Make a Strop for Sharpening Knives!

In this video knife maker Walter Sorrells shows how to make a strop used for giving knives a wickedly sharp edge. This amazingly simple project will help keep your knives as shaving sharp!
Like the videos? Show some monetary love! Every little bit is MUCH appreciated... / waltersorrells
PLUS - Every click helps - even if you don't buy! Walter's Amazon Influencer Store: www.amazon.com/shop/waltersor...
AND -
FREE PDF - Five Killer Tips & Tools: waltersorrellsblades.mykajabi...
Check out Walter's videos about making Japanese swords! www.waltersorrellsblades.com
FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL:
Facebook: / waltersorrellsblades
Instagram: walterstactix
Twitter: @WalterSorrells
WANT TO OWN ONE?
Tactix Armory knives: www.tactixarmory.com

[@joshcanterbury4165]

Anyone who hasn’t subscribed to Walters Patreon, I highly recommend it. Guy is a master and freely shares his knowledge and is great about answering any questions

[@SharpWorks]

I made something almost exact to this a little while back and I love it! It's much more easy to use than the back of my leather belt when stropping knives.

[@thomasreyna7296]

Yesterday, before I saw this video, I made a strop exactly like yours but without any power tools, and it defiantly took longer but was very fun. I looked for a video to see what kind of leather to use. This was VERY helpful. Thanks.

[@T1nCh0]

That intro was cherry red FIRE

[@markoi.83]

LOVE every Walter Sorrells video! Thank you sir!

[@poppy9268]

As a straight razor shaver I would like to make some suggestions. First use pastes and compounds on the rough leather to refine your edge and then move to the smooth leather for final polish. Also you should use some sort of conditioner on the leather very very lightly and let it "soak in" for 12 hours or more prior to stropping.

[@eiward]

Poppy 926 Why?

[@neilreid9005]

Pro grade tools in your shop. Respect. Good vid too on this- thanks!

[@stroys7061]

I made a two sided strop using an old leather belt and a scrap piece of 2”x4”. The belt is exactly the width of the 2”x4” on edge. Attached it with screws and used buffing compound on one side (about $7 for a bar that will last for years). It works great. PS I can hold it or put it in my bench vise.

[@Lee_B_Futures]

Love the back to the basics videos Walter! Thanks for all the knowledge...

[@makenchips]

One hell if a drill press you got for that ⅝ hole!

[@makenchips]

You should one sided steps cause you will pick up contamination on the strop! Why not horse butt leather?

[@stasrock]

This intro made my day ))

[@carlholm7867]

I've been shaving with a straight razor for a couple of years, so I've got a strop readily available. Kinda neat for touching up my kitchen knives. Makes them incredibly razor sharp actually! ...For about 5 minutes...

[@erikschwabe7577]

You are the sharpest knife in the shelf!

[@hdryder1568]

Technically there is no in to a shelf. If it/the knife was in it it would have to be a cabinet. To be on it would make it a shelf 😂😂🤣😅😆 just busting some balls hell it's Monday lol just fun my friend no pun intended!

[@LeFriendBandit]

Your voice is so chill

[@MartinStrang]

Hi Walter, thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. Your videos are superb. Could you make a video about using dymalux for knife handles? Pros and cons, how to finish etc? Thank you

[@garymccraw1466]

Nice looking Strop

[@CKKnifeandTool]

I made something near identical a while back but I opted to stay with the smooth leather only and not a suede side. Look forward to the rouge options and info. I use a green jewelers rouge. With that said, I rarely use a strop. After sharpening on the 2x72 I finish off with a ceramic rod. Maybe I'll have to re-visit the strop more often. Hmmmm.....

[@EphemeralRage]

Best intro ever!

[@RetiredTony]

Great video!!! Thank you buddy

[@unclebob1959]

Tandy Leather Factory has great pieces for stepping.

[@fredchevalier2333]

Another great video Chauncey!

[@artmcclure637]

I got all the stuff to make some strops. I've used them before and they do make a difference. Look at the bevels with a magnifier.

[@JonnyParker-]

Just finished my strop but without any power tools , took fkin ages but worth it . wish I had a proper workstation like yours

[@msteveson]

Your videos are always much better when you show us how to do things rather than just talking against the white background. Keep up the good work!

[@xxcinderxxok4050]

haha I just watched two of his videos and when I clicked on this video he said "yes its me again"

[@TheFANTOM187]

awesome channel!

[@MrDonohoo]

Hey Walter, I love the channel. Did you ever make a follow up video to this? I'd love to hear how well it worked. Thanks again for the great channel.

[@raynierllewis2827]

He obviously

[@dannyzorn1354]

Awesome opening! Haha

[@mikeredrugger]

Very cool

[@bazlur-Vancouver]

You can use the top side and use abrasive paper to remove the surface layer and that will give a good sharpening surface.

