Stropping a knife by hand, literally.

H

Houlahound

Joined
Aug 2, 2017
Messages
3,121
Watched a video presumably of a knife maker doing a public in store cutting demonstration. It was a good demo but the guy stropped his knife with the palm of his hand. Is this legit, looked cool as fuk TBH. I started doing it at home with my old Hickory knives. I only did it to look cool but folks think I have finally lost it.

This stropping legit??
 
I guess you 'could' put diamond paste on anything and use it... but I wouldn't use skin personally. That can't be very healthy
 
Oh that guy, yea 50% talent and mediocre credibility because he’s not a forum member.


:rolleyes:
 
At 4:08 when he cuts the rope he does exactly what he said not to...he stood with his left leg out front instead of his right.
 
Houlahound said:
Watched a video presumably of a knife maker doing a public in store cutting demonstration. It was a good demo but the guy stropped his knife with the palm of his hand. Is this legit, looked cool as fuk TBH. I started doing it at home with my old Hickory knives. I only did it to look cool but folks think I have finally lost it.

This stropping legit??
Click to expand...

Houlahound said:
3.45 and 4.05.

Is this guy a member?

Click to expand...

@Jerry Fisk
Yes he is a member of BF.
He has been making knives for a lonnnnng time and has earned the title of Master Bladesmith.
 
I kinda had the same thought after watching an old spaghetti western the other night where the barber seemed to strop the razor with the palm of his hand.
 
From his comments, it looks more like a way for him to feel the edge of his knife to make sure it is sharp. I don’t think he was stropping.
 
I owned one of his Bowies back in the day (which I unfortunately had to sell:() and to this day it was one of if not the sharpest knives I have ever encountered. Put some respeck on that man’s name!
 
Last edited:
"that guy" is Jerry Fisk. A name that you young'uns probably don't recognize.

He's won over a dozen awards at BLADE since 1987, not to mention numerous international awards. I believe he is currently the head honcho at the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing. His "Sendero" model is legendary.

Whether or not he is stropping the blade with his hand, I would not recommend you try this unless you have had 30+ years experience as a knifemaker. If your angle is off by a few mm, you'll be lifting your beer with a hook......
 
Forgot to mention that palm stropping is a thing (at least with old-timers who know what they are doing).
 
One of the effects of stropping is to apply a layer of lubricant to the blade, and your palm is very efficient at that.
 
I tend to strop my knives on my palm as a finishing touch. I'll also tend to do a few strokes after use. Just a few strokes, though. I don't do like 50+ strokes anymore. I do have a proper strop and a variety of compounds now.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top