Thread: Knife stropping

I was wondering if stropping a knife is the same as stropping a razor? In that I mean do you lay the spine on the strop, or do you need to match the grind of the knife. I have stropped a few kitchen knives, but they seam about the same or a little duller then when I started. I used the "razor technique" where you lay the spine down then roll it at the end of each pass
Red

I use different strops for knives, not the same strops for my razors. My knives are much rougher than my razors in construction, especially the spine of my knives.

Most all my edges on knives are convex bevels, lying them flat on a strop will do little to no help on the edge. I raise the spine & loosen the tension.

No let me finish with, "I'm no expert in stropping knives or razors."

What is the steel and heat treat? Some knifes don't do well with stropping. And you may not want a fine edge for each application

I strop using the angle of the bevel normally, same angle I sharpen, but that's just me.

Angle of the bevel.

I angle the blade so as to closely match the bevel. I use my razor strop for my knives, too; I find them completely compatible.

Being that really fine razor strops are expensive to get I will Not put any knife to mine UNless, the knife has gone through my stone progression, which is rarely to get to the finishers.
My thinking is that the coarser stones may leave grit and metal particles that could damage a razor.
When I get to posting pics, I'll post a Bow strop I made and use for knives, the same principle would work well for razors too, you'll see, the tension is Always the same.

Originally Posted by FAL

Being that really fine razor strops are expensive to get I will Not put any knife to mine UNless, the knife has gone through my stone progression, which is rarely to get to the finishers.
My thinking is that the coarser stones may leave grit and metal particles that could damage a razor.
When I get to posting pics, I'll post a Bow strop I made and use for knives, the same principle would work well for razors too, you'll see, the tension is Always the same.

Yes please do. I would be interested in seeing a bow strop, and possibly making one if it is not difficult.

Originally Posted by Rami

What is the steel and heat treat? Some knifes don't do well with stropping. And you may not want a fine edge for each application

I strop using the angle of the bevel normally, same angle I sharpen, but that's just me.

Not sure about steels, or heat treats. Two of the knives are Spanish made Henckels kitchen knives and the other is an old Case paring knife my parents had. They are all stainless I believe.
red

My strop has New Era MF'G CO. 476 B'Way N.Y stamped on it. Cost me 2 bucks at an estate sale, so I am not too worried about tearing it up. Also don't have a razor to strop yet( have a Kinfolks, but it needs honing).
red

Originally Posted by redtruck

Not sure about steels, or heat treats. Two of the knives are Spanish made Henckels kitchen knives and the other is an old Case paring knife my parents had. They are all stainless I believe.
red

Steel might be too soft for stropping to make it better. How did you sharpen them?