How I Use A Strop In My Sharpening System

Sometimes you gotta strop a chisel. Sometimes you gotta strop a gouge. In this video, I'll tell you the how's and why's of when I use a strop in my sharpening system.
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[@MaybeDave]

What the hell is an algorithm, anyway? It's shocking to me that someone with a great presentation style, solid info, etc. doesn't have a million subs. Only a matter of time! Thanks for the entertaining education!

[@ENCurtis]

Appreciate that my man! Maybe one day. Right now just trying to put out helpful, informative videos. Glad you’re getting something from them 🤘🤘

[@dougwing6326]

I use various sizes of dowels charged with honing compound on my gouges. I also have a strop that I made where I wrapped the leather over the end of the strop, giving me a rounded leather surface to use on gouges.

[@jrk1666]

The way I like to use a strop is keeping the leather not glued to anything, that way I can wrap it around curved surfaces and use it both for gauges and flat tools. But the only thing two people talking about sharpening will agree on, is that a third participant is wrong too

[@ENCurtis]

hahaha that's 1000% correct!

[@murphymmc]

Good info. I made a "polishing" wheel from MDF for my bench grinder a long while back, using the green compound as the agent. It worked but needed to be much slower than my 3450 rpm motor. Heat build up was very fast, too fast. A variable speed motor would solve the problem. Yeah, using a water bath nearby helped, but water and MDF don't play well together. I'll revisit the idea when I get a VS grinder or spend the money on a 1625 rpm machine which I should have done in the beginning. Buyers remorse.

[@JeffFontecchio]

Thanks for explaining strops, I generally knew what they were for but this really explained how and why.

[@ENCurtis]

I’m glad you found it helpful my man! Thanks for watching.

[@Citadel1974]

One thing I have found is that if your work area is cold (like below 10c/50f or so?) the stropping compound likes to ball up. Its kinda like trying to spread cold butter on bread.

[@degendad1066]

Your content is awesome. Thank you for sharing your experience. You have a take on woodworking that separates you from all the others. Thank you!

[@dirkmessiaen8322]

I use car polish on a piece of mdf for my chisels. I get razor sharp edge and a mirror finish. I also do this to freshen the edge quickly.

[@ENCurtis]

That will absolutely get the job done too 👍

[@robohippy]

I posed a question on the Neanderthal/hand tools section over at Sawmill Creek, 'What do you strop on?' Got a surprising array of answers. from horse butt, to kangaroo leather which does not compress, to balsa wood. At present, I have 2 sets of strops that I use. One set is poplar with a hand planed surface, the other set has the roo hide on it, 2 oz. which is pretty thin. I also have some saddle leather scraps which I did use, but don't at least not for now. I am leaning to the poplar strops. I was surprised to find out that the colors of the compounds is not really any indicator of grit, maybe barely a suggestion.... The jeweler's rouge is supposed to be in the 30,000 grit range. There is another green compound, I got mine from Taylor Tools since I won't buy anything on Amazon, and it is in the 60,000 grit range. It does leave a nice surface/polished edge. For your leather strop, it looks like you used the fuzzy/flesh side of the leather, correct? I think many use the hair side, which I have done thus far. Also, the terms hone and strop seem to be used interchangeably. To me, they are 2 different things. Honing is hitting the edge with a stone, most common for turners are the small diamond cards, and that does leave a burr. Stropping is for removing the burr, at least to me.

[@watermain48]

Very informative. Thank you.

[@dc85337]

Here is something else to consider Your strop isn't flat (if made out of leather). Leather is Not a flat item because of the way it is thinned. So take it over to your bench grinder or flat sandpaper and flatten it out, then load it up with compound, then flatten your tools. My strop took a lot more flattening then I though it would, but it does make a difference. This also slightly changes the surface texture. At least you aren't using a thick piece of leather like a lot of people like to do (rolls over the edge). You can see that yours isn't flat on the close-ups.

[@dpmeyer4867]

thanks

[@Monkey_Snot]

Strop telling me what to do!!!

[@dp1381]

In my usage, the purpose of the strop is primarily to remove any burr that remains after sharpening rather than to polish for a smoother surface.

[@steh8217]

I've heard it's equivalent to around 60,000 grit.. but who knows 🤷‍♂️

[@robertmabry4172]

I just watched a video yesterday about how stropping makes blades worse. He was comparing a strop with 8000 grit stone.

[@silamaleesri8661]

Depends where you get the green compound from I use the veritas one which is 12000 grit

[@ENCurtis]

Good to know! I assumed it was somewhere in that range 👍

[@silamaleesri8661]

@@ENCurtis no danger power ranger love your content

[@jaysonschmitt888]

If you have a chance can you review the most common carving gouges you use

[@ENCurtis]

I’ll keep that in mind for the future!

[@Zamboni-0805]

@ 6:56 How easy, by the looks of it, that gouging chiels needs some sharpening.

[@stevevaughn2040]

Fun fact. In service I got hurt and had to find something to do so they sent me to Navy barber school. A strip is the strip of leather, had canvass on other side, and we would strop to get rid of burrs on straight razors. A nick in razor will slice a face open. Old timey movies show the barber using a strop or a mom beating her kid.

[@davidcahoon7666]

What is your recommendation for chisels?

[@stephentsun3750]

do you use the smooth side of the leather or the rough side?

[@quirkygreece]

Where was the coffee?