Stropping on cardboard

Depending on the steel and the sharpness/dullness of the blade. Most oftwn, it is not so easy.
 
I always could with a rat-1 and a persistance (aus-8/8cr13mov). Thats when i was working in warehouses. I tried to with s30v on a lunch break recently and got nowhere.
 
sharp_edge said:
Depending on the steel and the sharpness/dullness of the blade. Most oftwn, it is not so easy.
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If the blade is dull, cardboard will not sharpen it. Neither will leather strop hone loaded with a compound.

All any of those will do is either maintain an edge/polish it up. They don't create/establish an edge.

That said, after each use some quick stropping on cardboard, phone book, newsprint, leather belt, jeans leg, even the palm of your hand, etc will help maintain that sharp edge longer.
 
Yes, on an ESEE Avispa with AUS-8 steel using that pressed cardboard backing like is used on products with bubble plastic. Pretty much used only a coffee cup and cardboard on that knife before I started getting some proper sharpening stuff. Don't think I'd try that with any of the harder steels. Maybe with some diamond compound, although Balsa wood might be a better option then.
 
Before I was given a strop as a gift, I used cardboard and newspaper. I found the cardboard tube from a roll a toilet paper worked well.
 
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Bigbobg said:
Before I was given a strop as a gift, I used cardboard and newspaper. I found the cardboard tube from a roll a toilet paper works well.
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thanks for this post. i had no idea this was a thing, especially the toilet paper roll idea
 
I did the other day on a piece of notebook paper, it seemed to bring some sharpness back
 
Use high density cardboard, not corrugated to strop, you want the resistance and the polishing/stropping effect to be consistent and corrugated has valleys and hills, not really smooth and consistent especially when you repeatedly apply pressure over the same areas.
 
T. Erdelyi said:
Use high density cardboard, not corrugated to strop, you want the resistance and the polishing/stropping effect to be consistent and corrugated has valleys and hills, not really smooth and consistent especially when you repeatedly apply pressure over the same areas.
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It's pretty heavy stuff, man...cutting cardboard dulls your edge....stropping cardboard maintains your edge. Circle of life.
 
I use chipboard ( like the back of a legal pad) that's sometimes loaded with compound (C OX green oil paint) and it seems to work great on box cutters and traditionals in carbon and stainless.
 
marcinek said:
It's pretty heavy stuff, man...cutting cardboard dulls your edge....stropping cardboard maintains your edge. Circle of life.
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Heavy indeed. Kinda like "Alcohol: The cause of... and solution to... many of life's problems".

I use cardboard or newspaper mostly as a finishing step to sharpening, but I've polished an edge up with it in between as well.

I find that it works best with my softer stuff... AUS-8, VG-10 and 1095.
 
You can strop on just about anything that's a flat surface. I'm not a fan of cardboard for stropping. But done it in a pinch without issues.
 
I've done it before just to see how well it worked.. Wasn't too impressed. Might've just been comparing to how I normally strop them with compound. Either way, I would do it if I was without leather
 
Not much results on cardboard. Leather with slurry or a board with slurry gives me better results. Especially if the steel is 440C and up. DM
 
Every time I cut cardboard I strop a tad after. Does this work? Hell I don't know. But does it put my mind at ease? Bet your ass brotha.
 
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