Stropping a Knife - A How-To Video from Canadian Cutting Edge University
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ส.ค. 2024
- How to make a PADDLE Leather strop: • How I Make A Wood Padd...
Stropping Compounds and other Stropping Products: • STROPPING Compound Pro...
Knives might be THE most important tool that human society has come up with, and we have perfected it over millennia until it has become a piece of art and yet, it remains a key tool for humanity.
Keeping a knife sharp and ready for use is one of the goals we always strive for. We need ways to keep our knives sharp for as long as possible and we are constantly looking for ways to quickly get our knives BACK to that sharp and ready state when they do come to a point where they need maintenance.
Stropping on leather has been around for so long that there is no way to find out where the idea came from. And yet, many people don't strop or they don't know how to strop. In this video I attempt to show a simple way to prepare and use a leather strop so that your knife won't have to be sharpened as often. Traditional sharpening removes a fair amount of metal in order to make a knife sharp, stropping is a way to reach that goal without loss of metal.
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First, I apologize for the poor audio. My videos are much better since 2020 when I got a proper microphone. Here are two other videos you may be interested in:
How to make a PADDLE Leather strop: th-cam.com/video/v5an_xoon8M/w-d-xo.html
Stropping Compounds and other Stropping Products: th-cam.com/video/MPT7xey0cTc/w-d-xo.html
Audio fine - content useful and interesting!
I thought it was fine
Found this video extremely helpful for my stropping as was doing it all wrong, thank you Canadian Cutting Edge.
Was fine my friend... Enjoyed the content...Nice and succint yet informative
To all those people who think you are too wordy...stop watching! You can also slowly fast forward. Some people just need to complain no matter the subject. Your videos are fun to watch and very informative so keep up the good work. Have a safe and great christmas. Sorry I got a little wordy😁
I agree. After-all, nobody has to watch my videos, there is loads of other stuff on TH-cam that they can watch. Nobody is making them watch my videos, and nobody is charging them any money to watch my videos either. If they don't like it, then turn it off.
I think some people can control me (and other TH-camrs) and make us change the way we do things to suit them. Those people are idiots. I like to here constructive criticism, but being told what to do - that doesn't work.
I am sometimes a bit wordy, but I think for many people the extra words are helpful.
It all depends on what the presenter is talking _about_ - _all_ of the talking in this video was necessary but I've tried to watch some videos where, after 3 or 4 minutes the presenter is either totally off-topic or just warbling on about nothing in particular. But this video is _excellent_ .
Thanks Jake, for all the videos and information.
Aside from cheap leather from a worker (or apron, glove, wallet or belt) I think cereal box cardboard is a great medium for beginners. Super cheap and ubiquitous, easy to replace when it gets knicked or scallops. It takes pressure really well without deforming (even if its only stapled on the sides and not glued and pressed) so beginners who are likely to use too much pressure, wont round as many edges, and that firmer flatter feel helps them see or feel their angle.
nobody is going to feel bad if they mess up a piece of cardboard, and yet its really a great medium with very good results.
i have not tried that but it should function. It could even absorb some compound probably. I can still see that some people will round over the the cutting edge, maybe not by too much pressure, but still by holding the blade at a bad angle. But yes, less likely to do so than if they started with using a leather belt, as the barbers in movies do, that is not a good idea for beginners. Instead it is much better to use a stiffer piece of leather bonded to a hard surface, or cardboard as you suggest.
Very good video. I was given a strop and green compound by an old and brilliant trapper man. He gave me a demonstration about 15 years ago; the same as you! It's all coming back now. Will be useful to maintain my fishing knives and more. Merci beaucoup !
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you I finally got the hang of this from your video. I know it’s an old one and not sure if you still read these, but I wanted to show my appreciation for the great instructions
This is an old one but it is my 2nd most watched video of all time. I get a number of these comments from viewers and I am very glad I am able to help guys with stropping.
Check out my video about Gunny Juice - it costs a bit but it makes stropping a LOT faster and even less effort - using the same techniques you learned with Stropping 101. Gunny Juice: th-cam.com/video/yT0Db1zns2Y/w-d-xo.html
Good job Jake. I'm really enjoying the knife maintenance videos - I hope you do more of them.
Yes, I have more in the works.
yes awesome video!
Wow 😳
Don't listen to the moaners - I found this an enjoyable to watch and informative video. Great Job!
There will always be moaners and groaners. Usually guys who wish they had more intellect and skill so that they could create videos that people want to watch.
I am sorry for not noticing your comment sooner, sometimes they fall between the cracks unfortunately.
So did i!
Ya know I shave with a straight razor and I strop it. Do you ever make videos on straight razors?
Really like to see a good stropping video here. Good explanation about pressure too. Keep em' coming Jake! ;)
So you like my high tech graphics? I had to pay a guy a whole lot of nothing for those...
This is the best most informative video about stropping that I have seen so far. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Great Jake! It's about time I started to learn how to take care of my small collection of knives.
