Does anyone strop on thin cardboard?

Neko2

Neko2

Joined
Jul 18, 2003
Messages
1,889
Hey all,

I have access to thin cardboard sheets that are roughly standard sheet paper size and was wondering if anyone uses this material to strop. I've tried it out with and without compound on knives and razors at the job with good results and figured I might not be the only one.

I'm also wondering if you think there would be any interest if I tried selling them as a budget disposable strop material. I could cut to standard bench stone sizes, attach together on one of the short ends or just put together a pack of loose...

I'm open to ideas and input and would be willing to send some out if anyone would like to try it. Maybe that would help with the feedback. I'd also like to hear anyone's experience with using something of the like. I figure if the demand is there and I have the supply. ..

I guess I'm rambling a bit so I think I'll stop and wait for some replies.

Thanks.
 
I think it is a good idea man, give it a shot; taking risks is part of business and it seems you have the materials ready; I have read and seen a lot of people strop on plain cardboard, I haven't tried it, but I assume it will work. Maybe sell it in packs with a bar of compound for field use or something. I say go for it. Good luck.
 
Yes, with green compound. I wouldn't buy any as it is easier to pick up a piece of cardboard laying around the house. And, no charge for shipping and handling. This budget stuff is for us cheap folk.
 
No, no, no . . .
nope
don't strop . . . it is bad for you. it will make hair grow in your palms and . . .
well . . .
no just sharpen on stones and all will be well.
 
Great for stropping with or without compound? Yes
Good idea to sell? No not really. I mean you can get cardboard just about everywhere and cutting it to size isn't an issue.

Connor
 
You are using the thin board from the back of note pad I assume...its' called Chip Board...Comes in many weights and sizes...Check a paper seller



2 Panther
 
Neko2 said:
Hey all,

I have access to thin cardboard sheets that are roughly standard sheet paper size and was wondering if anyone uses this material to strop. I've tried it out with and without compound on knives and razors at the job with good results and figured I might not be the only one.

I'm also wondering if you think there would be any interest if I tried selling them as a budget disposable strop material. I could cut to standard bench stone sizes, attach together on one of the short ends or just put together a pack of loose...

I'm open to ideas and input and would be willing to send some out if anyone would like to try it. Maybe that would help with the feedback. I'd also like to hear anyone's experience with using something of the like. I figure if the demand is there and I have the supply. ..

I guess I'm rambling a bit so I think I'll stop and wait for some replies.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

I use cardboard for strop , but only on convex blade .....

zohr9v.jpg
 
Not quite sure anyone would be willing to pay for something that's easily obtained free...hell I throw away a 30yd dumpster full of cardboard on many job sites lol
 
Cardboard has been widely used among many here, for a strop. I wouldn't see much chance of selling it to make any $$ though. It's just too easy to 'improvise' such a simple strop on the fly, with whatever materials are at hand. Literally as simple as grabbing the nearest old Kleenex box or cracker box out of the trash, cutting off a piece and slathering some polishing paste (Flitz, Simichrome, etc) on it and go to work. Same can be done with a simple sheet of paper or an old scrap of denim or linen, or using a scrap of wood. About the only thing adding any value to such a strop is the compound used on it; obviously, that can be bought most anywhere, and one stick or tube of compound is virtually a lifetime supply for maybe $5-$10 spent. Such strops need to be 'refreshed' pretty regularly with new compound, as they load up & lose effectiveness pretty fast, sometimes after just a few minutes' worth of stropping. So there's not much advantage in trying to sell it as a one-use product, I'd think.


David
 
If you were to stack them on end butcher block style and provide with some sort of fancy compound you might have something, but your margins would be razor thin and competition fierce.

To sell them as is would be a no-starter.
 
I used to strop on cardboard regularly, it wasn't always pretty but it worked. And when I am out on a job I sometimes strop on cardboard or whatever will get the job done. As neat as it sounds selling the thin sheets of cardboard I don't see that taking off as it's too easy to find cardboard around the house, work, street, or really anywhere to warrant buying it for most of us.
 
I was going to call it chipboard but didnt want to get too industry technical (I print and bind).
I just have access to so much of it and figured if it could be useful to folks and possibly make me a couple bucks id give it a shot.
 
HeavyHanded said:
If you were to stack them on end butcher block style and provide with some sort of fancy compound you might have something, but your margins would be razor thin and competition fierce.

To sell them as is would be a no-starter.
Click to expand...

Near exactly what I was thinking. The stock I have the most of can do a decent job all on its own but ive used with and without compound.

Natlek said:
I use cardboard for strop , but only on convex blade .....

zohr9v.jpg
Click to expand...

Yeah, I wouldnt try to sell corrugated since it does compress and would really work best for convex and could easily round an edge. Your example reminds me of the mousepad sharpening method a little.

