Strop Talk: My Methods and Materials for Stropping Knives

[@B_Dizzle]

This is probably the best vid I've seen on the subject. I've always wondered about the angle I should be using when stropping. Thanks.

[@05generic]

That was fun to watch Rob. Thanks for sharing.

[@nickwodka8080]

you can always spot a man with sharp knives by the missing patches of hair on his forearms! Thanks for the informative vid!

[@zeroed4x]

Great tutorial, the feel is the key like you mentioned. I have been using your same exact method all my life and it's the only way I know how to do it. Thanks

[@agger732]

I've been sharpening freehand or with the gatco sharpening system similar to a lansky but switched to the edge pro apex a little over a year ago and won't go back. Just started stropping a few weeks ago. I'm pretty new to it but I've been doing it over the corrugated side of cardboard from any regular old box and I was impressed with the results in addition to my sharpening methods. Great pointers Rob! This will definitely improve my stropping skills. Thanks for the pointers and God bless you!

[@clapton924]

I just received a StropMan strop in the mail the other day. It is excellent quality if you decide to go that route. I went with the white and green compounds. The only downside is that each strop is made to order, and they are currently ~30 days back-logged with orders.

[@ilnomedisponibile]

Great video.. Very informative. I'd like to add another factor in the stropping/overstropping equation. You mantioned PRESSURE and ANGLE ... But (at least IMO) also the stiffness of the leather is a key factor. On a very stiff/hard leather is very difficult to round the edge even with mid/high pressure..becouse it acts like a stone, but in this case you'll have to be more precise with the angle . On the other hand a very soft leather acts like a sponge and will round the edge easier with higher pressure applied. In this scenario the blade/strop angle can be less precise becouse of the give that the leather has.

[@SunClaw]

Hi Rob, I thank you for the informative videos. I am stroping my knives with 3 compounds black white and green. I applied the black and white compound to some seatbelt material, and the green to a piece of leather. My edges have improved the edges seems to cut with less resistance and is quieter when cutting. Cool stuff.

[@TheApostleP]

I think stropping is a lot like putting -- the tools and techniques vary, but there are many ways to make the ball disappear :)

[@SweetSpotSC]

Thanks for the video. Great advice. I made my own strop following Gavko's tutorial, epoxyed leather to a 2x4. Loaded it up with some green compound and it does the trick for my needs. I hope to elevate my sharpening skills to your level someday. Have a great day.

[@VOLTAGEVARIANT]

Thanks for all the tips on stropping, I needed to hear that. Hahaha, think I've been doing it wrong for quite awhile now.

[@annschaefer3746]

Good video, have to show my husband. I remember my grandpa doing it sort of this way!

[@bryanwavechapman1]

I use a dry corn cob with a light dusting of Portland cement. But your method actually looks just as good or better.

[@TheApostleP]

That, my friend, is innovation!

[@bryanwavechapman1]

Aww shucks...

[@louie9621]

Good advice and instructive. 8 yrs ago this was done so idk if you're still around, but I'd like to know what exactly you did wrong in the beginning that made stropping worse on the blades. I'm having the same issues now. I think your advice here will help, just wanted to know specifically where you went wrong to see if those are my mistakes as well.

[@mantanna2]

Great video to watch..I have the same Sebbi 21 and use the same process. You can't fully dismiss the other methods..in the field I just take my belt off ( a good quality leather belt helps), tie it to a tree and strop by hand..all good to go again. Its an art that becomes refined following screw ups..would recommend to a newbie to experiment on a blade you don't really like. I too love to strop!

[@TheApostleP]

Excellent points all, my friend! I especially like the last one. There was a time that I was beginning to think stropping was counterproductive... because I sucked at it! LOL!

[@blanex1]

thanks,i was on my way to over thinking the strop! was going to buy some kangaroo leather for my edge pro,so i'll stay with the basics'plane old home made leather strop x2 one for white and the other for green compounds,hard to beat/tried and true,thanks for your video.

[@paulcostley6800]

thank you! I have been wondering why my knives seemed to be getting duller after stropping.

[@Zechs00GT]

I love strop talk.

[@tayloralbrecht8362]

Your the man rob love all your videos

[@Chingus696]

A few drops of olive oil cleans up your strop straight away and you don't have to scrape and take material off the leather. Give it a try next time.

