How to strop serrations?

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Aug 31, 2017
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I am sure everyone can agree that strops are awesome, whether you sharpen just with strops or use it after your honing and sharpening, or anything. The fact is I think if you strop serrations it will wear down the teeth or something and does nothing to the bevel between the teeth. Should I cut like a shoesting of leather and coat it in solution to do it that way? Anyone have luck stroping a serrated blade?
 
I strop serrations on the edge of denim-over-wood paddle/stick strops I made (I have two), with either a white rouge (aluminum oxide) compound, or with another aluminum oxide compound that's perhaps a little more aggressive than the white rouge. Both are excellent at removing burrs when used this way, with a light touch. They also polish very quickly. I just lightly draw the edge (in trailing fashion, as with all stropping) from heel-to-tip along the edge of the strop, keeping the touch very, very light and the angle such that a light zipper-like feel can be felt via the fingers. The light touch is all-important, so the teeth/points of the serrations don't snag or dig in, and so there's no risk of rounding over the edge.

Stropping burrs burrs from a serrated edge is much easier if the burrs are formed to lean to the back (flat) side of the edge, as most serrated edges will be bevelled on only one side. In other words, do most, if not all, the honing on the bevelled side, using a hone made for the serrations, or a rod that fits them, after which the burrs should roll to the back (flat side). The flat side of the edge will be somewhat easier to strop; and if done with an appropriately aggressive compound as above, will remove burrs pretty quickly & easily. If the compound is sufficiently aggressive, there's little need to 'flip' burrs from side to side; but instead, you're aiming to gently abrade them away from one side mainly, if not only from one side. As for the honing itself, the better (lighter) your touch is with the honing, the smaller/thinner/lighter the burrs will be, which are then that much easier to deal with. Heavy, thick, stiff burrs created with too-heavy pressure are a real pain to remove from serrated edges.

There are also other ways to do it. Some will hone from the back (flat) side, and then use a powered buffing wheel to remove the burrs from, and polish on, the bevelled side. If done with a skilled touch appropriate to the tools used, that could work as well.


David
 
Fold a sheet of heavy paper over a handful of times, then use a pair of scissors to cut an even edge along the top. Cut a little way into the folded edge(s) so the sheets can separate. Rub compound on the even edge of the sheets and bring this to the serrations at the same angle as the original grind.

The sheets separate so you minimize rounding of the tooth tips while still getting deep into the scallops. Make a few passes at low angle across the backside as well. The tips will soften some, but less than other methods I've tried including strings.
 
Fold a sheet of heavy paper over a handful of times, then use a pair of scissors to cut an even edge along the top. Cut a little way into the folded edge(s) so the sheets can separate.

Excuse me but I am not very smart, can you draw a picture or take a picture of your paper strop suggestion?
 
A wooden dowel or square edge of a stick loaded with compound can certainly help. You can even scrape a piece of bare wood with the serrations to produce a groove pattern matching the teeth.
 
1. Go to an art supply store
2. Buy a variety of different diameter blending stumps
3. Apply your favorite compound
4. Go nuts!
 
Michael Christy shows the whole sharpening process of serrations quite nicely here (and no bad results either :)):
 
Thanks Heavy as you make a very affordable and useful mention and the video was a great demonstration. I don't have diamond spray so christy's video won't work for me right now so Christy's way won't work but I'll check out dowels in the future. I strop to steel a worked knife back to sharp after a few strokes backwards on the sharpmarker's UF ceramic and not just removing a burr.
 
I use wooden edges of boards with slurry applied. Even a narrow wooden ruler. Don't make many passes. DM
 
Can use a small round file for the serrations. Then to remove the burr on back of blade, lightly strop 3 to 4 passes with edge-trailing strokes, using a regular strop with compound. Sharpened my Victorinox bread knife last week using this method.
 
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