First Time Strop

J

JustKershawInCCTX

Joined
Dec 21, 2011
Messages
27
I started reading about stropping knives and had never tried it, I was always happy with how Kershaws come back to life with
just a little bit of ceramic rod time. Well one of my knife junky friends was telling me about a strop he made out of some paint
stir sticks and some scrap leather he had and was amazed at how sharp his knives are now.

So I rummaged thru my closet and found a black leather belt that was smooth on the outside and kind of rough on the inside.
I looped it around the back of a kitchen table chair thru the buckle. I grabed the belt and started to strop the knife. I did not
put anything on the leather. I did it 5 times per side for a total of about 15 strops per side. I have always been impressed with
how sharp my Kershaws are out of the box, I now know what people mean by scarry sharp and am even more impressed with
what a Kershaw can be with a simple stropping.

If you don't strop your knives you need to at least try it once. You don't even have to spend any money. Just find an old leather
belt and give it a few passes. You will become a believer! I honestly did not think it would make a difference, boy was I wrong!
I always thought stropping was something your barber did before he shaved you. I was blown away at it's effect on a knife.

For those of you who have more experience than I do with stropping, is it ok to use just the leather or is the green rouge necessary?
Should you oil the leather? Thanks in advance.
 
You might get more response in the maintenance section.

Anyway, I did the same thing you did. After reading so much on stropping, and seeing YouTube videos on it, I grabbed a old belt. I cut a piece of it off and now just place it on the edge of my Gatco sharpening system case and strop away.

As for your question. Do not oil your leather. But do get some stropping paste. It makes a big difference.
 
I do not oil the leather. I have three leather pads charged with compounds of different grits. For knives that have gotten dull, I start with the black compound, then green and then white. I use Flitz paste as the white compound.

This technique is known as the convex sharpening method and for me, it has been fantastic.
 
Here's my simple (and cheap to make) strop- A strip of leather glued to a piece of MDF. I have a few of them that I load with different pastes.

DSC_3140.JPG
 
To the OP.....careful when you use a piece of leather anchored to something like the barbers do....the bend in the leather may round off your edge and you'll actually be dulling it.....glue a section of the belt to something solid like a block of wood....just a suggestion.
 
Yes, I have to agree that stropping is one of the easiest ways to maintain a knife edge.
 
rayban said:
To the OP.....careful when you use a piece of leather anchored to something like the barbers do....the bend in the leather may round off your edge and you'll actually be dulling it.....glue a section of the belt to something solid like a block of wood....just a suggestion.
Click to expand...

Rayban took my answer. Stropping is what the barber does with his straight razor. What you want to do is what rayban said.
 
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