Morris Kaye & Sons. Lets begin with a few questions: Answering those requires knowing what kind of tool(s) needs to be cared for. This is what i use when I need to hand polish and hone an edge. :confused: I think the best side for me is the smooth side charged with abrasive. I love all the diamond sharpening products I've bought from them. What is the difference between honing and stropping? WebIncluded in the leather stropping block kit is a strop compound, which helps hone your blades much faster Customized Honing: Both sides of the leather strop for knives may be used for honing. I just gave the whole thing a try. YP, the YP logo and all other YP marks contained herein are trademarks of YP LLC and/or YP affiliated companies. One caveat, if the knife is too dull or very thick, a bare leather strop is not very effective; in such case, sharpen it on stones instead. just use the weight of the knife and light pressure, just riding on top of the leather. Each compound, paste or spray has a different grit and will remove metal at a different rate from the blade. Which needs the rough side with about a 300 grit slurry applied. I have a bad habit of doing it first and asking questions later. I could be wrong and if I am could somebody please explain why I am wrong. CBN Stropping Compound in Tube 0.5 micron. However, if using a stropping compound, almost any wood will work. Some razor sharpeners prefer to strop with the linen side first because it cleans the razor blade before the final strop with the leather, further refining the sharpness of the blade. Leather Strops Because that would be a waste. Once you get to the end of the strop, lift the blade back up. leather strop When sharpening a knife with a beveled edge, you will want to use the suede side of the strop. 2 - making strop paste Strops are probably one of the most simple tools to keep the edge on your Honey Badger Knives razor sharp. Unlike sharpening, you move your knife in the direction of the back of the knife. A strop in its most basic form is a flat surface capable of holding a stropping compound. ive got two i made from an old work belt, basically use the shiny side for both because by trial and error i prefered the shiny over the rough and the rough seemed to loose allot of leather to the abrasion of stropping. Youre now ready to use your newly sharpened knife or another metal object! I use veeery thin, veg tanned leather with the nap side up. i keep one charged with a red rouge and the other with a more abrasive compound made for stainless and other metals. Strops - Smooth or rough side Nothing more. It won't cut a hair by dropping it on the edge at all, but I'm trying. Ill share what I have learned along the way about leather strops. Before this I used oil stones 300, 800, 1200 and a white Arkansas. You are using an out of date browser. #2. Easily the most common type of strop available on the market today. I know what the leather side does but what does canvas do? And I'll generally take a stand-up mercenary who takes pride in his professionalism over an artist any day. Once my razor has an edge though, I only use leather before each shave. Typically its rough side up for a strop. / Forums / General Woodworking Discussions / Tools and Tool Maintenance/Restoration / Leather strop: which side up? smooth side When stropping a straight razor, the smooth side of the leather strop is most effective, and the suede is V-tools come in various angles; for this demonstration, Ive chosen 90. If your leather strop becomes dirty or stained, it can be cleaned with soap and water. Free shipping for many products! Now, if only I can actually get it sharp Ill keep trying. WebApply the Coarse Black, the more abrasive one, and start stropping as showed above. ) The first is the grain of the leather. #7. It is the microscopic material that remains and curls up along the new edge. This is best achieved using a hard, flat surface for stropping and the fuzzy side of the leather coated with a stropping compound. To the human eye, blades appear to be smooth. What can be used as a stropping compound? Typically, most strops are about 2- inches (50-63mm) wide. So far I have survived quite happily without it. Premade leather strops with a convenient handle are readily available and very easy to use. DIY Leather Edge Beveler Strop I only use the canvas after honing and before the leather. Once submitted, any posts, images, or content become the property of Badger & Blade. DURABLE BRASS HARDWARE: made with durable screw hardware - genuine brass screws will allow easy replacement of both: leather and canvas strop. Great information! This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. Both suede and smooth leathers, technically known as flesh side and grain side, are used. Included in the horse butt leather strop kit is a strop compound, which helps hone your blades much faster While it is the best option, Leather is not the only option. However, some sharpeners are satisfied with the results of stropping with the suede alone. SHARPAL 127N Dual-Grit (Coarse 325 / Extra Fine 1200) My strops are always 3 wide, 3/4 thick and 10 long. Do you use the smooth or rough side of a strop? The strops do work very well though. I need something besides smooth leather alone. The secret of veg tan leathers natural ability to maintain the edge of a blade is that the leather retains the majority of its microscopic silicates during the tanning process. White is rated at 9000 grit which is more abrasive than green. Thank you Tom Fidgen for teaching this In a pinch, if there is a way to sharpen the blade, then running it across a leather belt will knock the burr off leaving a crisp, clean edge. So, its grain side up for me. "Practicing your craft in expert fashion is noble, honorable, and satisfying. When stropping a straight razor, the smooth side of the leather stropis most effective, and the suede is best for larger blades such as a carving knife. Place The Straight Razor Blade Correctly. So we prefer cereal box cardboard (put the compound on the inner side) put the Repeat with both sides until the blade is honed, about three to five strokes per side. I love strops. While other materials are used, leather strops are