Yes. Even if you only have a few kitchen knives it is a good idea to learn how to maintain them well.
I like keep those sharp with a simple pull through sharpening tool and a whetting steel.
I'm proficient in sharpening free hand, so learning how to become proficient in stropping is my next step.
Very good. I used to sharpen free hand, but arthritis and now carpal tunnel have me sharpening with a guided sharpening system but free hand stropping is still the fastest way to put that finishing touch on them.
Hi Jake Im glad you mentioned the edge angle and how others give the wrong advice about angles, I’ve seen people giving the wrong edge angle advice for years!
I love a bit of the bob ross you threw in there lol. “Just you and your knife” it sounded like him and I get it. Sharpening, stropping is very therapeutic. Loved the video keep up the great work.
Thanks Alan.
I also find stropping therapeutic. Those who find stropping or sharpening to be an unwanted chore will invariably end up with inferior results.
Great tutorial and explanation. I find tool sharpening very relaxing and just started stropping a while back. Thanks
Many think of the tasks of getting a great edge on a knife to be tedious, but I enjoy it a lot myself.
@@CanadianCuttingEdge taking the time to really create a significant level of sharp would be alien to a lot of people who are of a “just in time”, rfn mentality.
I just started using a compound to strop. I came across a pack of Porter Cable 5 piece compound at Lowes. The 5 piece is more than I need, but I was at Lowes. The pack has a heavy paste (black) to high gloss (green). I made three strops to experiment, and I am going to put the normal (blue) on one, light (white) on one and the green on the third strop. I have the Bear and Sons GATCO 5 stone sharpening system, and I have not determined what combo gives the best results. Thank you for the video Jake.
Thank you for that post. I recently started using some compound pastes with my stropping too. I am not ready to make a video about it but there are a lot of good options out there. They do cost more than the type of compound I talked about in this video but better usually costs more.
Great video! Played it over a few times to study your technique and to make sure I didn't miss anything! Thanks for posting!!!
Glad it was helpful!
I agree, there seems to be a lot of aftermarket micron service and that the green has always worked for me. This may sound weird but sometimes after a strop I will call the blade through Wood and then test on paper . The ceramic rod after stropping gets it a little sharper for me on my decade old ceramic rod .I’m really like the Qsp parrot you reccomended . Thanks . Pretty sweet little knife . Broke it in and then added oil after it started to not open fully and Shazam it turned out great with an awesome detent . Didn’t have to do a thing . Straight out of the box turned out good if it doesn’t come loose either I’m very satisfied I might just take the clip off entirely. It seems like one of those knives. Like the bench made 940 I took the clip off that
It is super common for people to actually make a knife a bit more dull when they strop, it takes a lot of practice to get the system just right so that it makes the blade sharper than any other method can do.
I used to carry all my pocket knives just deep in my pocket, that is before the days that pocket clips even existed. These days a lot of the guys who like knives cannot imagine a day before pocket clips existed.
When I used to silversmith I found a green compound called ZAM. It was great. It also would polish turquiose . It will bring silver or stainless up to a mirror. It is finer than pumice.
Thanks for sharing your experience. I have never used ZAM.
Canadians if you want to try ZAM: amzn.to/2V3aYsj
Americans if you want to try it: amzn.to/2yT42oZ
Finally cut my knives perfectly sharp! Thanks!
Fantastic!
Simple and concise. My carving knife actually cuts better now.
Very good.
I find it odd, some people say that the video is consice and others say I am rambling too much. There is no way to please everyone I guess.
I've got a Spyderco 'Q' knife that I had years ago so I'm going to try it on that! Great vid! Thanks!
I hope you have been able to get an awesome edge on that blade.
Excellent video. I got a lot out of it.
Glad it was helpful!
I've had good luck with blue compound. Have a huge brick of it. I like to cut the edge lightly across wood at the end to remove any burr, dirt
Do what works for you. The last thing I want to suggest is to change things up if they are working well for you.
Thanks, learned all I needed
Glad to hear it!
I use the diamond paste on my strop. It last longer than compound and you dont need very much, small amount goes a long way.
Since making this video I use diamond too - Gunny Juice to be precise.
th-cam.com/video/yT0Db1zns2Y/w-d-xo.html
great tutorial!
Thanks
One thing about this hobby, you get finger cuts, I guess it is no worse than having a pet wolverine. :) good tutorial, have to get the green.
Well, I won't be getting a pet wolverine - they are not compatible with 16lb dogs.. .
A 16lb dog? I'd back a wolverine against a T. Rex..
Roflmao!!! 🤣😂
Pet wolverine, you killed me!! Thanks for a good laugh!!
I cut myself pretty good once a year. Lol It's one of the hazards.
Band aid on my thumb ATM
Great vid... I have tried most coloured compounds we have here in England and have ended up sticking with a chrome cleaning paste.. works very well , lasts ages and is cheap...
Thanks for sharing. Just a couple of weeks ago I did a video very recently specifically on diamond paste compounds. - you are very right, a little goes a long way and for a long time.
