Strop then steel or vice versa?

T

Tealboy1

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Nov 2, 2013
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Sorry for al the questions just reading and learning a few things. I've always steeled as my final step but learned about stropping but not sure what the last step is, steel or strop or one or the other. Thank you.
 
I would do one or the other, not both. If I were going to combine them, the strop would be after the steeling, or maybe in between steeling. Too many steelings without going back to an abrasive can lead to brittle failure along the edge, so maybe stropping to extend life between steeling?

Also, if the steel is a grooved one, stropping after would help out even more.
 
HeavyHanded said:
I would do one or the other, not both. If I were going to combine them, the strop would be after the steeling, or maybe in between steeling. Too many steelings without going back to an abrasive can lead to brittle failure along the edge, so maybe stropping to extend life between steeling?

Also, if the steel is a grooved one, stropping after would help out even more.
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Completely agree with this, especially the bolded points above. I've always favored stropping instead of steeling, as it really refines to a much greater degree. In a few instances where I've picked up a kitchen knife with a dull, smooth or blunted edge, a grooved steel can be used to put the 'bite' back into it very quickly. But it does leave a big & tenacious burr in it's wake, as well. That's when a fairly aggressive strop can come in handy, following the steel.


David
 
A stone is my first and final step. I might sometimes do a few passes per side on my strop to finish an edge off. I cant understand why people maintain a dull edge with a strop, which is pulling steel into apex more than abrading and weakening the edge minutely each session. Its really not hard to go back to a sharpening stone and do a gentle destress by cutting into your finest stone lightly (removes the weakened metal at the apex), then reapexing it on your stone of choice. With or without the destressing stop, It might take 30 seconds-ish
 
One cannot maintain a dull knife with a plain strop. If its only used a bit stropping will help some, if its dull at all you'll need compound on that strop, and then its certainly removing metal at the apex. I'd wager it would take more than 30 seconds to do most knives let alone larger tools like a machete - it can take longer than that just to observe and verify the edge is clean and burr free after hitting the stone. This is something most strops do a good job of with a greater margin of error, especially on convex and Scandi edges.

Add to that, the term "strop" is very ambiguous.
 
Yes, even with compound applied to a strop it takes some time stropping to began to restore the edge on a somewhat dull knife. Like 150 strokes. I'd rather go ahead and take it to the stone then strop. I've just not considered stropping a knife maintenance tool unless done early and often.DM
 
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