Who here uses a leather strop for finishing? I've always been interested in one but never knew where to start. Most of my knives I EDC are S30V, 154, and M2...would a strop benefit them? What brands are best if brand does make a difference and what is the easiest way of getting into stropping?
Thanks

There are a lot of differing ideas about stropping. You might be able to get some good insight be doing a search here on the forum using the words "strop" or "stropping".

To me, stropping is a necessary final step in sharpening and it also makes some of the best "touch-ups", when necessary.

Many people use a piece of leather glued or otherwise attached to a block of wood. I personally use a hanging strop like an old west barber. Excellent results can be obtained by both methods.

One thing that really increased my effectivness was adding a polishing compound to the strop. Tiny recommended one by Tru Grit Inc., of Ontario, CA. They called it "Green Chrome Polishing". It comes in a big bar, about like a Ft. Knox bar of gold. I cut mine since half that size is plenty big and I saved the other half for later.

If you go with a hanging strop like mine, it should be made of horse hide. Keep it fairly tight and don't push down very hard with the blade. At the end of each pass, stop the knife and lift it off the leather. Don't just roll it over on its edge or you will ruin the fine burr you are trying to straighten by using the strop. The 3 steels you mentioned all love the strop and become crazy sharp by using it.

Good luck.

-fj

Yes, use a strop.
FJ coverd most of it. I use a pice of leather on a 2x4.

One thing to keep in mind. Take your time! Don't rush, or push on the blade. Find the right angle for your blade and strop away.

To find the best angle for my knive what I do is this, I lay the blade down on the strop. Then I tilt the spine up so the edge is going into the leather. I slide the blade (edge first) along the strop. I lift the spine untill I feel the edge bite into the leather. Then I tilt the spine back just just a hair. And then, I strop.
Dose that make sence?

quote:

I personally use a hanging strop like an old west barber. Excellent results can be obtained by both methods.

Would an old leather belt tied to a doorknob work or am I being too cheap?
Also, what other kinds of stropping compound can I use and where do I buy it?

quote:

Would an old leather belt tied to a doorknob work

It's a start!
In fact, I've heard that many knifogolics do that. Leaves more money to buy blades

quote:

Originally posted by Tiny:

To find the best angle for my knive what I do is this, I lay the blade down on the strop. Then I tilt the spine up so the edge is going into the leather. I slide the blade (edge first) along the strop. I lift the spine untill I feel the edge bite into the leather. Then I tilt the spine back just just a hair. And then, I strop. Does that make sense?

Perfect sense Tiny, it's finding the right angle but once that's 'figured out' stropping's pretty easy.

I use two versions: First is a 1' X 2" piece of thick horsehide, just lay it on my cutting board in the kitchen. Second is a 3' X 2" of the same material hung from a hook on my old tie rack (what's a tie? )

Light pressure's all that's needed to knock the burr down. When the angle's right you can actually hear the edge going across the leather.

quote:

Gunslinger72 wrote...Would an old leather belt tied to a doorknob work or am I being too cheap?

I've used old belts many times. They work fine, but being cowhide they sometimes don't have the long-lasting tough surface that I get out of my $15 horsehide version.

Some guys strop on the leg of their blue jeans. Some use the back of a yellow writing pad. Steven Andrews, one of our members, actually uses the skin of his palm. I could never do that...too much blood involved and it must be hard to sew back on every time.

A leather belt will work fine..when the surface gets to slick use some of the above mentioned compounds

This message has been edited. Last edited by: w30hammer,

quote:

Originally posted by fastjan:
Some guys strop on the leg of their blue jeans.

Yep, surprising how well jeans material works for stropping - unfortunately the sharper the knife is the more material gets scraped off.

Still in lieu of a leather strop it works pretty well in a pinch.

Well in this case, I will have to buy myself a horsehide strop and some compound. With my agility, blue jeans or a palm would result in a lost limb. Thanks much!