Fellow Brit here - what's the name of the paste you use?
This is the way everyone should sharpen new knives and keep them sharp, buying knife sharpeners and stones are mostly a waste and are for when your blade have chips and needs alot of work. Especially for scandi knives a strop and compound is all you need.
I quite disagree with your first statement because new knives almost always have wonky variable sharpening. 99%+ of the knvies I have reviewed do not have the same angle on either side of the knife and they almost always have over 2° (often over 5°) of angle variability along the length of any given side. Watch this for a better description of what I am trying to say: th-cam.com/video/GjsmXJ3mTZM/w-d-xo.html This means that one would have to try to match this very variable grind angle while they are stropping.
So I say first, sharpen the knife properly and THEN you can use stropping to maintain the edge, as long as you don't wait for it to get too dull between stropping sessions.
@@CanadianCuttingEdge very true im talking about the average person who doesnt know how to sharpen, they tend to do more damage on sharpeners, ive stropped the micro bevel off my mora garberg there was no need for anything else, took a bit of time on the strop but its theraputic to me
Thanks for info....and love the end fraze not ya thumb never heard that before. thanks Paul
Glad you enjoyed it, I hope you find it helpful.
Wow, the super high end graphic is awesome ! great video, than you.
Glad you liked it!
First Class lesson on Stropping and I Wish I found this Site years ago ! Glad to give Your Channel a Sub Sir .
Welcome aboard!
A little bit of cooking oil and that compound will spread better and when it gets black you can use s drop to rub out the metal
Yes, that is a method I have used in the past, and it does work. I forgot to add to this video that I used a heat gun to finish the application of the compound onto and into the leather.
Good video. Instructive.
Thank you!
Go to your local michaels or whatever your areas craft store is called, they sell a bag full of scrap leather for 5 bucks. Usually has some quality pieces in there
I'll check the next time I am in the city
Thanks. I never thought of Michaels. They are in Canada too.
another good 'kiss' video. Nice job. Liked his 'sliding' suggestion and simplicity, Nice
Awesome, thank you!
Thanks for the tutorial Jake!
my pleasure
Thanks. Enjoyed the demonstration and the explanation. If the naysayers don’t like what they’re watching have them go elsewhere.
great video - thanks !
another important thing is to keep the angle until the end of each slide. many beginners tend to go to more than 45 degrees at the end. you see that in movies a lot, too (Inglorious Bastards is one recent example).
Yes, maintaining the angle is definitely critical.
Much appreciated for the video👍. To be honest I like your videos because you're just a regular guy... Like the rest of us an not full of faff!
Now that is a serious compliment, that means a lot to me because that is exactly how I want my videos to come across. THANKS.
So THAT'S what harbor freight is! Always wondered when I hear it in vids! xD
Thanks for the great vid! :D
Yeah, they wonder the same thing when they hear us talk about Princess Auto - now that is a very strange name, eh?!
good job thanks
If you nick your strop you can 're-surface' it by sanding with 400/800/1200 grit and paper until the nicks have gone. Then dress the leather. 4$ saved me buying a new strop.
Yes, that re-surfacing works on the flesh side of a piece of leather strop, it works quite well.
I have been stropping my blades for 30+ years but have only just got around to purchasing some green stropping compound this week.
I have been using car polish on the leather for the last 6 years or so. I even tried valve grinding paste years ago after watching a dodgy youtuber & just about ruined my blades. I will be interested to see if the proper compound makes any difference
Keep up the good work
Cool. A good compound will make your stropping more efficient. I think you can get the same result without any compound, it just takes longer. A good compound makes the process go a bit faster.
did it?
Noverno Yeh but not really noticeable, the budget car polish really polishes up the blade to a fine shine
I m chef and amateur woodworker been sharpening knives and tool for 20 years ,I tried lots of different compound and diamond paste but I have always come back to autosol metal polish.
Eureka!!! I've been doing it all wrong. I always went to the stone and ceramic and wondered why my knives are mediocre. I bought
a decent strop with base and used the green compound. Amazon. The hair on the arm test scared the daylights out of me, I came up with a ball of fur that only a cat could be proud of. I can see only using the strop from here on in. I don't beat my knives so that's all I would need. Thank You Kindly.
I am glad my video was a help.
You hit the nail on the head, when they get good at stropping most people find that they can sharpen much less than they used to do.
Thanks . Good video
Glad you liked it!
Hi. Hope you are still out there. Very good tutorial. Thank you. I’ve been stoning & stropping for a while now but just “upgraded” to a Sharpal diamond impregnated metal stone. 350 rough grit one side; 1200 other side. I like this because a get quick results and no water. I strop with a paddle and I use a razor to scrape off excess compound when it needs it. The diamond stone can be very aggressive and if you’re not careful; you can chew up the blade pretty quick. I move to smooth side and then to stropping with green compound.
