Anybody hand stropping their EDC?

[Stacey_E]

It may just be a myth and/or a placebo, but I swear it SEEMS like this is working for me. At least it does no harm to my blade. I've been getting pretty good results with the following method....10 strokes both ways with a 600 grit Smith's 6" stone, 5 strokes with an old Arkansas fine stone, 5-10 strokes on a steeling rod to put my imperfections in check, some belt stropping (with no paste or polish) followed some stopping on the base of my palm. Throughout the day at work I always hand strop a few strokes after each use, followed by a couple strokes on the pants leg to remove any skin cells. This seems to be enough daily matainance on my VG-10, 1095, Sandvik, Aus 8, 420hc and CrMov blades. If I keep this up, I can quickly steel rod them once a week and only hit the 600 grit once a month.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

If an edge is fine enough, theoretically any surface might produce some improvement. Not necessarily any metal removal, but a very fine edge might be coaxed back into alignment by stropping on almost anything. I haven't paid enough attention to seeing if stropping on the palm makes a difference with mine, but I very often 'finish' my stropping routine with some passes on the thigh of my jeans. It does seem to make a difference, on very thin, fine edges in particular. Some natural fibers, like cotton, do contain silicates, which are present in most anything that comes from the earth (silica is the most abundant mineral on earth). So, with jeans anyway, there could be a little abrasive action there.

I have seen some mention from other members here, who've claimed the benefits of stropping on the palm of their hand. With some people's hands anyway, they're every bit as 'leathery' as many strops I've ever seen.

 

[singularity35]

If an edge is fine enough, theoretically any surface might produce some improvement. Not necessarily any metal removal, but a very fine edge might be coaxed back into alignment by stropping on almost anything. I haven't paid enough attention to seeing if stropping on the palm makes a difference with mine, but I very often 'finish' my stropping routine with some passes on the thigh of my jeans. It does seem to make a difference, on very thin, fine edges in particular. Some natural fibers, like cotton, do contain silicates, which are present in most anything that comes from the earth (silica is the most abundant mineral on earth). So, with jeans anyway, there could be a little abrasive action there.

I have seem some mention from other members here, who've claimed the benefits of stropping on the palm of their hand. With some people's hands anyway, they're every bit as 'leathery' as many strops I've ever seen.

I've stropped on my jeans too but I'd say it's the dust on them that do the work.

 

[Stacey_E]

That all makes sense because my jeans and hands are usually dusty at work. :thumbup:

 

[RubiconSS]

Stropping on the back of my legal pad, Folded newspaper or jeans always gives my edge that extra "pop".
Like the saying goes, Whatever works.

 

[Stark Knives]

Jerry Fisk does it, and I'm pretty sure he knows what he's doing.

He starts doing it around the 6 min. mark:

[video=youtube;DzBSjQFWyhM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzBSjQFWyhM&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL44AC320F29C44137[/video]

Erd

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I've stropped on my jeans too but I'd say it's the dust on them that do the work.

That's also silica, in the dust (for the most part, anyway). :thumbup:

That, and probably many other things at work there. Just yesterday, I was stropping one of my knives on a leather-on-oak strop with 1 micron diamond paste. I'd just re-applied the paste to the strop a couple days ago, so some of the excess was still coming off on the blade. True to form, I wiped the blade on my jeans. I've done the same with Simichrome polish and green compound as well. No doubt, at least a smidgen of each has likely embedded itself in the fabric, over time.