# Strop questions



## sac36555 (Jun 9, 2018)

Im looking to get a strop and had a few questions. Im curious about the different materials and what would be best for any application. I plan on stropping mostly gyutos, Santokus, Pettys, up to 240mm. I dont have any experience with compounds and would probably want a strop that can be used with or without compound, but Im open to suggestions.

I was looking at Buffalo or Equine leather. Let me know your thoughts and suggestions?


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## panda (Jun 9, 2018)

i use plain cardboard
folded up parchment paper also works


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## Foltest (Jun 9, 2018)

I use old leather belt with chromium oxide. Works great


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## chinacats (Jun 9, 2018)

Plain leather for razors and finishing stone or cardboard for knives...if I'm feeling fancy I'll use newsprint (~1um).


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## daveb (Jun 9, 2018)

Strop is a verb. It's done with stones. :cool2:


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## Paraffin (Jun 9, 2018)

daveb said:


> Strop is a verb. It's done with stones. :cool2:



Yeah... I used this for a while, a prefab leather strop on balsa, pre-loaded with compound:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CO8M1AW/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

You could make that at home, I was just lazy. Then I realized my high-hardness PM stainless knives like R2 steel were just laughing at the leather + compound. It wasn't really doing anything useful. So I switched to stropping (edge trailing, very light strokes) on my Gesshin 6k finishing stone, where I can immediately tell a difference in temporarily restoring the edge. That works for everything; hard PM stainless and Japanese carbon steels.


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## TEWNCfarms (Jun 9, 2018)

sac36555 said:


> Im looking to get a strop and had a few questions. Im curious about the different materials and what would be best for any application. I plan on stropping mostly gyutos, Santokus, Pettys, up to 240mm. I dont have any experience with compounds and would probably want a strop that can be used with or without compound, but Im open to suggestions.
> 
> I was looking at Buffalo or Equine leather. Let me know your thoughts and suggestions?



That guy burrfection on YouTube made some with Buffalo he says it is a very hard oily leather, Im sure itd be great! Horse hide is really good too, other forums talk about this stuff more. Supposedly one of the biggest things to make sure you do is process the leather. Wet it then dry it out for a couple hours then roll it with a rolling pin.

Murray carter just uses a piece of newspaper on a stone. Kippington supposedly just uses a hard piece of a cardboard roll. I used just newspaper for the past 6 months because Korin said its good if you dont have a strop. Some people use balsa. Im using leather And balsa which everyone on here keeps talking **** to me about but works great. Learn how to sharpen first they tell me but apparently havent told you. 

You can compound the leather or just leave it as is. Use 1um or lower or higher. Its all about preference. You can use tons of different things. But if you were thinking Buffalo Id go with that, and compound it or not. Take what everyone says and everything you read with a grain of salt and do whats cheapest and best for you unless money isnt an issue.


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## chinacats (Jun 9, 2018)

TEWNCfarms said:


> Murray carter just uses a piece of newspaper on a stone. Kippington supposedly just uses a hard piece of a cardboard roll. I used just newspaper for the past 6 months because Korin said its good if you dont have a strop. Some people use balsa. Im using leather And balsa which everyone on here keeps talking **** to me about but works great. Learn how to sharpen first they tell me but apparently havent told you.



I just assume everyone here knows how to sharpen until they tell me otherwise. You clearly stated that you didn't by your posts...

OP, reason people here don't talk a lot about it is because we've pretty much all figured out what works for us and I don't believe many here use much more than stones, cardboard, or paper unless they are sharpening razors for shaving...which is what most of the compounds and leather is used for, that and Youtube wannabes.


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## TEWNCfarms (Jun 9, 2018)

chinacats said:


> I just assume everyone here knows how to sharpen until they tell me otherwise. You clearly stated that you didn't by your posts...



Hahaha okay yeah youre right on that I did open that can of worms


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## panda (Jun 9, 2018)

we gave you sh1t because you're annoying and dont listen to anything we tell you. humble yourself.


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## TEWNCfarms (Jun 10, 2018)

chinacats said:


> I just assume everyone here knows how to sharpen until they tell me otherwise. You clearly stated that you didn't by your posts...
> 
> OP, reason people here don't talk a lot about it is because we've pretty much all figured out what works for us and I don't believe many here use much more than stones, cardboard, or paper unless they are sharpening razors for shaving...which is what most of the compounds and leather is used for, that and Youtube wannabes.



Yeah the burrfection Guy is a tool bag


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## TEWNCfarms (Jun 10, 2018)

panda said:


> we gave you sh1t because you're annoying and dont listen to anything we tell you. humble yourself.



I listen, you all just dont like people question your alls authority, you want yes men when people come here asking for help. And I like to question. Im not going to say Im humble because then I wouldnt be humble, but I do appreciate everything everyone has helped me with I know that.


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## panda (Jun 10, 2018)

lol


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## sac36555 (Jun 10, 2018)

Boy I didnt realize Id be opening up a can with a simple strop question.....so stone over strop is what Im getting.....