Airborne 1 said:
You are using the thin board from the back of note pad I assume...its' called Chip Board...Comes in many weights and sizes...Check a paper seller
Click to expand...

I do, quite a lot actually :), I'm a printer and bookmaker. Hence the surplus of chipboard.



So with all that said (and me being stubborn) what would you think of a 20 sheet pad with compound?
Im thinking of going 3"x8" or so and attaching the sheets together with either padding adhesive or a coil bind. That way you could have a flipbook of different sheets perhaps with different compound and by flipping the page over and using the next the stack stays the same size (like a benchstone). I'm thinking $6. Too low, too high, am I high?:p

If anyone would like to try a prototype I'm thinking of whipping one up for myself and can easily make a few more.
I'd be especially interested in HeavyHanded and Obsessed with Edges' opinions since, from what I've seen and learned, you guys are experts in sharpening knives.
 
I've been a chipboard fan for a long time (found it like you did).I think the shipping and cutter blades would eat the profits up.


2 Panther
 
Neko2 said:
Near exactly what I was thinking. The stock I have the most of can do a decent job all on its own but ive used with and without compound.



Yeah, I wouldnt try to sell corrugated since it does compress and would really work best for convex and could easily round an edge. Your example reminds me of the mousepad sharpening method a little.



I do, quite a lot actually :), I'm a printer and bookmaker. Hence the surplus of chipboard.



So with all that said (and me being stubborn) what would you think of a 20 sheet pad with compound?
Im thinking of going 3"x8" or so and attaching the sheets together with either padding adhesive or a coil bind. That way you could have a flipbook of different sheets perhaps with different compound and by flipping the page over and using the next the stack stays the same size (like a benchstone). I'm thinking $6. Too low, too high, am I high?:p

If anyone would like to try a prototype I'm thinking of whipping one up for myself and can easily make a few more.
I'd be especially interested in HeavyHanded and Obsessed with Edges' opinions since, from what I've seen and learned, you guys are experts in sharpening knives.
Click to expand...

I'd want to do something that is not easy for the customer to do for themself. Right off the bat, many people do not even sharpen their own knives or know how to do so, so you're looking at a small subset of the population. Anyone willing to try your pad out will likely try some regular paperboard before ordering, and if they like it I don't believe they will order from you when they've learned they can improvise. If they don't like it they aren't going to order anyway.

I've stropped on paperboard and a multitude of other materials (am also in printing) and as a suggestion, I'd reconfigure it a bit like the two paper ones below, made with paperboard if you'd like or regular paper aligned across the grain so it has more strength. This works even better in my experience than the same material flat. Then you're providing the hardware, time in, they get something with more value and is difficult to do on one's own compared to using your paper drill.

1204021931.jpg


1204021932.jpg




If you have access to the presses, I was always curious about adding abrasive to the ink at the end of a run, and printing out a pattern on paper, pad and sell. The rollers get deglazed and it helps with the wash-up as long as the plates aren't being saved. You could even run it on graph paper and pad into survival notebooks. Would be even better if done on Teslin or similar so its waterproof to boot...
 
Ok, how many printers do we have here?
We're going to need a subforum soon if this keeps up.

HeavyHanded, does that setup not staying true flat cause any detriment to the stropping process?
I was under the impression that flatness was a virtue.

I'm liking the print with abrasive ink idea but I mostly have access to digital so that might have to wait. Although now you have me thinking even more. Always dangerous.
 
The arc does make it a little awkward, it works better with something like 12 or 14pt. The beauty is it deflects to the side, not in line with the blade = less rounding. I recently made one from 15pt with staggered sheets, two high and one recessed 1/8" - serrations track right into it and you can do them without rounding over the tips on the peaks.

There ARE a lot of print persons on the forum, hmm...wonder why that is?

I used to be in offset and now digital as well. The main reason I'm so active on the forum, many of the diagnostics for our digital engines are only available from the OEM via net connection. Unless repairing or maintaining, am stuck at a workstation - the better my presses run, the more time I have to blab away.
 
Make it 'pretty,' add the word 'Nano' to it, and charge a lot of money, and you'll have a hard time keeping up with the demand.

Just look at how many different outfits are simply gluing a small piece of leather to a thin stick of wood (nicely stained, of course,) and calling this a 'strop' and selling it for 500%-1,000% higher than the cost of materials. They aren't compressing the leather. They are just gluing it to a stick. One company does go so far as to coat the leather with compound, so you ARE getting 'some' extra value.
$1.00 worth of leather, 50 cents worth of wood and stain, 5 cents worth of compound, and sell it for $19.95
People are willing to spend money if you tell them your product is great. And so long as your product "works," you'll get absolutely no comebacks.
 
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