[@konosekainoseigi7913]

YOur back!!

[@gimlisrage5]

Hey! Thanks for all the nice videos and the effort ! I have a video request: Have you ever heard about the nepalese khukuris? I just recently been to Nepal and got one and these things, they make a really good job in the woods. They are partially hardend and they have a beautiful convex grind. Mabe you can show us how its done! Greetings from germany.

[@n1ghtmarekn1ves40]

While you're in a sharpening mood, you should talk about sharpening hawkbill/ karambit blades. I just made a pretty nice karambit and it was a real pain in the ass to get it to paper-cutting sharp.

[@offendaman]

haha best intro! great vid as usual

[@cracusivanda7762]

Tank you ! .

[@simonhopkins3867]

Thanks Mr Faircloth.

[@MrJsteed2009]

Great intro, Walter! I think you are ready for Masterpiece Theater on PBS ;-)

[@PetesCreativeRecycling]

When are you going to do the video discussing your time on Forged in Fire? I finally got a chance to see it and man that thing was pretty! The outcome made me sad though.

[@sethstanbury6126]

Liked that intro!

[@jackdawg4579]

Had a look Walter, did you end up making a video showing how to use this? If you did I cant find it!

[@DB-cx6cb]

Nice video, simple and to the point. Will I need to purchase all that machinery to make a strop?

[@IvorMektin1701]

Sooh fauncy Mr. Faircloth.

[@chaseradd]

Hey Walter! Love your videos. Looking for your advice. I just bought a very nice Kramer Chefs knife and my wife cleaned it with a scouting pad and scratched up both faces of the blade. Is there anything you recommend to polish or buff out the scratches without ruining the blade or causing more damage, or am I out of luck? Much appreciated!

[@II-MEDIC-II]

Thanks again Walter another great lesson cutting through the BS.

[@gilsonandrade1092]

Muito bom parabéns

[@sullysullivan9320]

I made one out of an old belt I use for chisels and carving knives. I stop before, during and after depending on what wood I'm carving at the time.

[@jamesr6815]

just ordered belts from combat abrasives very reasonable prices thanks Walter

[@whitehoose]

Shadow and Maxwell are right. You have to remember a knife is a tool, sometime like a razor with a very specific function - so generalisation is very difficult... but Sharpening, grinding, honing or lapping - call it whatever you want, removes part of the blade leaving anything from a rough serration to a fine smooth mirror finish edge. Because the edge of a razor is tempered to be hard and almost brittle - the final microns of the edge tend to form a curled "wire"... the point at which that wire breaks is the actual cutting edge. For a razor just breaking the wire would leave an unpleasant roughness - that edge needs to be smooth. With razors the charged (usually red rouge) "strop" is actually a combination lapping and edge wire breaking tool. It's used because the edge of a razor is tempered to be slightly harder and more brittle colour than you'd normally use on a knife. The strop has the same action as a chef's steel in that it's to shape and polish the formed cutting edge. For most knives you'd use whatever grits you feel appropriate to form the edge - Chef's knives often benefit from leaving some of the ragging as it grabs into whatever you're cutting. The samurai's blacksmiths as well as nerd sharpeners intent on butchering sheets of paper will work up to ridiculously fine stones and finish with a charged strop to finely polish the edge to produce a push cut for exhibition use to impress their audience. However the samurai recognised their swords were killing tools not paper scissors. Before going into battle the master sharpener would use a coarse stone to rag the edges of the swords so they'd grip (and rip) into flesh with more devastating results (ask any active soldier how hard it is to withdraw a polished blade - you need an edge - but you also need grip and grooves and ragging to break the vacuum.) Plain leather strop is then used to gently break the wire without leaving edges that are too jagged - like a steel - the strop shapes the edge it doesn't create it. You can use wood, news paper, leather ... or the palm of your hand to strop an edge. Stropping shouldn't be confused with sharpening Stropping REVEALS and shapes the edge it doesn't form it. Using a soft material protects and preserves your edge while you give your blade that finishing touch just as sheathing a knife protects the edge from dings - it doesn't sharpen it

[@eiward]

Andy White Nobody: This f-ing guy: 🤔😀😃🤪🥳😛😝🤪🥵🤤🤤🤤

[@YourAverageReviews]

Which side do you prefer? I have a leather strop I want to glue to a piece of wood soon and can't decide if I want suede or smooth side up.

[@farges76]

It helps for knives which aren't perfectly straight edged if you make the stropping block slightly curved you DO have to adjust the stroke motion by pulling it across the stropp in two directions. IE, pulling in the direction of edge to spine, and also tip to handle, as you would a curved blade anyway. The big difference is that for recurve blades, it fits into it a WHOLE lot better.

