Strop question

[Splat]

I made a 3"x12" strop yesterday and now that the glue's dried I'm reading to try stropping. Since my main EDC is just under 4" how should I strop the blade...... just like hand sharpening? IOW, do I start at the heel with very light pressure and while stroking (edge trailing, of course) move along the blade's length or do the first 3" in one stroke, then the last 0.8" of blade in another stroke? Thanks.
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Splat

 

[tsiloics]

With a strop and blade of that size, you may find it easier to break the edge down into two strokes; I sometimes do. It depends partly on the blade's profile.

Stropping has a different feel than sharpening on a stone. I think you just have to suss out what works well for you, but it's easier to keep continuity for a single stroke if you're using a much larger strop. There's just more real estate to work with: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGYSp8Cn3_o

 

[Jason B.]

You can start at either end of the blade but for me I like to start at the tip. here is a short vid of stropping I made with the same size strop as you have.

http://s284.photobucket.com/albums/ll20/knifenut1013/?action=view&current=Picture322.flv

 

[Roger999]

I made a 3"x12" strop yesterday and now that the glue's dried I'm reading to try stropping. Since my main EDC is just under 4" how should I strop the blade...... just like hand sharpening? IOW, do I start at the heel with very light pressure and while stroking (edge trailing, of course) move along the blade's length or do the first 3" in one stroke, then the last 0.8" of blade in another stroke? Thanks.
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Splat

Do whatever feels the most comfortable to you, I like going from heel to tip, some people like to go from tip to heel.

 

[Rickbw]

One thing to watch with a new strop is how much edge contact you are actually getting. Any variation in flatness in either the strop or the blade profile can give you just a couple of contact points rather than getting the full blade. I ended up flat sanding my strops to get rid of some very small ridges on the edge that were keeping me from getting full contact. It will become pretty obvious when you use it enough to see where the metal is depositing on the surface.

 

[flashlife]

Cant the blade at 45° to the strop, then pull the blade (following the curve of the tip) as you finish the stroke to strop the tip..
Works for me.
I finish 10" butcher knives on a 2" wide strop, using one stroke for the whole blade length.

There's no rule that says you have to strop at 90° to the blade.