Strop Use

Mackenzie4856

Mackenzie4856

Joined
Mar 28, 2006
Messages
385
What exactly is a strop? is it simply a peice of leather or is there more to it than that?

Also, how is one used and how does it sharpen a blade? Are they only for razors?

I apologize if I'm asking newbie questions, but if I don't how will I ever get beyond newbie, eh?
 
A traditional strop is made from leather, free hanging usually. The word is also used as a verb and it means to just stroke the knife edge trailing vs edge into honing which is more common on benchstones. Aside from leather, people commonly strop on cardboard, usually with a buffing compound on the leather or cardboard. They can be used for anything, they are frequently used to polish knives to a very fine grit because buffing compounds are usually finer than benchstones, but there are also vey coarse buffing compounds and you can strop on benchstones if you want, but there is little reason to strop on an abrasive if you can use edge into honing. Generally you only strop because if you try to sharpen with the edge going forward you will cut through the leather (or whatever) instead of honing the knife.

-Cliff
 
Not to hijack the thread but I just received some leather and compound in from Hand America. I got the compound in powder form. What is the optimal (least messy) way to load the leather? Dry? Mixed with something? Just wondering, all I've used to date has been flitz.
 
KimberComp said:
Not to hijack the thread but I just received some leather and compound in from Hand America.
Click to expand...

Your questions are teaching me new things as well, and I'll get to benefit from the answers.
 
I have a strop given to me by a barber. It is on a stick and has thin slices of wood taken out that allow the leather to flex with the wood. I take a weird approach and hold the blade still and use the strop moving it rather than the knife. I find I have much better control and I can watch the strop actually take the burr off and no more....this avoids rolling that edge too much. My strop has a compound on one side and is polished on the other. It puts a wicked, wicked edge on knives.
 
I use dry .5 micron chromium oxide and mix a very little bit of it with some mineral oil (start with just a few drops of oil to make a thick paste and then add a few more drops to thin it to a spreadable consistency) Use a Q-tip to spread it on the strop (the leather will suck the mineral oil up instantly so just keep laying down streaks until you've pretty much covered the surface of the strop.) Take a clean cloth and wipe the surface of the leather to evenly spread the compound. You just want a faint green haze on the leather when you're done.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top