usually made. When I bought the paste I was ready to buy a new set of chisels because I just couldn't get them sharp enough. / 2m paracord wraps around the open-frame handle for comfortable grip and can be removed and used for a variety of survival tasks if needed. Stropping regularly will keep the razor nice and sharp and prevent cuts when shaving. They need to reduce what they charge drastically to reflect the terrible job they do. YP advertisers receive higher placement in the default ordering of search results and may appear in sponsored listings on the top, side, or bottom of the search results page. Strops LEATHER This applies to stropping belts, straps and stropping paddles. It may not display this or other websites correctly. It does matter espically if your stropping after coarse sharpening. I don't think it's the strop, or leather, but the compound/technique that is holding me back. When a blade of any kind has just been freshly sharpened, a burr is formed. Which side of the leather? Sharp Pebble Strops Sharpening Supplies 12 Double Sided Paddle Strop. Cut a piece of leather that is at least 12 inches long and at least twice as wide as the finished skive will be. Be careful not to cut all the way through and remove any leather pieces from the edge. If a you use green regularly and never let your knife get less than razor sharp, then green is all youll ever need unless you damage the edge. For stropping without compound, oil tan leather is still a popular option among both enthusiasts and professionals. Then I wondered if I put right side of the leather up. This combination works very well for getting my knives very sharp. The strop is used to realign the microscopic pieces of metal along the edge. For example, if you would like to create a skive that is inch wide, you would need to cut a piece of leather that is at least 12 inches long and inch wide. This combination of coarse grains from both the smooth leather and the compound gives the blade an extra refined and polished finish. It may not display this or other websites correctly. I'm pretty much convinced that much like shaving with a straight razor stropping is 96% technique and 4% equipment. For using with white compound (AlO), I use the flesh/nap/rough side of horse butt leather. If they have not been maintained, a visit with the local leatherworker or boot maker/repair shop may be required to restore the leather. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Which side of leather Do you strop with? KnowledgeBurrow.com For Sale: Custom & Semi Production Knives (Dealer), KnifeMaker's Market: Knives & More for Sale, Wanted: Knifemaker / Craftsman / Related Services, Busse / Swamprat / Scrapyard Knives For Sale, For Sale: Traditionals, Slipjoints, "Old Timey", International (Non-US) For Sale & Trade Forums. As a sharpener, why would the type of leather matter you strop a blade with? Leather Strop WebThe fuzzier side of the leather is preferred by many crafters including woodworkers and leathercrafters for its ability to hold stropping compound. I'll need several months before I have a real firm opinion on the matter. For Sale: Custom & Semi Production Knives (Dealer), KnifeMaker's Market: Knives & More for Sale, Wanted: Knifemaker / Craftsman / Related Services, Busse / Swamprat / Scrapyard Knives For Sale, For Sale: Traditionals, Slipjoints, "Old Timey", International (Non-US) For Sale & Trade Forums. Can you use a leather strop without compound? WebLeather strop compounds come in four colors mainly: black, white, red, and green. YP - The Real Yellow PagesSM - helps you find the right local businesses to meet your specific needs. A skive is a thin piece of leather that is cut from the edge of a thicker piece. The main thing is, make sure whatever youre using isnt doing more damage than good. The smooth leather helps to create a finely sharpened blade by gently resetting the microscopic teeth on the blade into place. The fine side works better after finer grit sharpening. Real Leather vs Genuine Leather: Clear Up the Misunderstanding. If you dont want to buy a leather strop you can make a very simple cardboard strop with components that you probably already have lying around at home. One side of the leather strop is smooth, while the other has a rough surface. Anyway if you are not using a compound you would want smooth side up for best results; otherwise it doesnt make much of a difference. You must log in or register to reply here. Need to contact the B&B Team? Which side of leather for strop The suede side is also a good option if you choose to use a compound to fine tune the stropping process. The leather half of the dual strop is oriented smooth side out. Now I use the strops I made and keep the chisels in tip-top shape in addition to my knives. 1,091. How to Strop a Knife Strop A Knife Perfectly The First Time Straight razors are traditionally stropped on smooth leather. You can also use sandpaper instead, but be careful not to scratch or damage the side facing up while you are working on it! With the help of a ruler or measuring tape, mark the leather at inch intervals along one edge. The smooth side is used for polishing the blade while the rough side is used for honing the blade. We were going to be, This is one of the WORST online companies I have ever dealt with! The reason Paul uses the rough side, as mentioned by Greg above, is because he doesnt use a strop in the conventional sense and so requires lots of compound and the dampening effect. Now they are as sharp as new. WebPepper Jackson Leather Company. Its the same as polishing an edge with a Japanese waterstone that is about #8,000 grit or #10,000 grit. Instead, you should use a honing stone to achieve the desired results. Welcome! Often, sharpeners who use the smooth leather side of the strop do not use much, if any compound. The first step is to attach the leather strop to a solid surface. Whether. i use mine rough side up as this is what was recommended by Paul as he uses an upholstery grade leather left over from seats that he makes. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for HANGING KANGAROO LEATHER KNIFE STROP DUAL TYPES TAIL ONE SIDE SKIN THE OTHER at the best online prices at eBay!