I must be doing something wrong...

red1965

red1965

Joined
Apr 21, 2009
Messages
676
Ok, I know this subject has been discussed to death, but I need help. I sharpen on a Sharpmaker and get great results but with all the talk of using a leather strop peaked my intrest. So I bought a stop from Woodcrafters and got a bar of their best stropping compound. While there I also bought a piece of stopping leather to mount to my own wood block. I thought I would give it a try before spending any more cash on a more (better) strop. The knives I used are a Dozier New York Special and a Benchmade 550. (These are the 2 knives that needed sharpening the worst at the moment.) Both were sharpened on the SM and both would easily slice hanging paper and shave hair from my arm. I made about 10 to 15 passes on the strop with the Dozier and checked it. I could see the beginning of a polished edge and knife would still shave. Peformed about 20 passes the next time. Polished edge is really beginning to show BUT the knife no longer shaves. It feels sharp but its not what it was before I stropped it. So Im guessing wrong angle, too much pressure, operator error, etc. So I then try the Benchmade. I paid close attention to the angle, went slow, and still the knife is not as sharp as it was before I strop. I then order a canvas and leather strop off the net. (Hanging strop for razors) I try this and same results. I thought this was supposed to help sharpen? I read an article that using a strop would be an easier method to sharpen especially if your sharpening skills are lacking. I have no problem sharpening on stones or my SM and was expecting a super razor edge by adding the strop. My question is what am I doing wrong? i would be thankful for input or directions.
 
Keep the strop tight and the pressure light. I'd get them back to their sharp state, and go very easily, keep the angle down also. If you try and match your sharpening angle, you'll round the edge off. Go lower, the strop will deform to the correct angle.
 
red,I agree w/ Sodak.Just don't get frustrated.There is a learning curve to any new activity. Those that free hand sharpen take to stropping easier. As its close to the same motion. Light touch and correct angle. Keep trying you'll get it. Keep us informed on your progress.DM
 
I prefer a bit of pressure when stropping as well, when you use more pressure you have to lower the angle or you'll end up just rounding the edge(dulling it).
 
OK, I gave it another try. I angled the blade until I almost bit into the leather then backed off. Strop was loaded with the green paste. Took a razor sharp knife fresh off the Sharpmaker and did 20 slow and easy passes with moderate pressure. Knife wouldnt shave anymore. Went into a fit of anger, composed myself, more stropping. Dull as a doorknob. Went back to the SM, replaced edge to shaving sharp, scared cat by throwing strop across garage. Get back on forum and see post by person singing praises of stropping. Anger grows wiithin myself. Consider using once again sharp knife to cut strop in little pieces. Regain composure again and come to conclusion I must be an idiot who cant use a strop. To be continued.....
 
Like DM said its a learning curve. How thick is the layer of compound on your strop?

Reduce your angle more and watch the edge on your away stroke. Again on the away stroke start by laying the blade flat on the strop, raise the spine until the edge starts making contact with the surface of the leather. If your bevel is straight you will also feel a "locking in" of the bevel to the leather surface. Use the weight of the blade and make your first stroke. To help learn the curve of the blade when you have "locked in" your bevel keep the blade in place and raise the handle of the knife, its best to be holding the knife so just the weight of the blade is on the strop this way it will naturally follow the bevel of the knife.
 
The things that I've seen people have the most trouble with are too much pressure and an overloaded strop. As others have already said the weight of the blade alone is enough pressure.
 
Bill, no not pulling edge away. Sorry for the confusing description.Nut 1013, I "colored" the strop with the green compond, not very heavy, but the leather has an overall green color. This is on the flat strop which I made for myself. The hanging strop is just the leather, no compound. Has to be too much pressure. I'm gonna try again tomorrow with a feather touch. It feels to me that I have the right angle so I must be pressing to hard. Really makes me feel stupid though, not to mention I probably scared the cat out of 3 lives.
 
red1965 said:
Bill, no not pulling edge away. Sorry for the confusing description.Nut 1013, I "colored" the strop with the green compond, not very heavy, but the leather has an overall green color. This is on the flat strop which I made for myself. The hanging strop is just the leather, no compound. Has to be too much pressure. I'm gonna try again tomorrow with a feather touch. It feels to me that I have the right angle so I must be pressing to hard. Really makes me feel stupid though, not to mention I probably scared the cat out of 3 lives.
Click to expand...
So you're going edge into the strop?........If so that's your problem. You have to do edge trailing strokes.
 