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## daveb (Jun 10, 2018)

Just a worm tangent. You've got to get to 10 pages before you get your own can.


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## sac36555 (Jun 10, 2018)

daveb said:


> Just a worm tangent. You've got to get to 10 pages before you get your own can.



Lol, ok. I was more speaking to the interaction between TEWNCfarms and from what it seems everybody else. I just dont understand why people cant just get along. Im here to learn and will gladly take any and all advise. Put it into practice and see if it works for me and go from there. Im under the assumption that everybody is coming from a good place and sincerely trying to help. Keep the help coming!!!


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## Xenif (Jun 10, 2018)

sac36555 said:


> Lol, ok. I was more speaking to the interaction between TEWNCfarms and from what it seems everybody else. I just dont understand why people cant just get along. Im here to learn and will gladly take any and all advise. Put it into practice and see if it works for me and go from there. Im under the assumption that everybody is coming from a good place and sincerely trying to help. Keep the help coming!!!


Hey Sac, I wouldn't worry about it too much , I've been herr for a few months now, people here have been great help for me and guided me gently down the knife/sharpening. Generally people get along here pretty well considering we come from all different walks of life, cultural and social-economic backgrounds.
I think some posters are perhaps more abrasive than others, but havent actually seen many (except maybe one) that I felt malice in their post.


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## K813zra (Jun 10, 2018)

Xenif said:


> Hey Sac, I wouldn't worry about it too much , I've been herr for a few months now, people here have been great help for me and guided me gently down the knife/sharpening. Generally people get along here pretty well considering we come from all different walks of life, cultural and social-economic backgrounds.
> I think some posters are perhaps more abrasive than others, but havent actually seen many (except maybe one) that I felt malice in their post.



+1 I get on just fine with pretty much everyone here. Sure, there are specific topics that rub one person or another the wrong way but I bet would could say the same about ourselves with any one topic as well, if we are being honest. 

As for the strop thing, I just use stones for stropping when sharpening. When bringing a slightly dulling edge back to life or cleaning/drying it off before putting the knife back on the rack I use newsprint. Both options seem to work well for me. If I am trying to work with a knife that I know is stubborn to give up a burr I use felt on wood. (Cheap medium hard felt from the craft store that is peel and stick. $1 gets me 4 strops and they last awhile.) 

Now, I have used leather and other media in the past. Balsa is cheap and it works. I like it for doing cosmetic finishing with compounds, works really well for that. I guess the give that it has helps. Leather, to me, feels the best and I guess that is because of the "draw" but I don't use it anymore.

What I can say is that it is fairly cheap to make some strops out of balsa, leather and felt. Go to your local hobby lobby or similar and get what you need. Regardless of we do or don't should not stop you from experimenting! While I do not use much of the stuff I experimented with in the past I am glad I found out what works for me through said experimentation. The same reason I like to buy project knives, they offer a learning experience! Yet the same reason I don't dis cheap naturals and stuff too. 

Experiment, have fun and learn.


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## sac36555 (Jun 10, 2018)

Well I better start a new thread asking about a 6-8k stone recommendation then.


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## 5698k (Jun 10, 2018)

TEWNCfarms said:


> I listen, you all just dont like people question your alls authority, you want yes men when people come here asking for help. And I like to question. Im not going to say Im humble because then I wouldnt be humble, but I do appreciate everything everyone has helped me with I know that.



Theres a way to ask questions and have discussions about things without being an a$$. People do it every day.


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## TEWNCfarms (Jun 10, 2018)

sac36555 said:


> Well I better start a new thread asking about a 6-8k stone recommendation then.



Dont do it youre gonna open up another can of worms! And you cant put them back once opened! !


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## TEWNCfarms (Jun 10, 2018)

5698k said:


> Theres a way to ask questions and have discussions about things without being an a$$. People do it every day.



I dont really think Im being an ass. But sorry if you all think that, Ill work on my responses


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## Drayquan (Jun 11, 2018)

The only thing newspaper stropping does for me, is leave me with a slightly rougher aesthetic finish than the smooth polish my 6k (King KDS) stone leaves me with. Of course for practical kitchen purposes, the difference is near impossible to tell. With certain stainless steel however, I swear the newspaper finish, although slightly rougher looking, seems to give a better cutting edge. Any perceved difference from the 6k to the newspaper could easily just be in my head though...

With newspaper, aside from the base paper fiber, does anyone else make sure they find a page with mostly text and no big printed pictures for stropping surface? I have it in my head that the numerous amount of tiny ink edges (created from the pure text area) to strop on will have more helpful micro-abrasive quality than stroping overtop a big printed photograph (continuous smooth/solid ink rather than jaggy letter ink edges) in the newspaper... yes/no?

I've messed around with a pretty nice leather belt for stropping after the 6k (no compound, fairly wide, hard and smooth, [insert joke here]), and again it may or may not be doing anything real. I could be mistaken, but I think all it MIGHT be doing is center-aligning any microburr remnants I may have missed removing, only giving the perception that the edge has improved for the very first paper test...


