new to stroping, what do i need to buy?

[mauiblue]

Thanks guys for your replies. I was able to get in touch with keith at HandAmerican via landline and he said my emails went to the junk mail file. No problem, though. I mentioned to him what knives I was dealing with and what I wanted to do. Keith said that he would email me back tomorrow with a "scary sharp" package. I'm looking forward in getting into stroping to see if this will take me to the next level of sharpness with my blades.

 

[wwells20]

I just use an old leather belt (that I wear most of the time ). Step on the buckle, wrap the other end around your hand, and swipe away. Works for me.

That's funny, I was reading this and thinking, I just take off my belt and wrap it around a doorknob and have at it! That's a good idea on stepping on the buckle! (but I can see where the leather mounted on the flat surface would be good for compounds and such)

 

[thombrogan]

but I can see where the leather mounted on the flat surface would be good for compounds and such

What Burchtree didn't tell you was that he studied Shotokan under Chuck Norris and now sweats diamond compound into his belt. A dermatologist suggested he could treat Burchtree's condition but that was the last suggestion he made before a roundhouse kick atomized his skull.

 

[Burchtree]

What Burchtree didn't tell you was that he studied Shotokan under Chuck Norris and now sweats diamond compound into his belt. A dermatologist suggested he could treat Burchtree's condition but that was the last suggestion he made before a roundhouse kick atomized his skull.

hahahahahah

 

[cb4life_30]

I've also used an old belt for stropping. I have also heard of people using card board to strop as a final step. Anyone ever tried that? I also rinse my knife off with some dish soap and water before stropping. I read some where that this helps. Just my opinion.

 

[BJE]

I've also used an old belt for stropping. I have also heard of people using card board to strop as a final step. Anyone ever tried that? I also rinse my knife off with some dish soap and water before stropping. I read some where that this helps. Just my opinion.

When you guys strop on a belt, do you use the smooth or rough side? Also, would baking soda or other household abrasive work, and how would the grit compare to polishing paste?

 

[Cliff Stamp]

I have also heard of people using card board to strop as a final step. Anyone ever tried that?

Yes, it is very common to use paper/cardboard for sharpening, mainly loaded wheels used on grinders. Steve Harvey was the first person I saw suggest manual stropping on cardboard as part of a primary sharpening method. He used it to sharpening S90V, use a really coarse stone and then just strop on cardboard to minimize the burr. S90V has a really low grindability and people have found it doesn't react well to higher polishes due to the very high carbide volume and in particlar vanadium content. Usually the paper/cardboard is loaded with a polishing compound to actually give it significant abrasive ability.

-Cliff

 

[wwells20]

When you guys strop on a belt, do you use the smooth or rough side? Also, would baking soda or other household abrasive work, and how would the grit compare to polishing paste?

I have an old Levi's belt (thought that would be good leather) and use the rough side. i also used to use Blue Magic metal polish but now just strop with no compound. I'm sure some kind of compound is better than using nothing. The leather has turned smooth, black and shinny and I can now "see" when the wire edge is there and when it is removed. When you draw the "smooth" side of the blade down the belt, the "shinny" is not disturbed. The opposite is true for the wire edge or burr side of the blade. I just strop intil I see no change in the shinny part of the belt. One more thing i like about the "hanging belt" is I find it more effective on recurves. Hope this helps.