Chisel Microbevel?

[BePrepared]

I have a knife that's already somewhat sharp, but the only tool i have to hone it properly is a strop. I'm wondering if it's possible to use my strop to put a one sided micro-bevel on it. It's MUCH easier with my strop to sharpen the blade on own side than it is on the other.

 

[BluntCut MetalWorks]

Sure, why not, fun to try - it's not much different than strop a single bevel knife. Possible outcome:

1) just right pressure + angle + backing to get a clean microbevel face & apex.
2) rounded the edge - humbug too much pressure and or obtuse angle
3) create a wire - low angle on acute bevel for too long or other conditions
4) macrobevel - oops, back to sharpening

Tough to get result 1) especially with strop mostly on 1side. I would use a strop with very hard backing (e.g. glass) so you can avoid rounding & easier to remove wire without convexing the opposite side.

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

I'd suggest getting your hands on some other sharpening tools. If the knife is only 'somewhat sharp' now, stropping alone, even if it's only on one side, is likely to go very, very slow, for re-shaping the edge. And the longer it takes, the greater the likelihood of errors (such as over-stropping/rounding the apex). A micro bevel will quickly become a rounded or 'dull' edge, if technique is inconsistent (angle varying between strokes). Additional 'tools' don't have to be complicated or expensive. Just a selection of various grits of wet/dry sandpaper (about a dollar per sheet) on a piece of glass or other hard backing can be very useful. If stropping is your preferred technique, just do the same, but with more appropriate abrasives. The appropriate grit will allow a micro bevel to be applied in a minimum of passes, which increases the odds of getting it done 'right'.

I'd also suggest experimenting with edge-leading technique. Stropping technique is handy, but micro bevels are usually applied edge-leading. This reduces the chance of burring, which can create more issues in trying to clean those up, without altering/degrading your micro bevel in the process.