Strops

Rick in KY

Rick in KY

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Joined
Aug 29, 2002
Messages
3,498
With all the interest generated by the "Sharpening Kung-Fu Master" thread, I'm curious, does anyone recommend any particular strop?

What about an old (I swear those things shrink ;)) leather belt?

Are the ones from Knives Plus any good? At $15, they appear more attractive than the red Russian leather ones I saw going fo $60, but less attractive than that previously mentioned free shrunken belt.

What do the "Masters" have to say?
 
You want one with a wood base if possible. When you strop you want to use light pressure as the leather will give a bit. Too much pressure will cause too much rounding on your edge. The same with a belt or piece of leather that isn't laying flat against a table or such. Knives Plus has a great one:

http://www.knivesplus.com/KP-STROP8-STROPBLOCK.html

I like using Flitz metal polish on the strop to aid in the polishing. It's easy to find.
 
Originally posted by Rick in KY
You use Flitz on the pre-treated Knives Plus strop block?
Click to expand...

Sorry, I wasn't clear on that.:) I have several strops and I use Flitz on all but the Knives Plus one that haven't had their pre-treatment. Any piece of leather will work as long as you rub some very fine sand(powder like), or metal polish into the surface.
 
I use a 1000 grit wart hog diamond stone and a unusual very fine steel(element out of flourescent light) and was getting pretty good results-very hair shaving sharp-but then after reading about the strop, I ordered a knives plus strop(highly recommended by several forumites) all of my knives will cut a free hanging hair-and in only a few minutes-but had a decent edge to start with-I am very satisfied with their service and product-good price too:)
 
They are easy to make. 1 piece of wood approx. 2" wide and 16" long. Go to a sheath maker/saddlry/leather person in your area, and say that you are makign a strop. Ask for a piece of leather 2" by 10" long. Contact cement that to your wood in the middle. Carve handles on each end (each end is best, I turn my strop around to get even coverage on the compound). For compound, I'd recommend Lee Valley's stropping compound. It is .5 micron chromium oxide. Lee Valley also sells a strop = cpmpound deal, so check it out too.

www.leevalley.com
 
Originally posted by Rick in KY
With all the interest generated by the "Sharpening Kung-Fu Master" thread, I'm curious, does anyone recommend any particular strop?
Click to expand...

:eek: :eek: HOLY CRAP!:eek: :eek:

Are you refering to the thread I started a long time ago?:eek:

Wow! Glad I decided to read the forum tonight.


The strop I was using in the thread is:
http://store.knifecenter.com/pgi-ProductSpec?J30

...and I'm still using it today. I have others but it's still my favorite and most used BY FAR! (I have others I use for rough tools and experiments that I don't want to screw up my good strop with.)

You gotta give the whole thing a good coating with the strop conditioner they sell and then I use Craftsman compound bars from the Sears tool department. White on the rough side and red on the smooth.


Just a side-note: I received an Edge-pro a few days ago and it'll probably void everything I've said about sharpening so far in any of my forum and non-forum writings before long. I'm still getting the hang of the Edge-pro but I'm super impressed at what can be done expecially with the super-duper-fine grit polishing tapes. I've never seen such a mirror finish on an edge with so little work in my life.

The Edge-pro is expensive so I'd say that Plan "B" would be to follow what me and others wrote in that great, (apparantly famous) thread.

Write me if you like, directly. I've tried many sharpening tools and methods with various success and mistakes. I've EARNED the right to call myself an expert since I've been sharpening knives for myself and others for 25 years since I was 7. I can probably save you some money and fustration.

-Jim
 
fulloflead, i have been sharpening with a sharpmaker and a strop so far. strop is leather glued to a piece of wood, and i usually load it with dimanond compound, about 10u. i lately tried cutting a free standing hair. i couldn't do it with ats-34 , but my m2 710 managed to do the trick. grately excited, i tried to cut the hair a second time, with another snap from the wrist. turns out the blade went right through half of my thumbnail plus the attached thumb. i didn't quite feel the cut, just the impact on my thumb. i'm quite happy that i didn't take a real swing, and from now on i will only use long hair and only cut it once :rolleyes:

anyways, thanks for the help, it was really appreciated. i'd like to know what you think about the lansky vs gatco vs edge pro question - i know edge pro beats 'em all, but is it worth the money ? i heard it might have some issues with smaller blades, like around 3". maybe you could drop me a note considering that, after you got the hang of it.

regards, cheez


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