the time—none of them have had issues with my carving supplies. One even loves to lounge on my carving table!
Generally, stropping compound isn't dangerous since it typically contains paraffin or wax mixed with chromium oxide and a bit of aluminum oxide. Just don’t let your cats eat it, but I've had several cats that showed no interest in the stuff at all!
As long as your cats aren't interested in the compound, you should be fine. Just clean up after yourself. My cat likes to sit on my lap while I carve, and I've never had a problem, but I try to be careful when using bigger tools. It's easy to leave a bit of a mess after carving, but my cat doesn’t bother with any of it, so I think it’s okay. Just keep an eye on them!
I'm pretty paranoid about this too! I've read that green chromium oxide isn't super toxic, but it's best to avoid breathing it in and wash it off if it gets on your skin. The waxy mixture helps prevent dust, but if your cat likes to nibble on waxy things, you might want to keep it out of reach. Remember, people use similar compounds for makeup without issues, so it’s likely not a big concern unless your cats decide to have a taste!
Yeah, I definitely understand the messiness! I’ll make sure to clean up better after carving.