What are your thoughts on the dry diamond metal stone? Thanks again… Gene
Since making this video I have made the switch to diamond "compound" and my results are better and faster to achieve with less effort and I am all for it. I highly recommend Gunny Juice - th-cam.com/video/yT0Db1zns2Y/w-d-xo.html
dry diamond metal stones for sharpening:
For sharpening I use VENEV branded stones, they are simply the very best out there. But they have gotten very expensive because of the tariffs against Russia made products.
Outdoor55 is quite bullish on the Sharpal stone for a great balance between low cost and decent results th-cam.com/video/5w25oJ67C1I/w-d-xo.html
I use guided sharpening systems and there are not as many options for this, and VENEV stones sold from Gritomatic.com are my go to stones - www.gritomatic.com/collections/6-stones-and-strops?sort_by=manual&filter.p.vendor=Venev+Industrial+Diamonds
I much appreciate the video - especially the discussion of the compound colors and their best use. I have to tell you, the way your fingers fly around and along the edge of your knives in your videos causes me to gasp at times. But I haven't seen you get cut yet.
I find that often I get my best results in stropping by applying some pressure with the initial strokes and then gradually reducing the pressure until the edge is just skimming the surface of the strop. Sometimes I just can't get it sharp without that initial pressure. Of course, I'm not talking about bearing down on the knife, but I hold it firmly against the leather in the beginning and gradually ease the pressure.
Almost any leather can be made to work as a strop but in my experience some pieces are better than others. I recommend people use firm leather and not leather with a thick soft side. I agree with Jake that you start with the rough side of the leather but it should not have a deep soft pile. My local hobby store's leather is way too soft and the pile on the rough side is too deep. You want a shorter pile leather that would be appropriate for a belt or shoes. Thanks for the video, Jake.
I hope I don't make you gasp much. I don't believe in jinxing myself so I can say that I have never cut myself in that way. Instead I cut myself when I am flipping knives open and closed over and over while watching TV and such.
Good advice there. Yes, that strop that I showed that has the cheap handle on it, that is thin and not very useful. I too like the thicker pieces, but not so thick that it has no give or life to it. And yes, I should have mentioned that the suede side needs to light. The heaviest you want to go is how it is on the piece that I had glued on my wood, it was new and after some use the "pile" as you call it, does wear down a bit, but if it's too thick at the start then it just messes up the whole job.
Thank you for this great info!!!
my pleasure, thanks for the compliment.
Thank you for this video. Question for you. It it necessary to clean the old built up and darkened compound from the surface of the strop every so often? If yes, what is the recommended way? TIA
Yes, once it gets built up too much then its a great idea to remove it.
I generally use a heatgun to heat up the surface of the strop and then I use a butterknife or similar flat piece of metal to scrape it off. (Don't overheat.)
I do not use stones any more, I just use polishing compound. I use Black for fast material removal and white for the final hone.
Do whatever works best for you!
For me stopping works most of the time too, sometimes the thing just needs a new edge due to damage that can't be polished out.
Why when my knife isn't stropped it cuts deeper in a roll of toilet paper (more layers), but pulls my arm hair and it doesn't cut it. But when I strop the damn thing it cuts pretty well hair, but when I try it on the paper roll it bearley cuts 3 or 4 sheets. I'm a bigginer and I use a wide belt hanged on the dor knob, like my grandfather use to do. The only thing that I know I'm doing wrong after your video, is the red solid bar of polishing compound. On the box of the compound that I'm using it just says 'profesional metal polishing 150x37' I presume it is the abrasiveness/granulațione. I live in Europe so the granulațione and color, may mean something else in the USA I'm not entirely sure. Any advice on what I'm doing wrong ?
That is an problem that comes from stropping at either too steep of an angle or with too much pressure or a combination of both. Essentially you are rounding the cutting edge over, that makes it a bit more dull. how do I know? Because I used to do exactly the same thing when I was a young man. I even swore off stopping for a number of years, but then I decided to ask some people who were good at it and I learned from them the mistakes I was making and now stropping makes a super popping edge.
So less pressure, and hold the knife a bit flatter to the strop. I hope that helps. It takes a bit longer to strop this way, but that's what it takes to get that awesome edge.
@@CanadianCuttingEdge Thanks a lot for you're guidance I much appreciated ! And if you can help me with another question, It would be awesome. As I said before I use the method that my grandfather used when I was a little boy, God rest his soule. I hanged a leather belt on the dor knob, I pull on it and start stropping. Maybe I should pull even harder on it, so I don't let the belt conforme to much to the edge of the knife and starting rolling it. Or i better cut the belt in half glue the tow pieces one besides the other, on a wooden bord so that the strop can be wide enouhg. And use a plane surface to strop.
Excellent informative video Jake. I have followed your advice to good results.
Thank you Paul.
Cheers Mate!
Red is good for mirror fnish.
And if it is not too difficult for you please upload un cut versions of how to videos I love watching you doing someting even if you say nothing it is like beeng with a feiend.
