Make a strop - Part 1

[NikkiR]

Per Jerry Fisk, National Living Treasure #23 of 23, and the only one that is a knife maker, a knife is "sharp" when you can drop a piece of cigarette paper and slice it in half cleanly by swiping the knife through the falling paper. Strops are the best method I have so far found to get a knife to that level of sharpness.

Ummmm, I wish!

 

[granitestateofmind]

Made another strop yesterday, cleaned it up today. So far, I'm much better at making them than using them. I figure if I make enough of them, one will work right eventually. This thread has been very helpful though. I'm slicing paper with the grain, but it tears when I try to cut cross-grain.

 

[Ray Settanta]

I was going to make a stupid comment about stropping the blade cross-grain but I'm glad I didn't.

 

[granitestateofmind]

I was going to make a stupid comment about stropping the blade cross-grain but I'm glad I didn't.

I coulda taken it. I've been known to do some pretty stupid things.....

 

[Ray Settanta]

Are we related?

 

[DerekH]

The goal of stropping is to refine the edge, and sometimes that takes quite a severe angle to hit the edge. There are a few ways to see if you are hitting that edge though. First up is the time honored sharpie trick. Take sharpie and color the edge of your knife, then strop a few passes. Get a magnifying glass and check the edge, you might be surprised with the results. Another, the sound it makes as the edge comes into contact with the strop is far different than the sound it makes when the shoulder comes into contact with the strop.

 

[granitestateofmind]

The goal of stropping is to refine the edge, and sometimes that takes quite a severe angle to hit the edge. There are a few ways to see if you are hitting that edge though. First up is the time honored sharpie trick. Take sharpie and color the edge of your knife, then strop a few passes. Get a magnifying glass and check the edge, you might be surprised with the results. Another, the sound it makes as the edge comes into contact with the strop is far different than the sound it makes when the shoulder comes into contact with the strop.

I've noticed the sound, and there is also a lot less drag on the blade, but I haven't tried the Sharpie trick yet. I don't need a magnifying glass either if I'm wearing my glasses; I'm so damned nearsighted all I gotta do is lift up the specs and hold the blade right up to my nose....

Thanks for the tips (and for keeping an eye on the thread)!