Importance of Stropping on EDC Knives?

D

dragonist2

Joined
Nov 24, 2012
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226
Hi,

I'm new to knives and I'm trying to get enough information to feel confident enough to order and sharpen my Benchmade Griptilian. For something that I'm going to use to get wood, cardboard, etc., do I need to strop? If so, do I need to strop with compounds? I think it would be really annoying to have to rub compound into leather every time I sharpen.

Also, is stropping the only way to remove a burr? I've been reading up about sharpening but I'm still confused about how to remove a burr. Say I have one of those guided systems like the Lansky or Gatco. Is there any way to use just that to remove the burr? :confused:

Thanks!
 
There are several ways to remove a burr, but keep in mind that you do NOT need to apply compound every time you use a strop! One application on my hand strop of BRKT Black compound lasts me EASILY six months, more commonly a year. Stropping is a quick, easy way to keep a good edge on a blade, both after sharpening to remove the burr, and for general brush-up. Give it a few strokes as soon as it starts to loose that "sticky" feel to the edge, and it'll bring it right back.

You can also debur by dragging the edge through a felt block, or *VERY* lightly through some pine end-grain. That's my usual method for removing a burr from a soft steel like a cheap kitchen knife.

Personally, I don't consider the sharpening done until I've stropped the edge a bit.
 
I have a lot of experience with stropping, but nowadays I do a lot of touch-ups and burr removal with the end grain of a chunk of double-wall corrugated cardboard. You use a stropping motion, away from the edge, along that strong edge of the piece of cardboard. It works very well.
 
dragonist2 said:
Hi,

I'm new to knives and I'm trying to get enough information to feel confident enough to order and sharpen my Benchmade Griptilian. For something that I'm going to use to get wood, cardboard, etc., do I need to strop?
Click to expand...


No, you do not NEED to strop. But if you want your blade to maintain its nicely sharpened edge LONGER between sharpenings on a stone, you will want strop it every day that you use it. Keep in mind that the Benchmade is not cheap, and using a stone removes a lot of metal quickly. Using a strop removes very little metal... minute, microscopic amounts of metal. But it keeps your edge sharp and true, and that IS something you want. So strop your knife. If you are using the blade for cutting wood and cardboard, use a green Chromium Oxide compound on your strop. You really won't need a much finer grit than that. As Komitadjie told you, you just need to rub it on your strop once or twice a year. Maybe three times if you get antsy about it. If the strop has a greenish glow to it through the leather, that is more than enough to work well. You don't need to spread it on like peanut butter. But you damn well better learn HOW to strop first... Top of the page... Read the 'Stickies.' It ain't rocket science. :)

Stitchawl
 
Sharpening is a very individualized thing. Depending on how you use the knife, and what you use it for, you will find different things that help/hinder your knife use.

You do not need to apply compound every time you strop. I don't use a hand strop anymore. However, even on the power strop in the belt sander, you only need to apply compound once every few times you use it.

You do not need to strop with compound. In fact you do not need to strop at all. I have not found stropping to be an efficient way to remove a burr, except by power stropping on a leather belt on a belt sander. The most reliable way I have found to remove a burr is to use your medium or coarse stone, increase the angle considerably, and make 1 or 2 light passes on the stone. The goal is to remove just the burr, and no more. Then go back and make a few more passes on each side at the regular angle, alternating one pass per side at a time. Most here will also suggest buying a cheaper knife to practice on before using your Griptillian (excellent knife btw). A knife used to practice sharpening will get used up pretty quickly. A knife only sharpened when needed will last a lifetime.
 
Higher grit ceramics can also be used with a very light touch to remove burrs too.

I recommend the Spyderco benchstones:

The white stone (fine grit) in the light blue case.

The white stone (ultra-fine grit) in the black case.

The DMT 2,200 grit/6 micron ceramic rod.

The DMT diamond & ceramic triangle sharpener.
 
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