The most important thing to understand about stropping is what is happening at the edge. ALL edges are really miniature saw blades. How large the 'teeth' are depends on the final grit size used in honing to establish the final bevel. A 4000 or 8000 grit final honing step will leaves very small teeth along the edge. A 600 or 1200 grit final honing will produce much larger teeth.
In either case, stropping will Align the teeth along the cutting plane. If there is a burr or wire edge left after honing, which is much more likely to be observed with rougher grit stone, stropping will remove this.
Wire edges form as the honing process pushes metal off the end of the sharpening plane. If you use only one stroke per side on a double edged blade, this wire edge buildup will be very small or unoticeable. However, if you like to use multiple stokes and each side before turning the knife over, the buildup of the wire edge will be very noticeable by dragging your index finger along the flat of the blade from the spine side towards the edge.
The metal buildup is caused because metal is malleable and ductile. Sharpening grinds metal away. But it also pushes it around. Especially on the small scales encountered at the junction of the two sharpening planes (the edge). Stropping will align the edge and further reduce the size of the teeth. Using a low powered microscope or magnifier will make this Very clear.
As with stones, you can use different grits of stropping polish to have different effects on the edge. I like green chromium oxide rubbed into the smooth side of a 4" by 6" piece of tanned leather I got at a boot repair shop. Sometimes I use aluminum oxide powders on other pieces of leather treated with vaseline to hold the powder. My green polish and many others come in stick form. Just rub the stick on the stop until you have color everywhere. I use these pieces of leather on my bench, laid over a stone, and on or in rounded forms I made for stropping large wood carving gouges. I have other strops which are glued to boards or forms. For wood carving, using 4000 to 8000 grit stones, followed by stropping with green polish (10,000 grit), leaves a very strong, beyond razor sharp edge. You can see immediately if the edge is sharp enough because any edge faults will be seen in the nature of the cut. A good edge will leave a clear, polished, waxy surface. A poor edge will the dull, hazy, or even streaked.
Properly sharpened, with good even bevels on both sides of the blade, and with occasional stropping during use (just a few strokes per side), a good woodcarving knife will be serviceable for several hours of work before requiring honing.
Your knife has convex bevels. I find stropping has its most dramatic and useful effects on convex and flat ground blades. I sharpen these with only a single bevel on each side. Strop at a shallow angle and use only light pressure. Remember, you are manipulating a very thin piece of metal. It moves. To much pressure, or failure to pick the strop up at the end of the stroke (AWAY from the edge obviously) can Roll over the edge. Of course you can push it back the other way on your next stoke. Too much stropping can round (dull) the edge. Hold edges up to a strong light source. Looks for 'candeling' along the edge. This is small bright spots that show up where there is enough mass (dullness) left along the edge to reflect light.
Stropping does not replace honing. It will improve and strengthen an edge. It will maintain the edge for a long time. It works on rough edges and it works on very fine edges. Honing and stropping take a lot of practice and sensitivity to do well.
I still suggest searching "strop" in the general forum from the last 30 days. There have been several excellent threads discussing strops. One of the reasons I and others have not responded more to your question is because it has been well discussed Very recently. Please find and look at those threads.
Paracelsus, compulsive stropper and very near-sighted person
Oh, I agree with Dr. Lathe, most factory edges are woefully inadequate. Even those from some highly touted companies. But a couple of strokes with a ultrafine ceramic stone and a few strokes on the strop left a perfectly suitable edge. By using the strop frequently, you can avoid the need to use honing stones as frequently.
[This message has been edited by Paracelsus (edited 02-12-2000).]