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## chinacats (Jun 11, 2018)

Sounds like you may be using too much pressure on the newsprint or leather and messing up your edge. Bang the knife on the board a few times when you're done before cutting something (paper in your case) to see if the the edge is clean. Newsprint is supposed to be about 1 um...also curious what you're using under the paper?


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## Drayquan (Jun 11, 2018)

I use about the same pressure I'd use to spread butter on toast, I suppose I could be going a little heavier than needed though, I'll try lighter pressure.
I like at least 5 or more pages (from the daily delivered newspaper) for a little cushion, on top of a flat granite kitchen counter.


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## K813zra (Jun 11, 2018)

Drayquan said:


> The only thing newspaper stropping does for me, is leave me with a slightly rougher aesthetic finish than the smooth polish my 6k (King KDS) stone leaves me with. Of course for practical kitchen purposes, the difference is near impossible to tell. With certain stainless steel however, I swear the newspaper finish, although slightly rougher looking, seems to give a better cutting edge. Any perceved difference from the 6k to the newspaper could easily just be in my head though...
> 
> With newspaper, aside from the base paper fiber, does anyone else make sure they find a page with mostly text and no big printed pictures for stropping surface? I have it in my head that the numerous amount of tiny ink edges (created from the pure text area) to strop on will have more helpful micro-abrasive quality than stroping overtop a big printed photograph (continuous smooth/solid ink rather than jaggy letter ink edges) in the newspaper... yes/no?
> 
> I've messed around with a pretty nice leather belt for stropping after the 6k (no compound, fairly wide, hard and smooth, [insert joke here]), and again it may or may not be doing anything real. I could be mistaken, but I think all it MIGHT be doing is center-aligning any microburr remnants I may have missed removing, only giving the perception that the edge has improved for the very first paper test...



When I follow up with newsprint I find it polishes up the bevels, cosmetically, better than even my Kitayama 8k. I get no degradation in edge or cosmetic finish. I use newsprint to strop after every session on the board and it seems to keep my edge where I want it for about a week in most cases and as much as two weeks in other cases. After that I have to drop back to a finishing stone. It does not work miracles but it works for me.


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## panda (Jun 12, 2018)

fyi those in market for strops 
ive just been informed by marko tsourkan that he makes leather strops and can preload them with diamond spray, also does magnetic backing.


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## TEWNCfarms (Jun 12, 2018)

panda said:


> fyi those in market for strops
> ive just been informed by marko tsourkan that he makes leather strops and can preload them with diamond spray, also does magnetic backing.



How much does it cost $100?


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## panda (Jun 12, 2018)

no idea, shoot him an email. i believe there is a thread in his sub forum


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## chinacats (Jun 12, 2018)

TEWNCfarms said:


> How much does it cost $100?



'Bout that...



panda said:


> no idea, shoot him an email. i believe there is a thread in his sub forum



Yep, only way to know for sure.


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## daveb (Jun 12, 2018)

Might be a good time to reflect on the 43 people that have suggested you become proficient with stones before you go to stropland. 

Just sayin.


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## panda (Jun 12, 2018)

^ that +1000


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## sac36555 (Jun 12, 2018)

daveb said:


> Might be a good time to reflect on the 43 people that have suggested you become proficient with stones before you go to stropland.
> 
> Just sayin.



I agree. Ive been enjoying my Chosera 800 and 3k so far. Definitely looking to pick up a Chosera 400 soon. I was just looking for the future. So far the couple of knives Ive used after sharpening with the 3000 have been great.


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## swarth (Jun 12, 2018)

panda said:


> fyi those in market for strops
> ive just been informed by marko tsourkan that he makes leather strops and can preload them with diamond spray, also does magnetic backing.



I bought a walnut (I think) magnetic base a few years back. Very nice.


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## TEWNCfarms (Jun 12, 2018)

daveb said:


> Might be a good time to reflect on the 43 people that have suggested you become proficient with stones before you go to stropland.
> 
> Just sayin.



I was just joking, I can make my own strop like I did, Im not going to buy one. That is something I can easily make. Knives on the other I would have No idea how to nor the tools


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## panda (Jun 12, 2018)

You should build a forge and make your own knife. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it after a couple hours of hammering.


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## Nomsdotcom (Jun 12, 2018)

panda said:


> You should build a forge and make your own knife. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it after a couple hours of hammering.


I mean he's made 460 posts in two months, he's gotta be proficient by now


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## sac36555 (Jun 12, 2018)




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## Nomsdotcom (Jun 12, 2018)




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## TEWNCfarms (Jun 12, 2018)

panda said:


> You should build a forge and make your own knife. I'm sure you'll get the hang of it after a couple hours of hammering.



Probably only 30 minutes, the knife will be made in 2 hours, folded steel too


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## panda (Jun 13, 2018)

noms, your sarcasm went straight over his head.


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## Nomsdotcom (Jun 13, 2018)

Sorry Dave, messing with a good thing is like poking a unicorn. Forgive me


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## daveb (Jun 13, 2018)

I've gotten in mine as well. No worries. But it's time to let the forum function again.


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