[@MrRoboto1963]

Don't know if you will still check this old video, but what method do you use to clean the smooth side of leather? I never feel like I've actually brought it back to original texture. I've read before that some oil on the leather will help remove old material, but what do I rub it off with, a terry cloth rag, or something similar? Thanks for the great videos. I learned a lot about fixed angle sharpening machine techniques from your videos a couple years back. Appreciate your help

[@randyparker8009]

Really enjoyed the video and the tips. I was talking to Rob at K.M.E. the other 30 to 40 minutes and he goes along with what you said about all this super grits.He also spoke very highly of you Deano knife guy smokeeater and i will have to say he never put down any sharpening system super nice all have a very blessed day Randy.

[@TheApostleP]

Thanks for sharing that conversation, Randy. I know Dean O uses KME equipment, and frankly, it looks pretty interesting. I love how quickly it just swings over to switch sides of the knife. I've never talked with Rob, but I think I should. Have a blessed day, brother!

[@tadpolethehunter]

I strop using the old fashion barber method; hang my strop on an elevated surface and move back and fourth. But mines a poor man's strop. Old leather dog collar with a blue compound.

[@buckeyeimaging]

TheApostleP has put together a great instructional video on stropping. well worth your watching if you sharpen knives!

[@TheApostleP]

Thanks for the kind words :)

[@smokingunclefrank6037]

Great advice I've learned something useful thanks

[@JPATNORMAN77]

Thanks, all your videos are very informing.

[@frenchieedc7602]

I grind down the shoulder of my folding blades at 10 degrees (my edges are at 36 degrees inclusive). Like that when i strop my knives,i can strop them with a very low angle and it always touch the apex of the edge and keep them sharp longer (almost indefinitely) before i need to resharpen them on my Edge Pro. I have learned this from VirtuoVice.

[@xderiwx]

Does the information you provided here about the correct angles/pressure to strop at apply if you're using a micro bevel?

[@MyREDTAIL]

Still no idea of where you got that skid proof stuff, I would like to get some for my self also.

[@aljohnson2439]

😲 I have his 4 coumpoud set. Made 2 double sided strops using 2 1/2" leather from Tandy (6-7 oz). Works great. Be Blessed.

[@BOOSTEDLASER]

I got some horsehide veggy tanned leather . ( I was told this is best) Should I use the shallow/super soft firm side or the more fuzzy side? or 1 of each? Should I leave one un touched and 1 compound? ALL my knives are convex from my work sharp belt system. ANY info would be great Semper Fi

[@wolfganghaeussler]

Great video, Rob, enjoyed it, thank you! For the EPA there are 2000, 3000 and 6000 polish tapes available. Does it make sense to polish up to 6000 and then strop on the gray and green side? I'm just wondering if the 2-3 microns of the gray strop are too coarse and will scratch the polished edge.

[@TheApostleP]

Wolfgang Häussler I like to stop at 2000 on the tapes, then go to the strop. The give in the leather seems to do a better job polishing out scratches from previous grits than the upper level tapes do.

[@BirdShotIV]

Excellent video, enjoyed it very much :)

[@travisthejiu-jitsuguy3743]

That nonskid base for the strop would seem to be gym floor rubber. Rubber mat with 10% EPDM color flakes.

[@OnTheEdge5950]

Good video Rob!

[@SnwBrdFrvr]

Is this still your philosophy? If I take my edge down to .10 micron films on my kme would I be ruining that scary sharp edge stripping it by hand with green compound? I can't feel a bur after that 160,000 grit film and it's sharp enough to whittle hairs. Just got all these films but all I have is an old homemade strip and green compound from Sears. The green compound worked good with my old 1200 grit edges but the edges are sharper now then they have ever been after stropping.

[@palefire]

Thanks! I keep wondering what the "M.M." you mention at the end stands for. Making Money? I googled tracks and info from The Police / Sting but found nothing called "initials M.M." I do know "Initials BB" by Serge Gainsbourg but that was not about stropping ;-)

[@TheApostleP]

+Frans Goddijn My bad, Frans... Don't know what I was thinking. It was Sammy Hagar in "There's Only One Way To Rock."

