Anybody use a poor-man's strop?

lazerboy2000

lazerboy2000

Joined
Mar 3, 2008
Messages
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Yesterday I was sharpening my Mini-grip on the sharpmaker, and I could get it to cut paper but it would still sometimes catch an edge or not give a clean cut.

So, I took off my leather belt and gave it a few strops on the backside of it, and voila...super sharp that easily went through paper and even left little curls.

Anybody else simply use their belt to strop? No compounds or anything special added.
 
I use a Leather Belt, no compound of any sort.
And I can easily get the knife to shave hair with it.
 
I do the same, just take off my belt and rub some red compound on it and within no time it shaves hair off my arm.
 
I too use the old leather belt on a board. I do charge mine with Cerium Oxide, however. I have a lot of the stuff lying around. I end up with the sharpest blades I've ever used.
 
cerium oxide powder is very nice. it cuts very fast and leaves a nice finish. i've found cerium oxide to be finer than boron oxide, but not as fine as cromium oxide.

i use a piece of leather screwed onto a block of wood. why pay money when you can use stuff laying around?
 
Do you Strop with the edge facing away and bring the blade toward you? Pardon me I've never tried stropping only heard of it.
 
I have a worn out belt with some compound rubbed in that I use as a strop. Works great.
 
I like to use the piece of MDF loaded with cromium oxide or diamond compaund of different grits.
 
Using an old belt bought from goodwill, cut into three 10 inch strips and each strip glued to a paint stirring paddle with elmers. Rubbed Mothers aluminum wheel polish into one strop and rubbed buffing compound bought at the local Ace hardware on another and left the third bare for now. I got the best results so far with the Mother's polish strop.
 
I shave with a straight razor usually, so I have a strop kicking around anyway. I could almost shave with my Spyderco Lava after a few rounds on the strop.
 
I just use a piece of leather I picked up from a cobbler (yes, a old school shoe maker and repairer) glued onto a section of 2x4. Gives a nice firm, yet supple, surface of approx. 2.5" wide by 6" long. Treated with mothers mag and chrome polish it works great. Not terribly aggressive, but will finish off an edge nicely.

I've also taken to using the edge of a piece of corregated caradboard when out and about and I need a quick touch up. Works quite well.
 
beluga said:
I usually use cardboard after sharpening stones. wicked edge.
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Very nice:thumbup: I too use cardboard, glued to a piece of scrap baseboard from when I was working on the house. Just for kicks, I loaded one piece with plain white colgate toothpaste, and it actually seems to work!!:eek: I get great edges.

Come to think of it though, I do have a couple old belts hangin' in the closet....

Gotta love "ghetto sharpening supplies":D It leaves more cash available for buying knives;)
 
Very nice I too use cardboard, glued to a piece of scrap baseboard from when I was working on the house. Just for kicks, I loaded one piece with plain white colgate toothpaste, and it actually seems to work!! I get great edges.
Click to expand...

Not to mention all your knives have a great minty fresh smell to them!

I use a small piece of leather I got from a Michael's craft store and lay it over an old benchstone and load it up with green compound. Works like a charm.
 
I use the toothpaste trick all the time when I'm out and about and need to touch up an edge. It works on nearly any flat surface, from paper to metal. The results are not near as fast but it will take an edge from hair scraping to hair popping.
 
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