stropping

[bdws1975]

Hi,
I was wondering if stropping is necessary/beneficial to maintaining my small classic sebenza.
If so, what strop should I buy and could you please direct me to a thread/site with advice.

Thanks a bunch,
Brett

 

[Ludwig]

Is stropping necessary? No.
Is it beneficial? It depends on what you're using the knife for.

People typically strop their knives to remove burrs after sharpening and to touch up their edges. Some strop to get a nice polished edge that will push cut better and cut free-hanging hairs

If you've been getting by keeping your Sebenza sharp without a strop, you don't really need one now.

If you still want one anyway, check out the strops at Lee Valley:

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=32999&cat=1,43072

Check out Hand American too.

Here are a few sites with tips/advice:

http://www.capeforge.com/contstrp/

http://www.drsharpening.com/leatherhone.html

If you're looking for threads, use the search function.

 

[LedSled]

How sharp do you want? You can cut hanging hairs, but not after any real use of the knife. I power-strop on a belt sander with Surgi-Sharp's leathers and Hand American's pastes, but getting that sharp an edge is really more for vanity than practicality. There's a small improvement in edge durability with the polish that stropping provides, but the biggest benefit is for straightening a folded-over edge after use. Even a polished steel mangles the edge a bit, while a strop works much better.

 

[Barrabas]

Personally, a fine to xtra fine ceramic or glass rod gets my seb all the edge it needs for general cutting. I usually see no real incease in edge durability, or sharpness by using a strop - but then again I like a little teeth on the edge, so lately I am even staying away from the extra fine ceramics.