[@ericzugnoni5763]

@@TheApostleP p

[@richardrivard487]

You helped me so much

[@aljohnson2439]

Where do you get your compounds?

[@TheApostleP]

Al Johnson I get my wax based sticks from Stropman, and my sprays & emulsions from KSF and CKTG.

[@einzigkeit7216]

Thank you very much, very informative.

[@knifesharpeningnorway]

not too be rude but the angle should actually be 2 degrees lower. wicked edge have found this out and many other to as the leather is soft it will kiss the very edge. of very hard leather then strop at samme angle you sharpen. if you strop at higher angle you will change the bevel and put on a micro bevel and in worst case rund it of and ruin all your work

[@TheApostleP]

Not to be equally rude, but 2 degrees less is rather an arbitrary number with so many variables in the mix, like steel, hardness, compliance of a given leather, pressure used by the person stropping, etc. did you arrive at that number by stripping hundreds of knives yourself or did you read it in a forum? Also, how do you measure that 2 degrees while you're stropping? I'm all ears...

[@knifesharpeningnorway]

+TheApostleP steel dont mather hardness of leather yes thats why i said on soft leather 2 degrees under on firm leather samme angle as ypu sharpen as i said wicked edge says the samme. i am a profesionall sharpener so have sharpend around a rough estimate 1000-1200 knifes for customers i use a microscope with 110-500x magnification to check. if you know anything about sharpening you know leather can easily rund a edge by one or two degrees higher or create a microbevel. going lower in worst case you arent hitting the edge and polishing/blending the shoulder. v edges shouldnt be on leather at all but on either for example balsa or mdf or likewise hard material. a v edge will get slightly convex under stropping. i always check with microscope. even asked several norwegian knifemakers they say the same as me. as leather is soft it conforms to the edge so you need slightly lower angle. how you can measure a lower angle? well you can sharpen freehand i guess if not you arent qualified in my eyes to strop freehand. you can do as good a job on stones freehand as with stropping. stropping is a way of cheating/easier way to get a better edge and you can be slightly not much but slightly more sloppy than a stone. i never strop a v edge on leather then you ruin the v edge and make it convex

[@knifesharpeningnorway]

+TheApostleP and you can always use a sharpie too mark the edge and start stropping way to low. then work higher until you got the right angle but starting to high is a less desired thing 😉 i have sharpend everything from a esee junglas and axes too honyaki knifes that cost several thousands dollars... all get samma atention jidt different bevels and finnish acording to steel and work etc etc. not saying you are doing anything wrong just saying its way easier too start low than high

[@nicholasallan9248]

I've got to say knife sharpening Norway is making sense..........

[@T.A.B.Videos]

Nice simple video. Subbed

[@TheApostleP]

***** Great to have you aboard! Merry Christmas!

[@biguy525]

Good informative video.

[@dougporteous7508]

Very informative.

[@Cooldibs]

Where can I get a good piece of leather?

[@MrRoboto1963]

Amazon has some good supplies of leather, sharpening compounds, etc.

[@sputumtube]

Love the bald patch on your (very hairy) left arm.....hahaha!!

[@TheApostleP]

+paul greenwood How'd that get there? ;)

[@Player_Review]

That was a fantastic Christian knife stropping. Interesting sign off.

[@dwainsw4076]

So much of sharpening is feel. I don't have it yet.

[@raphaelcvaz]

Nice video

[@richardrivard487]

Thank you so much

[@Jack3dBrett]

Thanks for this.

[@mikeg3950]

9:54 wtf lol

[@alon3232]

great explanation good/bad method on that drawings

[@lumspond]

Rob, thought you might like this article on stropping and edges. www3.telus.net/BrentBeach/Sharpen/Stropping.html

[@TheApostleP]

That's a pretty interesting page, but I think Mr. Beach might be working with some pretty high-tech, i.e. expensive, machinery and fixturing for his plane irons. He's "honing" or lapping with a fixture down to 0.5 microns, to completely optimal geometry, so for him and his process, stropping would make his edge worse. But for most of us sharpening knives, we aren't getting to where he is with his plane irons off the sharpener -- probably nowhere near that. But for his process and applications, he is completely correct.

[@ardvarkkkkk1]

If it is anything but red, it is NOT rouge.