Help With Strop

[TheBadGuy]

Again folks, I am counting on you guys and gals to give me a hand here. I have read allot of post recently in regards to how Strops help you obtain the next or perhaps highest level when it comes to sharpening. Even though I have read threads about people making there own, I took the easy way out and went to Ebay and bought an antique strop. This baby is two sides, dating back to the late 1800's. Its appears to be in good shape. Now here are the few questions I have:

1st-What do you recommend I use to recondition the leather?? Remember this thing is over 100 years old.

2nd-I have heard mention about creams used when stropping, Where do I get those??

3rd-Perhaps most important, How in the hell do you use a strop?? I mean do you use an angle like the Sharpmaker, do you drag the blade across thee leather backwards?? I have no clue

I know that this all probably has been covered in past posts and could probably answer all of my questions via a search, But hell, I imagine that 95% of all questions Anyone could ask have been addressed before, So I would appreciate anyone’s help on any of the 3 listed above. Thanks

(edited for horrible spelling)

 

[Medic1210]

This link should answer your questions

As far as where to get the paste. You can get some paste from Sears in the tool section. Just get a medium grit and a very fine grit. "color" it on like a crayon and work it into the strop. paste each side with a different paste, but use the same paste each time you add some.

Mike

 

[TheBadGuy]

Thanks, that link cleared up how to use the Strop, Now if I can jusdt figure out what kind of Leather conditioner to use on it to bring it back to life, as well as maybe a name of the creams to use. Thanks

 

[rev_jch]

the wwwknifecenter.com sells a leather conditioner made for this. it cost around 4 dollars.

 

[TheBadGuy]

the wwwknifecenter.com sells a leather conditioner made for this. it cost around 4 dollars.

Thanks rev_jch I picked up the pastes and the conditioner I needed. Cheers

 

[Jason Cutter]

Hey BadGuy,

I'm also one fascinated with getting the strop just right. What I've found is that it probably doesn't really matter in the end. You can make yourself a nice field strop by taking 2 flat pieces of leather about 6inches long and either stitching or rivetting them together (at least glue them with some Barge cement)on a grinder or sanding block, grind the edge flat. Wet the leater in hot water and allow to dry, this makes the leather harden like in wet-moulding. When nearly dry, burnish the ground edge with a smooth hard surface like the side of a butter knife to compress the leather.

When dry you can actually use that piece of leather as a strop. The denser the leather the better. You often don't even need any of the creams or polishing compounds. You don't need any fancy compounds. If you have a polishing buff and have access to red rouge or white diamond, use a dropper to soak the using edge of the strop with some acetone or methylated spirits and rub the red rouge into the edge. The spirits will dissolve it and deposit it like a crayon onto the leather. This makes a much more aggressive strop that polishes the edge finely.

Don't over do the stropping. The edge will eventually become so rounded over it has no useful angle to it. No more than 3-4 strokes each side of the blade. If the edge was nice a grabby with the initial sharpening, the strop should make up a razor sharp hair popping edge. By keeping your strop well conditioned - I just use a shoe beeswax combination, you are also lightly oiling the edge when you strop.

Cheers.

 

[MelancholyMutt]

and get strips of raw leather... they seem to work very well. Sometimes I use them as is, and other times, I glue them to little wooden boards about two feet in lenght that I buy from the local hardware store.

I use Lexol leather conditioner on them and it's simply used to keep the leather moist and supple. Cracking leather is bad for stropping, and abrasives are unnecessary, after all, at this point, you're aligning the edge, not sharpening it any more.

edited to add...
Also, a stropped edge is supposed to degrade over time, so strop just after sharpening, to see how sharp you've actually gotten your tool, and just before use. Take it from someone who shaves with a straight razor...