[@chetanpanchal5517]

Ooh u r great narrator, love ur voice

[@1d3d4f5s2d]

denim from some old jeans can work as a substitute for the leather. not even close to as good but gets the job done

[@sonikboom007]

that scarf joint makes me suspect someone may have been planning on using that mahogany for a replacemnt guitar neck...

[@gearoiddom]

It's a little short. Maybe a uke?!

[@tsloth1390]

Gary Madden without the headstock (which is what the scarf joint is for) it seems like it could be about a 3/4 size guitar neck. Uke and Mando necks are quite short, we’re talking like 10”

[@crypto_pinto2660]

I have one piece of leather to use for a strop so do I glue the leather with the suede facing out or the smooth side facing out which works better for knife sharpening

[@devindarwin9878]

Epic Intro. What compound were you using on the strip during use?

[@wsmaga]

cool video.

[@thegreybeardpiper]

Did you ever do a video on the knife you used to cut the leather?

[@fiveletters]

Any recommendations regarding a rouge or otherwise loading the strop?

[@heathschwab]

Thanks for a good idea don't do good at sharping my knifes wish I could find a easy way. maybe this way. thanks for showing how. god bless.

[@mugflub]

This alone will not sharpen a knife. You will still need sharpening stones if the knife is at all dull. First, use a honing steel to see if it brings back the edge. If not, you need to get some sharpening stones and then use the leather strop at the very end just to finish the edge and bring it to peak sharpness.

[@heathschwab]

Ok thanks. Yea I got some cheap stones but I fish alot and as soon as my knife fills like it's going dule I sharpen or try not to good. But thanks sir.

[@mugflub]

It takes a lot of practice!

[@RoyFernbach]

2 suggestions... would have made the "handle" longer and made the paddle width the same width of the leather... no reason to waste the leather. Just a thought. Thanx for the video.

[@Stephen-ug2fs]

Thats a very good point. Im new to it all and I am thinking that more coverage at angle has no disadvantages right? If anything may avoid pressure variations if you strop off the edge more? I bought a strop and I am looking forward to making my own. I think that the green compound might be the best overall choice to get that egde clean and shiny consistently but would like to hear if you have suggestions on other compounds for normal finishing after lets say a 1000 grit hone or so. NIce video to the maker though.

[@Jordan_C_Wilde]

I agree with the longer handle part, but why make a strop as wide as a cutting board when you don't need it ? Those straps of leather he cut off aren't useless, so it's not exactly wasted leather.

[@Stephen-ug2fs]

Well yes Im betting you could use those scraps, but im betting the vast majority will put them somewhere and forget about them. I think for me its more about going wider to cover more surface area on the strop stroke. A more uniform stroke covering more of the edge at once may mean a better strop in general. Picking at hairs a bit but that's why I feel that way to cut the board a little wider to give an extra inch or so.

[@johncrawley6122]

Stephen j

[@nixter8739]

Take the scrap and loop it thru the whole in the handle. the loop will accomodate a larger peg or a hook. Solves leather "waste" and increases storage options.

[@maxagent86]

Exactly which transfer tape did you use (perhaps a link)? Thanks in advance.

[@blueovalfan23]

lol oops... i used hobby lobby scrap to make mine and 1/2" pine. paired it with green harbor freight compound, cheap being the theme here. it works great but ya have to have the blade sharp before using it. it doesn't take much off. if you haven't done this yet, do it make one and try it out. it's awesome what it does. oh and i used e6000 glue on mine with the smooth/finished side down. that tooling leather would be better but a fine piece of unfinished leather will work.

[@walterdampier1680]

Please tell me what the exact name of the tape you used and where I can get it thank you so much Glenn

[@mugflub]

Looked like a much higher angle on the return stroke. Was I imagining that?

[@ArrogantBaSStard]

I have an Illinois razor strop and an old leather weight lifting belt. Can I use the leather from one of those? Thanks!

[@luisbarrueta8207]

Could I use a carwash sham thing? as a leather strop?

[@AdirondackBadger]

what kind of knife is that you are using to cut the leather?

[@randomescu]

i used to like serrated knifes, i dont like it anymore. but sometimes a knife with microserrations, sharpened on max 600 grit its way better then a polished edge knife. so sometimes i try not to create a burr and be forced to use a strop.

[@peterbennpan7288]

What is the sharpening compound you was sharpening the knife with called?

[@GottaWannaDance]

Can I use a leather belt. I see different ones at Vinnie's for a buck or two. Thanks!

[@cjdogs69]

this opens the door for an "ugly strop" episode walter lol...mine may be the ugliest on the planet but it works great! lol

[@DavidWaeldervideo]

I'm new , intro poking at TV drama? Is Forged in Fire any good ? My grandfather made a similar design, he was a fine cabinet maker - good human-and radio operator/ repairman. No wood finish on his either. Oils used have given it nice finish over the years. Thank you for videos. Anybody fill me in ? Cheers eh Go easy

[@bmxriderforlife1234]

Hey walter, completely unrelated question to the video but, other then your katana and other japanese style swords, have you ever done any other types of swords?