Oh wow, I still get a lot of complaints about my videos being too long. But just maybe I will make a normal and unedited version and see what people think. It won't happen this summer, but maybe later this year.
Hey do you know what compound to use for a titanium knife
For stropping, I have found 'autosol metal polish from solingen' works as the same or even better than the green compound.
Thank you for the input.
I have been using some diamond infused compounds lately. I will be making a video about them probably in September when I get back home from my trip. I am finding these soft paste compounds to be excellent. If I remember I will buy some of the stuff you use and try it out too.
Hey I'm new to the channel! Looking forward to more like this!!😀
Welcome aboard!
@@CanadianCuttingEdge thanks my friend!!!
Nice video (again) , Jake!
You're right with the compound. But here's my secret tip: Use ultrafine car polish!
The result is amazing!
So, see you/one of your new videos soon, and have a good night!
Oh yes, I have heard others who use car polish - it is the very same concept and a very similar compound so there is no wonder it works. If you have a compound that works for you far be it from me to suggest a change.
Thanks for watching and commenting.
Very nice tutorial Jake.
I have to admit, stropping is not something that I do very often and is definitely something that I need to practice more.
The few times that I did some stropping I ended up dulling my knife even more, probably due to either pressing too hard or not having the angle right.
Quick question, now that I sharpen my knives on the worksharp, the edge is convex. Does the stropping technique need to be any different than when it's a straight edge?
Stropping works BEST on convex blades. I should have mentioned that. A convex edge is most like the type of shape that leather wants to put on the steel already. But the technique is exactly as I describe in the video for convex or the other classic edge profiles.
Canadian Cutting Edge I just saw a video on stripping and one of the comments from a supposedly knife sharpening expert and he said that he never strops convex edges, I can’t remember the reason why.
that was import that you said the time, what you doing. I'm doing everything too fast. great video !
I am glad it was helpful.
Thanks
My Pleasure
When someone uses a soft strop I go "geesh!" While they're OK when used for a few strokes, too many strokes round off your edge. Strops should be hard to very hard, as in rawhide leather. Your edge don't sink down into them, and you keep your cutting edge straight instead of rounding it off. (think of a pillow. Lay your hand on a pillow and pretend it's a blade. See the wrap-around? Yeah, that will dull your edge if too many strokes)
It is possible to use a belt strop well, but it is indeed VERY a precision task and not many people do it well. Most do exactly what you said, they round the tip making it dull again.
But it is also easy to round the tip on hard strops too, I have seen it many times - both when I was learning as a kid and with other people whom I have helped over the years.
Love it! You're not a knife guy unless your hands are all cut up and scabs on your hands! ha!
LOL. I certainly have my share of scars on my hands. Most were dumb mistakes though - I wish I was a wise guy who kept is fingers safer.
very informative. Many thanks
my pleasure. I have two more stropping videos now with other information in them.
How to make a PADDLE Leather strop: th-cam.com/video/v5an_xoon8M/w-d-xo.html
Stropping Compounds and other Stropping Products: th-cam.com/video/MPT7xey0cTc/w-d-xo.html
So to be clear, if you think you dulled your knife more from stropping, can you make it sharp by just making the corrections like less pressure and shallower angle? Or do you just have to sharpen it again? Thanks
Great question David. Now I wish I could add this info to the video.
It can be fixed by proper alignment just by stropping but it can take a LONG time. What I did in that case is I put it back in the sharpener and only did the final fine stone for just a little bit and then go back to stropping. For most people it won't take very long to get the hang of it and not have that problem very often.
Thanks for the Princess Auto tip. I had no idea they sold polishing bars. Which aisle is that in? Sorry about your arthritis. I have it in my hands now. Bummer!
They have now started selling all sorts of knife making equipment and materials too.
Some advice to both of you. Watch your diet - cut out certain foods like bread and sugar. Lose a lot of the red meat. There are TH-cam videos on good diets for arthritis and Dr Sven Ekberg is good. But if you have the _balls_ try a five day fast - it induces a type of scavenging of damaged tissue and encourages regrowth. Dr Ekberg has a video on it. I do a three day fast occasionally and I am 65 with less pain than I had three years ago.
This was very informative and easy to understand. Any tips for stropping a blade with a recurve?
That is a very good question. I am not sure I can explain it in text format. I will add it to my list of videos that I want to make.
A little chatty, but I liked the video overall. Thanks!
Chatty - yeah, that's my style - for better or worse. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.
We like to hear Jake chat, always interesting!
GREAT VIDEO. Thanks so much for this little "how to" video. Have really enjoyed all the maintenance videos so far. Keep em coming! :)
I have more on the way.
Very helpful. Is it just me , but are canadians just generally nice and calm people? Us Americans are always on edge, racing against time etc. We got to have a Canada knife convention...shot show
No, it's just me. Well not "just" me but I have been to USA many times, usually every year or two for a few weeks as I travel across the northwest to a bit north of Detroit. Every few years I go down to Nebraska and Kansas to see family.
