Stropping how to...

[new-knife]

hi all

New here.
Just picked up a Boker Ridgeback Plus.
Nice knife nice size just what I want for service in the field.

its sharp but id like it a tad better.
My old man has a Tormek so I pass all knives over to him as a rule to edge up.

Ive heard stropping can put the best edge on a blade does anyone have any experience or advice as its not something I want to get wrong.

atb
p

 

[Kai Winters]

I suggest searching on youtube...how to strop...and you will get lots of videos to watch and learn from.
From that point you need to practice...you need to develop a "feel" for when the angle is just right...you can feel it.
Yes, imo, stropping finishes a well sharpened edge and/or maintains the edge.

I lightly strop my work knife nearly every day. It gets a lot of use cutting open bags of clay, etc. in the paper coating business as well as prepping the rolls of paper for coating...precise cuts preparing the paper for the splicing system we use is necessary to assure a proper splice or else a big mess occurs hehehe.

I prefer my own, home made, strops. I used a piece of 3/8" wood from Home Depot, cut and shaped the handle area. I use two pieces of leather I bought online. Generally I use green and white compounds I buy at Sears, etc. but currently I'm using the same compounds that Bark River Knives use and do find them superior but not enough to say I'd never use another compound again. I had no problems at all using the big box compounds.

Keep us informed on how you are doing.