Sharpening with a Strop

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JimStC

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I started a thread on Bladeforums to learn about sharpening with sand paper.
Learned about the proper grit, stroke direction, wet/dry and other good info.
The knowledge that intrigued me the most was the recommendations regarding using a leather strop. I bought a couple and glued them to 1"x's and I am off and running.
My question relates to technique. I have done the You Tube thing and read articles but will appreciate the wisdom of THR. I am getting good results but feel like I can get better. I have the green powder and have ordered some diamond paste and spray. Also please feel free to comment on your sand paper methods.
Sure will like to hear from you.

Jim
 
As I understand it, a strop hones the edge rather than removing material as stoning does.
 
I too am just getting started using strops to sharpen knives. Stones aren't an option for convex grinds. With convex edges the use of strop is your only choice unless you have a slack belt grinder or something similar. If you use enough strokes you will remove material, just very slowly as far as I can tell.

On another forum moderated by Mike Stewart of Bark River Knife and Tool he recommends using low pressure when sharpening using a strop. Additionally he stated that strap type strops are for razors with strops on a flat rigid suface being suitable for knives.

Where are you getting your stropping abrasives?
 
Mike,
Your comment on convex grinds is what got me started on strops. I could not get the darn blade sharp. Just today I started using a trailing stroke instead of a forward stroke for the convex blade and got great results. First with stones and diamonds then to the strop. My strop has chromium oxide rubbed in it. I am waiting on the 3 micron diamond paste to be delivered.
I get my abrasives on Amazon. Just do a search for what you need. Chromium oxide, diamond spray/paste.

Clarification: The trailing stroke was changed on the stones and diamonds. I have always used the trailing stroke on paper and strops.
Jim
 
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Nem,
It is the difference between pushing and pulling. A trailing stroke (to me) is when I pull the blade across the sharpening surface. Contrast that to how I learned to sharpen knives, which is a forward stroke. In that method I am pushing the blade across the sharpening surface. In the trailing method I am at a 10-15 degree angle to the surface. Forward is 20-25 degrees.
I am not speaking as an expert by any means. This is how I have sharpened blades for a long time yet I always am seeking knowledge from others.

Jim
 
Definitely bring the knife toward you with the edge away from you (trailing) with a strop based on my limited experience.

I learned to sharpen using primarily a swirling or circular movement on stones. That is what my Dad did with pocket knives and small fixed blades. I now use use a stroke with the knife edge leading (like taking a thin slice out of the stone) or opposite to the strop approach above.
 
I am getting good results but feel like I can get better.
Click to expand...

Jim,
I use emory paper from the auto supply store.
Got it in grits from 80 to 2000. typically I dont use the lower grits much unless I make a knife.
Touch up starting at 1000 or 1500 then 2000.

Polishing is done on a variable speed/reversabe electic drill. I mount a piece of cardboard cut to fit the round sanding disk load it with Mothers Mag Polish - also from the auto supply store - and polish away.

Hope that helped.
 
BD,
When you refer to polishing, do you mean the non cutting portion of the blade?
I really like your method and will adopt it.

I am using wet/dry paper and emery paper. On the wet/dry the grit is 400 and 600. The emery is 3M but doesn't give a grit #. The sheets are fine, medium and course

Thanks,
Jim
 
Thanks for clarifying "trailing stroke", Jim. Yes, I get it.

I like the idea of polishing with emery paper. Will pick some up.

That may be just what I need to polish out some tiny rust pits on my new Ontario SP 53 :eek: that I describe in this post in a new thread about the 53. (Jim, you need to be subscribed to that thread anyway so we can compare notes about the 53 relative to your Kabar Cutlass. :) )
 
I learned all about the push stroke on a leather strop when I was about 5 years old.

Using dads razor strop and dads razor.

The push stroke will make two razor strops out of one razor strop in one stroke!

Then I learned that half a razor strop will still make your butt red after dad uses it on your butt.

rc
 
Nem,
I will subscribe to your thread.
In addition to emery paper, give wet/dry paper a try. If you get it wet it lifts the removed particles from the surface. I use it both wet and dry. I use windex to wet the paper. I saw a video where the author recommended Simple Green diluted 50% with water.

Jim
 
My father used a strop for his razor as well (I never cut it). But I don't remember his using any kind of abrasive; just rubbing the blade on the leather was enough to sharpen the razor.

Jim
 
Is anyone using a belt grinder? I was looking at an attachment for my bench grinder that will convert one side to a belt grinder. A little pricey.
If you are using a belt grinder, which model?

I was reading the Ka Bar Manufacturer's forum on another site. The guy answering all the questions is Paul Tsujimoto, Sr Eng., Product Development and Quality Control. A very impressive guy from a knowledge standpoint to put it mildly. He mentioned that the Ka Bar edges are made with a belt grinder, then followed with a cotton buffer

It is a great read: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/872443-Ask-Toooj

Jim
 
I think the old commercial razor stops came with abrasive coating already on them.

As I remember dads, one side was red (jewelers rouge) and the other green (chrome oxide)?

PS: I made one for honing my leather carving tools.
I glued a piece of leather to a strip of Plexiglas with rubber cement and coated the leather with red jewelers rouge buffing compound.

Works like a charm.

rc
 
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A piece of chipboard (the thick grey/brown backing of a legal pad) will do just fine as a substitite for a strop after stoning to finish the edge. Emmerson knives recomends this method on their website.
 
RC, that is an interesting observation. I can't figure out how an untreated strop would do much sharpening for a knife. I have one that is untreated, waiting for the diamond paste, and it seems pretty ineffectual.
What is the red jewelers rouge? I need to do some research......
Thanks,

Jim
 
Harbor Freight sells four different grades of colored stick "rouge". I got the one for stainless.. I forget the color. I rub/wipe it on an old belt hung from a nail and strop away.
 
Is anyone using a belt grinder?
Click to expand...

I am .and the majority of knifemakers use the same machine they used to grind the blade bevels that they do to sharpen it.

I then put a final touch on the edge using a cardboard wheel setup on a variable speed benchgrinder, touchups are fast and easy.
 
C,
I just bought the red and the white compound sticks. Thanks for the information. I'll be trying them out. May need a couple more strops.

Jim
 
Many knife makers use Bob Dozier's grinder. Not much of a grinder for home use unless you are a shop equipment freak. http://www.dozierknives.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=54

Harbor Freight sells some inexpensive belt grinders that if you are interested work for the rest of us, take a look. I am not to the grinder stage of my shop life. I am barely to the Dremel stage for that matter although I have one. I stay away from belt grinders.

I got really banged up when I was in my late teens on a belt grinder that the belt broke on at one of my summer factory jobs. It was a trip to the emergency room.
 
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