I like to stay in small towns and not big cities, I think that is where more of the difference is. I find small town folks are generally calm and nice compared to city folks in either of our fine countries.
Good vid, got to find some green compound. Amazon as a pound brick I think.
yeah, Amazon has it.but their price is NASTY high. but this is probably the best price they have amzn.to/2kCixDX
KMS has it cheaper, but shipping might be more, I don't know: www.kmstools.com/dico-green-buffing-compound-149
I got mine at Princess Auto (do they have that store in QC? They do have it in Ontario.
watch my video on stropping.
When you put a lot of pressure on the blade when stropping, it's way more effective, but you need to strop at a low angle, like that the edge start to convex but still very sharp.
In my experience a lot of pressure leads to less sharpening. It is because it is much more difficult to keep a low angle because as my super high tech graphic shows - a lot of pressure makes the leather wrap around the edge causeing it to rub the tip off instead of sharpening.
I do see your point, and I agree that it can work to use a lot of pressure, IF your leather is quite hard and if you only use the skin out side, and if your angle is, as you say, very shallow. I think most people won't replicate all of those "IF's" and that is why my advice is what it is.
I understand your advice.
It's true that most people won't replicate all of those "IF's".
I sharpen my blades with a very precise process.
My edges are always sharpened at 15 degree per side with a 20 degree micro bevel and i reduce a bit the edge shoulder with a 10 degree angle (all this made with a Edge Pro),it make stropping at a low angle easier when you reduce the edge shoulder like i do.
So for edge maintenance i always use my strop with a lot of pressure and if the edge is to damaged i use my Spyderco Sharpmaker and then a strop.
All this stropping with the reduced edge shoulder will make a very nice, sturdy and sharp micro convex edge on my blades.
(check my video on stropping if you want to see that).
(sorry if my english is not perfect, i'm French)
Hi there.. Stropping vs Honing what you prefer? Compound have many grit 2k yellow, 3k yellow or black, 6k green, 12k white and many more colour. And honing like chef rod or spyderco sharp maker use diamond and ceramic rod have some high grit 1k, 2k and ultra fine is 4k grit. Can prevent from remove edge to much before sharpening if edge too chipping.
I don't have a preference in terms of one that I think it better to do. I tend to strop more though.
Canadian Cutting Edge thanks for your reply. Next try use balsa wood with 0.05 micron diamond compound, with good steel like vg10 or zdp 189 is extreme razor sharp.
Is there a time you should clean your strop if so how do you go about doing that
Simply scrape off the dirty layer. It's best to use something that is wider than the strop so you can put even pressure across the surface.
If your strop is narrow a utility blade will be good, if your strop is wider then a woodworking type card scraper and use it the same way as you would in woodworking but with less pressure
Here is a video by a fellow knife guy who shows the process in a short video - th-cam.com/video/VRT5DqTjak4/w-d-xo.html
When would you use the suede side of the leather and when would you use the skin side?
I use the skin side when I want to get to a nice mirror finish. Use exactly the same techniques I discussed for the suede side.
Since making this video several years ago I found something a LOT better than the standard compounds I discussed in this video. It makes stropping even faster and you can get super results with less effort. If interested check out this video - th-cam.com/video/yT0Db1zns2Y/w-d-xo.html
@@CanadianCuttingEdge thank you very much for the quick reply. It may have seemed like a silly question, but I am very new to making knives and swords and unfortunately putting a decent edge on the knives is not my strong suit and I have found it very difficult so I appreciate your timely response, and I will check out the videos you have suggested thanks again
The weight of the knife is the key
it is important
I'm no expert but I suspect that stropping is most useful for blades that are a bit on the soft side. I have better luck getting my knives sharp by finishing on a Spyderco extra fine ceramic.
I not sure I'd say it quite that way but stropping certainly has the desired effect more quickly on softer blades.
I see stropping a lot like sanding is to wood in woodworking. Soft wood sees the benefit with less effort and time but even the very hardest woods benefit from stropping.
In the years since I recorded this video I have switched to even finer compounds/emulsions (though what I use is technically neither) made with diamond which does it's good work on super steels very well.
I guess it all depends on how fine an edge you want. If you are happy with the edge you get after basic sharpening then you don't need to strop regardless of steel type but if you want an even keener edge then strop.
I believe that carbide size in the steel has more of the effect that you have noticed than the hardness. Powdered steel technology leads to smaller carbides which in turn means you can get a keener edge while sharpening. It just so happens that the harder steels are almost all powder steels. (Certainly, it's not just the carbides, but that's the main factor.)
What about Damascus? Any ideas on which color compound?
I use the same compound on all my knives, I don't bother differentiating between carbon steel or stainless steel. In fact I have stopped using all compounds other than GUNNY JUiCE - that stuff is STUNNINGLY great for ALL knives of ANY steel type, including Damascus - you can see my video about it here: th-cam.com/video/yT0Db1zns2Y/w-d-xo.html
I have a question, do you strop in whatever direction or is it better in a certain direction, like following the grind lines? Or does that not matter?
