Stropping and steeling, should I learn?

C

Crookshanks

Joined
Oct 20, 2002
Messages
52
I sharpen with just a Lansky and have never learned how to strop or use a steel. Is there a good reason for me to start to learn, and how should I go about it?
I've seen this steeling contraption called a "mousetrap." Anyone recommend it, and would it suffice for someone who's not shown a lot of sharpening skills?
Also, where's a good place to buy a strop?
Thanks all.
 
I dont see how you can sharpen without one, IMO there is no other way to get a really fine edge. Do you have any old leather belts? they make great strops just buy some stropping compund or any type of grinding compund that is 4000 or so grit, than maybe some 8000 grit for finishing or for kitchen knives etc. If you have an old leather belt just cut it into a few strips and glue them to some wood, there you go perfect strop.
 
Learning those things just increases the time between sharpening, but keep something in mind, those tools were meant to extend the life of softer steel, where the edge was more likely to deform. Todays harder supersteels are more likely to chip out if anything.

It's still worth learning.
 
Stropping does have quite a great effect on your edge. It's also fast and easy, so you'd do yourself good to learn how to do it.
 
Last summer, my dad brought me some "stuff" from my grandma's house. One of the items was a bone handled steel.
Well I tried it and "Wow" its works I was surprised. Now I steel my kitchen knives before I use them.
Jack
 
I just want to clarify a point, I was referring to steeling in the above reply.

As for stropping I'm all for it, I do it myself for most of my blades, except when I want a toothier, more aggressive edge.
 
Crookshanks :

I've seen this steeling contraption called a "mousetrap." Anyone recommend it, and would it suffice for someone who's not shown a lot of sharpening skills?
Click to expand...

Ref :

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=217419

T. Erdelyi :

... those tools were meant to extend the life of softer steel, where the edge was more likely to deform. Todays harder supersteels are more likely to chip out if anything.
Click to expand...

Edge roll is the major cause of blunting even on the harder high alloy steels on most every day materials. You will see large increases in sharpness with steeling even on steels like D2, CPM-10V etc., at at 62+ RC.

-Cliff
 
Cliff don't you think that those,(actually I really only mean the steel) were more effective on the older softer steels?

I would think on a blade with a good edge geometry, and properly heat treated would benefit the least from a steeling.

Now stropping also, doesn't necessarily benefit all blades equally, my Boye Prophet cuts worse when it's stropped, but it will shave hair.
 
T. Erdelyi :

... don't you think that those,(actually I really only mean the steel) were more effective on the older softer steels?
Click to expand...

Yes, but the benefit is still very high even from the modern steels. Getting specific, you can wear a blade made out of the materials I mentioned above down to <5% of its optimal performance and have this restored to >95% with just a few passes on a smooth steel. This can then be repeated several times before the edge breaks away and needs to be actually hone.

-Cliff
 
I always thought steeling and stropping was for a polished edge, So I really only use them on that type of edge. Anyone ever see what the effect is on a coarser edge is like? Do both of these methods just polish?
 
Stropping with a buffing compound is a polishing action, without any compound it just weakly aligns and can be of benefit to a coarse edge. A smooth steel will strongly align a coarse edge, and a butchers steel will actually create one on the softer steels.

-Cliff
 
I steeled my coarse edge with a smooth steel. I found that 1 or 2 stroke per side is all that should be done, if more it seems to smooth out the coarseness.
 
This seems as good a place to ask this without starting a new thread...

But where does one find a smooth steel? Most of the online warehouses appear to sell serrated steels. Or would ceramic rods suffice instead of smooth steel?

Thanks! :)
 
Deadhead,

Check out http://www.razoredgesystems.com/retail.htm. They make the Mousetrap steel, which is somewhat pricey and works best for kitchen knives, although it will do any knife. They also make the Raz-R-Steel, a portable smooth steel that works great for knives that are shorter than kitchen knives, although it can do kitchen knives, too. I have both, and I have noticed a positive difference in how long my knives retain their edge between sharpenings.

Johnny
 
I have found steeling works very well with most steels, but not CPM 440V or whatever its now called (S60V?)

Stropping is great if you want to pop hairs (which I do!) not the best utility edge but darn good fun!:)
 
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