Unusual stopping material(media)

C

clockman

Joined
Jan 14, 2009
Messages
3,176
Most of us have our favorite material we use to strop of knives. Lets here about some unusual materials some of you guys use.

I stropped a few blades of some old jean shorts last night. I was watching TV a couple of hours later in my boxers and a tee shirt.

I had 1 of the knives I stropped earlier in my hand. I stropped the knife on the inside my medium hairy thigh and it was sharper than

when I started. I stropped a couple more knives, same results. NO, I Wasn't Drinking. I probably won't try this again, but it was really strange.

Any other unusual stropping materials that you use.

I've read about a few on BF, but I won't mention them. I hope I'm not the Lone Ranger to comment in this thread.
 
Yeah, I hear denim is a good option. Especially if you put some polishing compound on it with a hard backer.
Magazine paper I have also heard, and cardboard.
 
Lately I've been using a ceramic coffee cup. If my knife is real dull I'll use the bottom where the ceramic is rough. Usually just a couple of passes on the lip of the cup works great.
I don't think stropping on your own skin is a good idea, especially that close to your package, take care with that dude.
 
I've used the pad on my hand in the past. The part you would karate chop with if karate chopping were the sort of thing you did. Just as a quick measure.

Denim also works well as does the edge of an old clip board.
 
...Corrugated cardboard edges, edges of car windows, microfiber couch armrest...
 
Skin contains silica so it will work as a strop, particularly where the skin is thick, like the palm of the hand. That said, cow hide and horse hide have more silica than human hide so they make a better strop. But there are a lot of other items in the world that are safer and more effective than the palm of the hand for a strop. Clay coated paper, like the glossy pages of a magazine, makes a good strop. Anything painted flat green or flat yellow is probably painted with chromium oxide pigment and will make a good strop, etc.
 
It's not for stripping, but I my fine sharpening stone is a chunk of porcelain for the busted tank off our old toilet and it works great 👍
 
My leather belt when I'm on the go. Without any compound, I use that a lot! Polished marble coutertop edges, ceramic of any kind(plate, bowl, plant pot, etc.), edge of cardboard. Old scrubs with compound is one of my most successful, with best results. Wallet, dry bamboo. Ok, thats all I can think of.
 
Mouse pads with a bit of compound or sand/oil mix. Being an IT guy I had stacks of the things at one point and they did work well for that.
 
I just carry two small patches of leather about the size of my hand in my back left pocket. One has the red Dremal tool polishing compound that comes in the kits, the other is just plain leather that's had some neatsfoot oil rubbed into it.
 
This like every thread like it (relating the sharpening, tools, materials, media, devices, gadgets, and technique) belongs in MTE. Maintenance, Tinkering, and Embellishment, not in the GKD section.
 
Plastic(s)
Rubber
wood- hardwood, soft wood, scuffed/textured/dimpled
Ice
masking tape
all manner of paper and pressed paper/cardboard
cork
felt
canvas
frosted glass
aluminum
brass
dollar bill (well worth a $1, shame they aren't bigger)
gasket material from auto supply store
natural fiber rope
 
Phone book. A yellow book has about 800-1000 knife life span. [emoji41]




••••••••••••••••••••
Beamed directly to you with my mind power...using Tap-a-Thought. (tm)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top