Hi Dan. I often change which end of a strop I start from, it makes no difference, well I take that back, it can mean that I use more of the full surface of the strop more evenly than I would if I always did it only from one direction. Good question.
I have scrap leather at home,which side do I use,the shiny side or rough side? Thanks
I use both sides. I use the rough side most of the time, I have a nice smooth side strop for the very final stages of stropping to a mirror polish.
Thin hard leather makes a better strop than thick soft leather - you can apply more pressure as the leather will not wrap over the edge as much.
If you strop aggressively then you are definitely correct.
There are some thick leathers that are not very soft too. Stropping is an art - you have to learn your specific strop and what works best on that individual piece of leather, but your general principle is correct.
good job, thanks
Thanks yang!
Very helpful 😎
Glad to hear!
I have valve grinding compound, what can I use it on ? I'm going to make strops , covered in green compound also.
I cannot say for certain, I have never used valve grinding compound. Is there any information on the compound about what size the grit is. If its in micron sizes then you want to have something under 10micron in grit size. I now use a compound with diamond dust at 6micron for coarse stropping and smaller for polish stropping, as seen here - th-cam.com/video/yT0Db1zns2Y/w-d-xo.html
I hope that helps.
I tried valve grind compound. Cannot recommend it for stropping.
Hi I have a Gerber knife. I can get my stainless steel knives razor sharp very quickly! But the Gerber is extremely hard to get that sharp edge like on my other blades. I used green compound. Maybe too much? Am I doing something wrong? Or is the Gerber brand high in carbon? I found dremel compound made it sharper to slice through paper quite easy but when I I went to green? It polished the edge to a shine and it became dull in that it wouldn't cut easily through paper? Btw the blade is quite thick. I've had Gerber for over 10 years now and used to shave my forearm hair like a razor. Any reply appreciated cheers from Australia just subbed.nice work! Clear tutorial! Top job!🙂👍👍👍
Hi Dragan, welcome to CCE
Gerber uses a wide variety of steel types in their knives, so just the brand name doesn't give much information at all really, I would need to know the exact model. But Gerber tends to use fairly soft steels, usually stainless steels but they also make carbon steel knives.
The most common problem that results in a blade being dull at the end of stropping is the amount of pressure that people use. If you push to hard with the knife down onto the leather it will result in a beautiful edge but it will be rounded over at the apex of the edge resulting in inability to cut well.
The second most common cause is that people strop at a greater angle than the blade was shapened too, which means you might not be stropping with the knife at the same angle to the leather as it was to the sharpening stone - these angles need to match perfectly.
Finally, you did bring up a third common problem and that is too much compound being used - You don't need a lot of compound on the leather, just a little is necessary. too much causes it to not work well, but the other two reasons are much more important. too much compound is mostly just a waste of compound.
Since I made this video I found a new compound that I find to be perfection. It's called Gunny Juice, it is more costly but it's stunningly good, but It;s probably VERY expensive in Australia since it comes from a small company in USA (but the above problems apply to it as much as they do to green compound). See my gunny juice video here: th-cam.com/video/yT0Db1zns2Y/w-d-xo.html
Please email me if you have further questions: CanadianCuttingEdge AT gmail.com
@@CanadianCuttingEdge thanks for the reply! Highly appreciated!👍👍👍
Excellent channel!🙂👍👍👍❤
Great video! I have a question. Will you notice a visual difference in the edge when you have stropped your knife?
Stropping is a form of polishing, so yes you could notice a difference if you strop long enough. It also depends on how fine you ground the cutting edge. If you just used 200grit then probably not so much, but if you went to 1000 you could make it have a bit better of a mirror edge by stropping.
Canadian Cutting Edge Thank you!
9:41 he actually proceeds with instructions. Enough about the leather. Most folks buy the leather already attached to the wood and that you know
Thanks for telling people how unimportant half the video is.
Since "most" doesn't include "all" I made the video as I did.
Appreciate this! What knife is that?
That's a Sanremnu 7028
They are no longer available, as far as I know, but my video about them from a number of years ago is here th-cam.com/video/Z21Plq20paA/w-d-xo.html (The quality and detail in my videos has improved over the years)
Great video, Jake - thanks. What's your take on honing steels? In my experience, I get better results with a combination of steel and strop than I do with either of them alone. But as you know, there are tons of approaches to sharpening, and everyone tends to develop a particular personal routine that works for them.
I find that stropping (as I do in this video) after any type of remedy of a blade edge (sharpening or honing) is helpful - always.
There is no one right way to get a great edge on a knife. I am not insistent that my way is best. If you end up with the edge that you want then you are doing a good job. Certainly, three are some ways that are more efficient than others because they are faster, easier, or waste less steel. Does that mean those ways are better? Probably, but it doesn't make other methods wrong.