If you can picture making a mark on your strop, as you are stropping, the spine of the blade should pass over the mark before the edge does.
 
Guys, I am doing edge trailing strokes. Placing knife on leather till it almost bites then lowering spine until it doesnt .Sorry for the bad description.
 
Before you scare the cats, cut up the leather into bits, or insert your computer monitor into the nostrils of the closest person you can catch praising stropping, please take a moment and relax.

And, for now; if not forever; forget using leather to strop. Get some printer paper and a hard, flat surface. Tape the paper flat to the surface (I use restickable glue sticks, but you've already spent enough money on strops and compounds and I'm hoping you still have tape). Gently crayon the compound onto the paper. The coating doesn't have to be complete, but make sure the edges of the paper have some.

Strop with that ↑. Go from tip to ricasso in smooth passes. Start with an arbitrary number on one side and repeat it on the other side. Go back to the first side and use a lower number. Repeat until you're down to one pass across the paper apiece. From there, pic another arbitrary number and do that amount of passes by alternating the knife. When done, use some ammonia-based glass cleaner (the big spenders use Windex brand) and a paper towel to remove residual compound from your knife.

Might not be super-spooky-soulcleaving-scalpel-sharp the first few passes, but it'll be better than what you had been getting and will improve with time. At least it did for me.

Stole that idea from Tai Goo, Cliff Stamp, and ksskss and it worked for me. Hoping it can work for you, too. If not, use the green and darkened paper to make a monster mask to scare your cat some more. ;)
 
thom, I will give this a try. I considered the "cardboard" strop that everyone talks about, but most everyone uses the leather. I did make a few passes this morning with just the weight of my blade as pressure and at least I didnt dull my knife. Baby steps I suppose.
 
red 1965,

I have been experiencing the exact same thing and have appreciated your diligence. I have followed all the suggestions and I think I am using too much angle and too much pressure. Very frustrating to take a sharp knife and make it dull.
 
There are some good videos of stropping techniques on youtube. That's where I initially learned my technique from. Also, if you know any woodworkers or carvers locally, try contacting one and asking them to show you how. I guarantee they will be more than happy to invite you over and demonstrate how they do it. Leather, paper, cardboard or even basswood doesn't matter. They just hold the compound. It is the technique that is important.

When I first started, I over stropped my knives. This leads to rounding the edge. It looks good but cuts like a butterknife, lol. When you get it right, it should take no more than five or six strokes on both sides to bring the edge up to scary sharp.
 
Is part of the problem that ,1965, and myself included are stropping ''V'' grind edges and not convex edges?
 
peppercorn, I hear you brother.I may just stick with my stones and hones. I have always been the guy at work who sharpened everyones knife "like a razor'" so this stropping thing has me puzzled. I hope that the lightbulb comes on and that I finally figure it out. I hate a dull knife. As a kid, I gashed my thumb open helping my dad on a construction job with a knife I at that time thought was sharp. Proudly showed my grandfather my gashed open thumb later that day and he asked for my knife. He felt the edge,laughed, and proceeded to sharpen it. I have been obsessed with getting my bades as sharp as possible ever since. I know that there are other methods, but I thought this would be an easy way to get a super sharp polished edge. Guess we just gotta keep trying.....
 
I think I am steeped in tradition. I, like you, experienced real sharpness at the hands of my Grandfather. We were at my Grandparents home for Christmas one year when I was about 10 years old. I had a Buck pocket knife I had spent a lot of time trying to sharpen and had gotten pretty close with. Well, one evening I found A true Hard Arkansas stone in my Grandfathers gun room. It was translucent and as smooth as glass,I had never seen anything like it. I took some honing oil and went to work on my Buck knife and was soon transformed into a realm of sharpness I thought never before possible. The clip blade was shving hair off my arm, I was ,needless to say excited, and ran up stairs to show my Grandfather my new found joy.
He was proud,but I was even more excited. I guess I have been looking for that little extra as of late which is what brought me to the strop. I can't seem to go full convex either because , for me, sharpening a knife always takes me back to my Granfather, who has long since past away.
I will keep trying with this thing,using all the great suggestions above.
Thanks for the post,1965!
 
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