need a recommendation for a strop

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - need a recommendation for a strop

Posted: 3/19/2017 9:55:22 AM EDT

I need a recommendation for a strop. I have been sharpening my knives myself for the last few years and learning slowly what works. Mostly i get a "OK working edge" but that is about it. So i am a novice but only half oblivious to what i am doing. I would like to get my first strop. I will be using it on knives mostly 3-6" if that matters. Any recomendations?

Posted: 3/19/2017 5:43:34 PM EDT

[#1]

I like my strop by the stropman

Posted: 3/19/2017 9:25:14 PM EDT

[#2]

Quote History

Quoted:
I like my strop by the stropman

View Quote

How do you use a strop?

I've seen it on TV a million times, but I took an older broken men's belt that is slick due to the nice finish and cut it down. I was moving the blade 'into' the slightly rougher backside, but I kept digging into the leather. Am I supposed to move the blade in the opposite direction, or was it just too 'slick' for the purpose?

Thanks.

Chris

Posted: 3/19/2017 10:17:05 PM EDT

[#3]

Attached File

Yes the opposite direction. Push not poll in the photo

Posted: 3/20/2017 7:27:41 AM EDT

[#4]

My best recommendation would be to get a good book on sharpening and read it... Stropping isn't going to do a lot (in a finite period of time) to improve an "OK working edge".

Strops and the like can be found HERE and also HERE.

Best of luck!

Posted: 3/20/2017 7:38:48 AM EDT

[#5]

I got my strops from Straight Razor Designs. You can go from mild to wild.

Or, you could go to a leather shop and make one. A little contact cement on a piece of 1x4 oak and a piece of veg tanned leather does just fine for most knives.

It takes practice, but you will get it. I barely notice the difference after using a strop, but I understand the theory of what it's supposed to do anyway.

Posted: 3/26/2017 9:14:04 PM EDT

[#6]

I got a Stropman HD. Green and white compound. The green is good. The White seemed to cut too much so I scraped it off and now just run that side bare. Like others have said it won't make a dull knife sharp but it will make a sharp knife crazy sharp. I have noticed some metals respond to stroping better than others. VG-10 seems to like it a lot. I usually strop my carry knife a few times a week to keep the crazy sharp edge.

Posted: 4/2/2017 12:06:12 PM EDT

[#7]

You can make one in less than 20 minutes if you have a piece of leather, wood and wood glue or contact cement.
Wipe some green compound on it and you're good.

Posted: 4/3/2017 5:49:28 AM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
You can make one in less than 20 minutes if you have a piece of leather, wood and wood glue or contact cement.
Wipe some green compound on it and you're good.

View Quote

I'll have to do that, seeing how I have a bunch of scraps laying around.

Posted: 4/9/2017 1:42:29 PM EDT

[#9]

Found a spare piece of wood that looked about the right size, cut one of the hobby lobby scraps to fit it then glued it. This morning I got a variety ack of compounds from Lowes (oddly the only compounds they had) and rubbed the green into it. The leather is about 2"x10".

Posted: 4/11/2017 1:51:59 AM EDT

[#10]

I have two strop blocks from Knives Plus and love them both. One green.... one white. Excellent all the way around and highly recommended from many enthusiasts.

Knives Plus Strop Block

Posted: 4/11/2017 12:14:58 PM EDT

[#11]

Sixnine, some people prefer the smooth side facing up and some prefer rough side up like your strop.
You may want to experiment.
I get better results smooth side up.

Posted: 4/12/2017 9:34:24 AM EDT

[#12]

n/m, covered above

Posted: 4/13/2017 9:15:59 AM EDT

[#13]

Flexxx Strops

Posted: 4/13/2017 9:21:41 AM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
Sixnine, some people prefer the smooth side facing up and some prefer rough side up like your strop.
You may want to experiment.
I get better results smooth side up.

View Quote

I have a garbage bag full of scraps and the polishing compound I bought had 5 different tyes of compound in it. I got the stuff, might as well experiment!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - need a recommendation for a strop

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