@@CanadianCuttingEdge Hi Jake - thanks for the reply. You're absolutely right, there is no single right way to sharpen. When I first got seriously interested in sharpening about five years ago, I watched tons of TH-cam videos on how to sharpen, and just ended up confused, because everyone was recommending different things, many of them incompatible or contradictory (e.g. oilstones vs. waterstones). Ultimately, the only thing to do is to try a bit of this and a bit of that, and find out what works for you. I'm happy with the results I get now, but there's always more to learn!
Informative video. Thanks!
Maybe I missed this part but how often do you recommend doing this?
After every usage of the knife or just sometimes?
In my case, I use knifes for carving.
I sometimes sharpen them using a whetstone but as you said, this usually removes way more material.
Absolutely after every sharpening and whenever it feels like the knife isn't cutting as well as I want it too
No set intervals, just when it's necessary, which changes depending on what I am cutting - whittling wood dulls faster than say chopping lettuce.
That moment when you miss spell strop and accidentally find a bunch of self defence videos
Ooooops
Thanks for the video very informative, but I am completely blind and want to know when using the strop do I sharpen the knife by sliding the sharp edge of the blade first or the spine of knife first while the blade slides down the strop?
I am not sure I know how to explain it without visuals. But maybe this will help:
Imagine using a blade to shave your face. The blade edge slides on your skin so that the edge will cut the individual hairs. Stropping is the same action but in reverse. This way the edge cannot cut anything during the stropping session.
If you need more help then please email me: CanadianCuttingEdge AT gmail.com ( I hope whatever system you use to read text will make sense of that email address, I changed the "@" symbol for the word "AT" so that it wouldn't make a clickable link of my email address. When I make my email address clickable then I end up getting a lot of span)
If you would rather communicate via Comments then please start a brand new Comment because I only search for new comments to reply to. Unfortunately I don't have time to had in depth discussions on TH-cam, but email is okay.
Omygosh thank you. I get it know 👍🙂
Glad it helped!
great video, is there a grit rating on the colors? IE: is the green color compound a 350 grit? 500 grit? 800 grit? etc or is the "Fine" color compound a 1000grit/1500grit/3000grit/etc?
You can find a chart for the approximate micron and which colour it goes with here: knife.wickededgeusa.com/forums/topic/new-1500-grit-stone/page/3/
or here
www.precision-polishing.com/en/news/diamond-lapping-film
This was a helpful instructional video and appreciate you posting it. Had you edited yourself a bit it could have been 5-7 mins long. Presumably any durable fabric that would allow for the impregnation of the stropping compound (i.e., a pair of Levi's jeans) into the material, would do the same thing about to the same level of sharpness. My point: there appears nothing unique to the properties of leather that makes it uniquely and irreplaceably appropriate for decent strop.
I guess you were looking for a nice way to say that you think some of what I had to say was useless. If that is what you meant, I disagree, I included each detail for a reason.
The other side of that coin is that I am myself, not someone else, and this is the way I communicate - It's part of my personality, the way I am.
Yes, you could use a WIDE variety of materials as the base, but whatever you use it needs to have a firm backing and not have a lot of give to it. For example, if you were to strop on your jeans while you were wearing them you might be able to polish the edge and make it look pretty but you would have rounded over the edge and it wouldn't be as sharp as it could be.
Is this info suitable for sharpening spoon carving tools?
Yes, it's the same basic methods for stropping any shape of blade for any purpose.
It is not clear to me which side is skin and which side is suede on leather
The rough side is "suede" side. the smooth side is the side that had the hair on it (shaved off when the leather was tanned).
Technically "suede" is also used in other ways by other people, but the above explanation is how I used the term in this video.
With raw leather I can get my blades sharper, with any kind of compound it dulls them........???????
I mention that in this video. the most common mistake is you are probably trying too hard, and pushing too hard. Watch the video again and listen to each instruction carefully, many people have had EXCATLY that same complaint but they say when they do what I suggest in this video they finally started getting good at stropping.
I enjoyed your video. Thank you for sharing. Does the leather need to be a certain thickness for the strop ? I have an abundance of leather which is not thick saddle making stuff but thinner like maybe furniture making stuff. I used it for making arrow quivers and such.
No, the thickness isn't mandatory, but I do prefer thicker over thin, it seems to work a little better. Thinner is less important if you glue it to a piece of wood. If you make a strop belt like you see in movies about barbers then you want some leather thats a bit thicker. I think you should be fine. It won't damage anything to use too thin leather.
Thanks pal. God Bless !
That’s a beautiful knife! What is it?
It's a Sanremu 7028
It was produced several ways and there seems to be only one colourway still available these days.
Amazon USA for $15.20USD - amzn.to/3QCSSKh
Its on eBay for $20USD - no link
AliExpress for $13.24USD - www.aliexpress.us/item/3256806275060212.html
@@CanadianCuttingEdge thanks for all theat info. The steel on that doesn’t seem great, what’s your experience with it? It’s a beautiful knife.
video starts at 9:51-- your welcome
I believe that there is a lot of useful information before the 9:51 point. Those who skip forward might miss some information that they can use.