Spyderco Ultra Fine rods OR Strop?

MTHall720

MTHall720

Joined
Sep 21, 2010
Messages
2,957
Trying to decide which to get. The budget doesn't allow for both the rods and a good leather strop.
Any thoughts? Looking to put a finer edge on my blades.
 
I made my strop from a decent wide leather belt, enough for 2 sides about 30 cm long and 20mm multiplex wood, its working just fine for now I would get the rods first and DIY the strop till you can get the money together
 
A strop doesn't have to be expensive to do a great job. Stropping works best at refining an already very good edge. If proper work has been done with the hones beforehand, a simple and inexpensive piece of veg-tanned leather is all you need, to take the edge up another notch. A strop can be made for a few dollars (or less, if you have the right scraps available). A flat, smooth piece of wood, some glue and a scrap of leather (also relatively smooth) are all you need. All the better, if you can make two strops, one used with compound and another to be used bare.

Right now, if you're undecided about what to spend the bigger part of your money on, invest in the hone first. Then make the most of learning to use it as effectively as possible. Stropping becomes much simpler (& cheaper), the more you prepare the edge beforehand.

Here's a very helpful thread on how to make your own strop:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/770338-demo-how-to-build-you-own-strop

Edited to add:
To take the point further, if the edge isn't properly prepared beforehand, even the most expensive strop won't help it. This is why I recommend putting the money in the hones first. You might notice, many sharpening experts can do just fine by stropping on things like newsprint or cardboard, and I've even been lucky enough to notice a benefit from stropping on my jeans. A couple of years ago, I'd have never believed that could work. It all depends on the quality of the work done before.
 
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Obsessed with Edges said:
Edited to add:
To take the point further, if the edge isn't properly prepared beforehand, even the most expensive strop won't help it. This is why I recommend putting the money in the hones first. You might notice, many sharpening experts can do just fine by stropping on things like newsprint or cardboard, and I've even been lucky enough to notice a benefit from stropping on my jeans. A couple of years ago, I'd have never believed that could work. It all depends on the quality of the work done before.
Click to expand...

Great addition. One of the most commonly overlooked facts in sharpening. Strops quite literally polish an existing edge.

Start with the foundation and work your way to the finish work.

Another thought/question is what do you want to do exactly? Many of the goals people have (shaving, whittling hair, tree-topping, etc.) can be achieved with either UF abrasives or a good strop. Polishing the entire bevel is easier with a strop, but an UF rod can put a screaming micro-bevel on an edge in seconds...it might not look as pretty, but performance wise they are QUITE similar depending on what you load the strop with.
 
I've gone the DIY cardboard and/or 2k grit sandpaper route for awhile and I'm happy with that although I do still have the UF rods for "severe" touch-ups. You know, the situations where the edge ALMOST needs some work but just needs some attention? The UF are perfect for that.
 
My strops are two old leather belts, one loaded with the jeweler's rouge that Dremel sells. Dirt Cheap.
 
Strop, I use a sharpmaker and the UF rods arent really necessary. The INSANE edge off the normal whites if used properly is really a great working edge for kitchen knives. Be sure to deburr inbetween rods to get a real clean edge.

JC
 
Jameson said:
Strop, I use a sharpmaker and the UF rods arent really necessary. The INSANE edge off the normal whites if used properly is really a great working edge for kitchen knives. Be sure to deburr inbetween rods to get a real clean edge.

JC
Click to expand...

On may of my knives, the UF is not the last abrasive I use...in fact on some knives it is not even the second last.

Opinions and uses vary...there is a reason that MANY here insist on very fine abrasives.
 
I just don't see the need for the UF stones for the sharpmaker if the knife is going to be stropped on any surface/substrate/combination of the two - AFTER a stone (or progression thereof).

For most knives a 3 micron stropping is fine for me, but certain pieces I take from 3 to 1 to .5 micron, all on textured leather, then on to a plain smooth leather strop. All mounted on hardwood bases. The white stones, though their true cutting grit/rate lies in the pressure used upon the, are sub 10micron for sure, therefore, if going to a strop progression after them you need not use the UF's. The 3 micron is gonna take it to near mirror anyway, the 1 and .5 micron take out every scratch. The UF's are redundant.

JC
 
For those who use a strop, did it take you very long to feel proficient?
Also, how do you remove burrs while sharpening? I know what you mean, but not clear on how to do it best.

Thanks to all.
 
MTHall720 said:
For those who use a strop, did it take you very long to feel proficient?
Also, how do you remove burrs while sharpening? I know what you mean, but not clear on how to do it best.

Thanks to all.
Click to expand...

As I mentioned in my earlier post, the quality of the work done beforehand makes a big difference. This includes removing the burr as you go. If you focus on continually decreasing pressure, as the edge becomes more refined, the burr will be gently filed away, for the most part. The more I've focused on doing it this way, the less the remaining burr has been an issue. Maintain the same angle throughout the process, but use lighter and lighter pressure as you progress.

If any burr does remain afterwards, my 'go-to' method is to elevate the angle slightly, and make a few edge-leading passes on a medium or fine ceramic, again with VERY LIGHT pressure. Make 2 or 3 passes, then re-check for the burr. I like to test my edge by slicing phonebook pages. If any burrs are present, they'll snag the paper and impede cutting. Pay close attention to the exact part of the edge that snags, that's where a little more TLC is needed.

Regarding becoming 'proficient' at stropping, I 'obsessed' over it for a year or so, doing it at every opportunity (watching TV, sitting outside relaxing, etc.), before I started to feel like I was doing it 'right'. Takes a while to train the hands and develop the muscle memory, until it becomes almost automatic. (Edited to add: ) And, other variables are at play, when starting out. Not being familiar with how the leather & compound will perform, will likely create some 'doubt' initially. "Is my technique bad, or is it the compound that's ineffective?" or, "Is the leather too thick/thin/soft/hard/rough/uneven?" These are questions I pondered a lot, when I was figuring it all out.
 
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The Ultra Fine rods really showed me what a sharp knife can be. Some folks say that stropping after using the Ultra Fine rods is not necessary. I do anyway a lot of the time, but I don't know how much of a difference it makes. Just take care not to use much pressure when using the Ultra Fine rods and they will produce a fantastically sharp edge.

PS I bought two handmade strops from a member of Blade forums for about $15 a piece. Very nice strops indeed.
 
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