Stropping Question

Yeah it matters, hold it at slightly higher angle than you sharpened the knife.

Only make a few strokes, one or 2 on each side.
 
Thanks for the help. I'm new to stropping so I know that this is kind of a noobie question but if i want the knife to be even sharper can I go to a lower angle than I sharpened or will that not work? and any stropping tips are helpful too. Thanks
 
Bobsagget said:
Thanks for the help. I'm new to stropping so I know that this is kind of a noobie question but if i want the knife to be even sharper can I go to a lower angle than I sharpened or will that not work? and any stropping tips are helpful too. Thanks
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Won't do any good to go to a lower angle because you won't be hitting the edge.
 
Thanks man. Just out of curiosity have you had any experience with the DMT aligner sharpening system?
 
If you are stropping on leather that flexes you want to strop at a lower angle than you sharpened at. The leather flexes and that is like adding a couple degrees. If you strop at the same or higher angle, then the leather will roll over the edge and round the edge off, dulling it. If you strop on MDF or something that doesn't flex then you want to try and match the angle you sharpened. Also, just stropping once or twice per side won't do much even if using diamond paste. It might help remove a burr but it won't refine the scratch pattern and make the knife sharper. For that it takes 20 or 30 strokes per side depending on the steel, how sharp it is, and the compound (if not using diamonds). Check out the tinkering and maintenance subforum for lots of discussion on stropping.
 
I have my strop leather mounted on a 1"X3"X15" board - both sides. I use 1200 grit Clover valve grinding compound on one side, and fine diamond paste on the other. I normally start using the more aggressive strop and then finish with the side with the diamond paste (.5 micron). This way, I can complete stropping very quickly. Don't apply much pressure, and use a trailing motion that raises the blade angle just slightly over the angle of the bevel, as Ankerson indicated.
I rarely need more than a dozen strokes on each side of the strop. It helps to keep a pretty constant angle.
 
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