[@lrgadv]

Hello! It's only the leather or you put some abrasive powder on it?

[@Peteru69]

Apex your edge with any grit, get that burr going. Strop until the burr is gone. D-d-d-done. Your blade is now sharp. When you can do that confidently you can add more steps in the form of progressively higher grit stones/sand paper (your preferred method).

[@samn6201]

Can you do a tour of your shop? Also what tips do you have to keep your shop organized?

[@WalterSorrellsBlades]

My plan is to do a sort of before and after when I move from the current shop to my next shop. As for shop organization, I'm the last guy on the planet to have anything useful to say on that score! :)

[@samn6201]

lol I spent two hours today trying to organize my shop that is crammed with tools but is only the size of a walk-in closet. do you have a system of lots of boxes to put stuff in. you are a professional knifemaker you must have some way to find things, and clear up space.

[@Mat-kr1nf]

What sort of knife did you cut the leather with?

[@manguydude905]

Are you using tormek honing paste or autosol? Thanks

[@kgray6171]

Hey walter would it be alright if i sent you a photo of my knife i'm making when i finish it?

[@freedom2able]

Great cheap way of doing things

[@parkwayconcepts8758]

"There's not really a right way to do this." 😁

[@buddhamack1491]

Don't use super glue like Walter says. Indeed I did end up with a couple of hard spots from it soaking through. But I was able to score them a bit and soften them up enough so they didn't cause much of an issue.

[@ianleicester7066]

i heard that 2mm veg tan leather is better than 3mm ? more firm like basswood ? any comments before i make one , many thanks.

[@chrisxx012]

what about compounds

[@bearclawws]

Thank you for sharing and teaching Walter, you are much appreciated. Liked and sub'd!

[@rafynafy]

Hey Walter. What type of compounds U put on each side??? Pls Branf name & type. Thx

[@tonybowers9490]

Ye Old Chap. At first I thought I'd clicked on a Masterpiece Theater episode by mistake!

[@j.craigh.3480]

2 sided tape, great idea!

[@hdblacksmith8397]

Please what ist that silver paste what you use on stropping?

[@amightyatom]

Dominik Hnilica The grey/silver colour is from the tiny bits of metal coming off the 'burr' that he is trying to rub off the edge. The cutting compound/paste was probably white hence the silvery colour.

[@hdblacksmith8397]

Thank you

[@kramerdesign9443]

That intro!

[@daw162]

Hide glue or contact cement would be more sensible for the glue, especially since it's beneficial to oil a strop and a light adhesive might not hold it. Two sided is a bad idea - just a way to sit the strop down periodically on contaminants on both sides. If you want two strops make two paddles so that the leather stays clean. Horse butt strip is a better choice for leather that compound will be used on, the bovine leather is fine if the leather is clean and oiled but too soft for something with compound.

[@ChuckBurry]

He clearly stated that the tape is not a light adhesive. Furthermore, 2 sides are necessary if you want to use 2 different grit stropping compounds.

[@spikebaltar5071]

Two side strop won't kill you.

[@RErnie-gv1hv]

Could be that's why he made one end into a hanger.

[@killmimes]

Where did you purchase your marking knife?

[@64t120r]

LMAO! Great opening.

[@JoseRodriguez-jv2bq]

ohhh I lake the intro. k gooing

[@consueloh140]

this should be a woodworking video

[@coen8323]

Consuelo H it is

[@ultratec66]

How wide was the leather?

[@JackRobin86]

What about leather from a belt, Walter? Will that work?

[@dannybeeson5084]

KyleG. if the belt is a single piece of real, not faux, leather then it'll work as long as the smooth side hasn't been embossed.

[@seaderforge]

You got a "thumbs up" within the first 5 seconds... didn't even finish the video yet

[@osirisbladeworks6219]

I just caught ur forged in fire episode.... I about cried for u when the final weapon was a Japanese weapon! It's almost like they invited you because they knew u would have slayed it!!! I enjoy ur videos brother, they have taught me a ton! Actually, come to think of it u wouldn't happen to know anything about making straight razors or kamisoris would you? It would be a cool video!

[@Trebz50]

Can anyone provide us with a link to some suitable leather on Ebay or similar.

[@xxxFLIPSYDExxx]

Trebz50 If you have a "HOBBY LOBBY" store in your area, they sell a big bag of scrap leather thats perfect for making strops, for about $10..

[@daktaklakpak5059]

Saw an expert who swore on thin Kangaroo leather. And he applied a tiny bit of tallow before using green compound. Makes using a sharpening stone of any sort pretty much unnecessary for kitchen knifes.