Prepare Strop for knife finishing?

[Zero_Time]

Hey, so I've sharpened well enough on a sharpmaker, and occasionally freehanded pretty well, so I'm not scared of that stuff. What I did just do was receive a convexed knife in the exchange forum, and the seller recommended stropping- so I've finally decided my few strokes on cardboard wasn't enough, went out and bought a strop with a linen part underneath, cowhide above (Illinois razor strop co), and a bottle of Fromm #364 strop dressing. The guy at the shop told me to put xes of the compound on the strop, then rub it in nicely (I told him my stropping needs were knife and not razor related). The instructions on the compound said to let the strop sit for 24 hours after applying the compound. A straight razor primer said to prep it for a while with a pumice stone...

I'm a little scared, as with a knife I always have more steel, and if the worst case is grinding down to get past a chip, it's not so bad. However, leather doesn't work like that... if someone would hold my hand through breaking in the stop- oh, and I suppose even stropping itself: I can do the strokes fine, but the shop guy told me to not even attempt without stroking the strop several times with the back of the blade to build up heat... I'm out of my depth.

Thanks guys,

Zero

 

[jayinhk]

I have a strop and green and white compound on the way, so I'm in for the ride on this thread. I'd love to hear from the pros too.

 

[myt132-cu]

Sounds just like a razor guy. Didn't he tell you about the planets aligning and to always wait thirty minutes to strop after eating?

Relax dude, you're way over thinking it. You don't need conditioner and you sure as hell don't need to warm the leather unless it is to help soften the compound that you want to charge the leather with. Most guys use the black and then the green compound, but if you only use one, it should be green. By far the easiest to use is the gel stuff from HandAmerican, but any green compound will do. Try to get it rubbed in evenly. If you get too much on, just gently scrape it off.

There's only a couple ways to goof this up, and they both result in beautifully dull knives.

#1) Don't use any pressure other than what it takes to keep the knife on the leather. If you use pressure you will round the edge, making it dull.

#2) When you get to the end of your stroke, stop and then lift the blade. Otherwise, you will tend to roll the knife up, and you guessed it, your knife will get dull.

Don't worry about the leather, just use it. Nothing bad is going to happen. It will take some practise before you gain proficiency anyway.

 

[Zero_Time]

Sounds just like a razor guy. Didn't he tell you about the planets aligning and to always wait thirty minutes to strop after eating?

Relax dude, you're way over thinking it. You don't need conditioner and you sure as hell don't need to warm the leather unless it is to help soften the compound that you want to charge the leather with. Most guys use the black and then the green compound, but if you only use one, it should be green. By far the easiest to use is the gel stuff from HandAmerican, but any green compound will do. Try to get it rubbed in evenly. If you get too much on, just gently scrape it off.

There's only a couple ways to goof this up, and they both result in beautifully dull knives.

#1) Don't use any pressure other than what it takes to keep the knife on the leather. If you use pressure you will round the edge, making it dull.

#2) When you get to the end of your stroke, stop and then lift the blade. Otherwise, you will tend to roll the knife up, and you guessed it, your knife will get dull.

Don't worry about the leather, just use it. Nothing bad is going to happen. It will take some practise before you gain proficiency anyway.

Awesome. Thanks for the answer- like I said, out of my depth. Green compound, huh? My stuff is white. Have to go pick up some green compound. How do you use multiple compounds on one strop- I thought compound set in?

Thanks,
Zero

 

[zyhano]

Awesome. Thanks for the answer- like I said, out of my depth. Green compound, huh? My stuff is white. Have to go pick up some green compound. How do you use multiple compounds on one strop- I thought compound set in?

Thanks,
Zero

you don't. never mix compounds, they are abrasives with different grit sizes. You would use multiple strops, one for each compound.
Hope that helps.

 

[jayinhk]

I got a double sided strop, so I'll be putting green on one side and white on the other. Let's see if I can get my edges to sing.

 

[Jason B.]

Hey, so I've sharpened well enough on a sharpmaker, and occasionally freehanded pretty well, so I'm not scared of that stuff. What I did just do was receive a convexed knife in the exchange forum, and the seller recommended stropping- so I've finally decided my few strokes on cardboard wasn't enough, went out and bought a strop with a linen part underneath, cowhide above (Illinois razor strop co), and a bottle of Fromm #364 strop dressing. The guy at the shop told me to put xes of the compound on the strop, then rub it in nicely (I told him my stropping needs were knife and not razor related). The instructions on the compound said to let the strop sit for 24 hours after applying the compound. A straight razor primer said to prep it for a while with a pumice stone...

I'm a little scared, as with a knife I always have more steel, and if the worst case is grinding down to get past a chip, it's not so bad. However, leather doesn't work like that... if someone would hold my hand through breaking in the stop- oh, and I suppose even stropping itself: I can do the strokes fine, but the shop guy told me to not even attempt without stroking the strop several times with the back of the blade to build up heat... I'm out of my depth.

Thanks guys,

Zero

You have a nice strop but as you know its made for honing razors. Use and effect of this style of strop is much different on a knife and the amount of pressure and tension your using are big factors in the outcome of your edge. DO NOT coat this strop with a compound until you have tried it bare first, I have a very similar one but very old, the work well without anything on them.

The linen side is for burr removal and usually the side best for compound if desired but again not needed. The blade steel you are honing will also be factored in, you basic been around forever carbon and most carbon alloy steels seem to take best to this style of strop. Most other steels and PM steels will only be marginally effected.

Usually the way to use this strop is after you are finished with your finest stone you use the linen side to remove any remaining burrs then the leather side to refine and smooth out the edge.

Natural leather works because of natural silicates, a abrasive brought out by the finishing process the leather goes through. For a little more info on that read here