Is a loaded strop (black, green, pink and bare leather) enough?

M

MRaymond

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Jan 27, 2012
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I was looking around for some compounds and materials to make a strop and I found JRE industries was selling a strop bat with 4 sides so I picked it up. I am wondering if that will be enough to keep my insingo's convex edge sharp (and convexed) if I stop often enough or should I just try to make it a V edge and get a sharpmaker (or freehand stones) and just finish on my strop? I would really prefer to keep the convexed edge since I had pretty good luck using the strop yesterday. It wasn't able to shave before but was after. So, my question is this, can I conceivably keep a good convex edge on my Sebenza using only loaded strops? (Based on light edc use, packages, food prep, etc)
 
You can usually keep a knife sharp for a good while with stropping but you will have to sharpen it eventually, there is no way round that. You can still keep the original convex bevel quite easily though.
 
I am currently carrying a large micarta insingo and that's all I use is a loaded strop with bark river green compound
I basically cut the same stuff as you
It's very easy to maintain the convex edge
As far as regular sharpening Im not very good, but I got the stropping part down pat
 
a leather strop with some 400-1200 sandpaper and 1-2 compounds, a bare leather strop are what I use for all my knives for dayl
 
Mad_Maxx said:
a leather strop with some 400-1200 sandpaper and 1-2 compounds, a bare leather strop are what I use for all my knives for dayl
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I cut up a priority mail box (to smithereens) with my large 21. I want to keep the convex so Istopped the heck out of it with 1500, 2000 and 2500 grit sandpaper but it's still kinda dull.

Are these high grits too much to start with? First time sharpening this Sebbie, in the past I've just whipped out stones and went to a V grind. Should I use some low grits and try again?
 
I would start with 600 or 800 to remove a bit of material then work up through the grits to about 1200. Taking it beyond that is not needed IMO. You can also try using a tube of paper, I find this can be better than sharpening on a flat surface with a neoprean sheet or mouse pad etc. A rolled up tube of sand paper gives enough to match the bevel but not so much that you only hit the very edge and shoulder of the bevel, which is a common problem with convex sharpening. :):thumbup:
 
Haze said:
I would start with 600 or 800 to remove a bit of material then work up through the grits to about 1200. Taking it beyond that is not needed IMO. You can also try using a tube of paper, I find this can be better than sharpening on a flat surface with a neoprean sheet or mouse pad etc. A rolled up tube of sand paper gives enough to match the bevel but not so much that you only hit the very edge and shoulder of the bevel, which is a common problem with convex sharpening. :):thumbup:
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Thanks Haze, great pointer, the sandpaper makes me nervous when it's flat and I see a pocket forming that could give me a scratch. :thumbup: ;)
 
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