I want to start stropping

J

jlamb

Joined
Nov 25, 2009
Messages
211
Can somebody point to somewhere to learn how to start. I currently use the sharpmaker, but would like to also do some stropping. I have found some bits and pieces doing a google search, but would like to know if anyone knows of a good site to learn. I also need to know what supplies I will need to start. Thanks!
 
I've found that as long as you don't press too hard and keep the angle (does not have to be exact) stropping is not difficult. I find it easier than freehand sharpening since the angle does not have to be precise. I personally load up my double sided strop (one side with black and the other with green compound) and strop from the tip to the blade.

Check out videos on youtube. Key word is videos, not just one persons. After watching a few you get a general idea. Make sure the videos show them using an actual strop with proper compound.
 
Thanks to jlamb for the initial post. I was wondering the same thing myself. I'd love to get a highly polished (mirror) edge that can cut atoms on my knives :)

How much on average does the compound cost?
 
compounds are'nt expensive but i'm glad i took knifenut's advice & ordered some diamond paste from ferhman. 1/2 gram is 20$ which goes a long way. diamond comes in different micron size but the big advantage is how quickly it mirrow polishes
 
I went to tandy leather online and purchased a leather belt blank...then to bark river to get the strop compound. Home depot provided the red oak, contact cement and rubber feet for the completed strop. All those things together produced the block below for a reasonable price. Half the leather is covered with black compound and the other green. I'm considering getting diamond spray because the black compound is kinda difficult to apply to the leather.

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I also got my leather for strops from Tandy. I bought $2.00 of scrap from there bin.

The compound I use is the red and white sticks from Sears.

Best addition to your sharpening kit you could make.

Good luck
 
Thanks for the tips everyone. I'll see if I can catch knifenut and pick his brain a little more.
 
The custom strops made by mr 2 blue are worth every penny. I was told by the maker of the wicked edge at the last newyork knife show that if you mix cutting fluid with the compound before applying it will cut allot better.
 
A bigger question. Is stropping only for convex edges? Or do V grind edges benefit from stropping as well?
 
coop1957 said:
A bigger question. Is stropping only for convex edges? Or do V grind edges benefit from stropping as well?
Click to expand...

Now, I could be way off on this as I have never stropped, but it is my understanding that stropping works with any grind and it just gives your knife that razor edge. Please correct me if I am wrong stroppers.
 
FlaMtnBkr said:
Cutting fluid?
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The guy from wicked edge told me to take the compound and heat it up a little to make it more liquid then mix in some cutting fluid and work it into a paste and then apply it to the strop. He also recommended buying there own version of diamond paste.
 
Amslerknives said:
The guy from wicked edge told me to take the compound and heat it up a little to make it more liquid then mix in some cutting fluid and work it into a paste and then apply it to the strop. He also recommended buying there own version of diamond paste.
Click to expand...

What is cutting fluid? Oil for when you are drilling or milling? I can't imagine a liquid that would make a compound cut faster unless it also has some type of abrasive in it.

I have heated up a bar of compound and melted it and added some mineral oil to it to make a paste. This just makes it easier to apply to the strop and has no effect on how it performs.
 
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