What defines Stropping?

[iandh]

Is it simply the act of drawing the edge in reverse over fine abrasive? Or does a loadable substrate such as leather or a synthetic matrix need to be used? Does it have to do with the abrasiveness of the substrate, such that it is fine grit enough to be considered polish?

The reason I'm wondering is that I used some 5 micron AO lapping film to strop the other night, and got the sharpest blade I've ever sharpened, and I've been sharpening for a while. I tried finer, but it didn't seem to improve the edge any.

I had a bunch of this stuff laying around from some fiber optics projects I had been working on, and I'm surprised I never thought to use it before.



Feel free to share your stropping techniques if you like.

 

[Dnullify]

I see stropping as the non-abrasive way to straighten out a pre-established edge.
For example, Straight razors must be stropped before use, because the act of shaving actually disfigures the very fine edge. I also have a large bench strop i use on kitchen knives in place of steeling.

I think that as soon as you throw abrasives into the equation, you're "honing" over "stropping". i have several loaded strops that i use once in a while to touch up very sharp knives. it's a good way to maintain a daily use knife so that it never gets dull.

 

[RubiconSS]

I look at stropping as the act of using a strop. Technically that would be a piece of leather but I have used my jeans, a belt, cardboard and newspaper.
I have known old barbers that refer to the act as "straightening the edge" or "setting the edge".
Makes a difference. Cut some paper with your sharp knife then strop the edge on your jeans and try it again and see what happens.
Can't argue with results.

 

[gomipile]

I see stropping as the non-abrasive way to straighten out a pre-established edge.
For example, Straight razors must be stropped before use, because the act of shaving actually disfigures the very fine edge. I also have a large bench strop i use on kitchen knives in place of steeling.

I think that as soon as you throw abrasives into the equation, you're "honing" over "stropping". i have several loaded strops that i use once in a while to touch up very sharp knives. it's a good way to maintain a daily use knife so that it never gets dull.

Except that a traditional unloaded strop *does* have abrasives in it. The natural silicates in the horsehide are a very fine abrasive, and are what do the sharpening when you strop on horsehide.

 

[iandh]

I see stropping as the non-abrasive way to straighten out a pre-established edge.
For example, Straight razors must be stropped before use, because the act of shaving actually disfigures the very fine edge. I also have a large bench strop i use on kitchen knives in place of steeling.

I think that as soon as you throw abrasives into the equation, you're "honing" over "stropping". i have several loaded strops that i use once in a while to touch up very sharp knives. it's a good way to maintain a daily use knife so that it never gets dull.

I look at stropping as the act of using a strop. Technically that would be a piece of leather but I have used my jeans, a belt, cardboard and newspaper.
I have known old barbers that refer to the act as "straightening the edge" or "setting the edge".
Makes a difference. Cut some paper with your sharp knife then strop the edge on your jeans and try it again and see what happens.
Can't argue with results.

I was under the impression that stropping was to add an ultra fine finish to an edge and clean off any tiny burrs, and that edge straightening was done with a steel or with the abrasive sharpening step.

Traditionally I think of a leather belt or strip being used as a strop, to polish the edge with the natural abrasives in the leather... but nowadays many people are using leather loaded with abrasive compound and still calling it stropping, or even a piece of cardboard or their jeans.

The reason that I'm wondering, is that this isn't really all that far off from a piece of leather loaded with polishing compound as far as abrasiveness goes.