Run The Razor Back Towards The Starting Point. 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. Some leatherworkers prefer to mount pieces of leather to a vertical wall in their workroom to create a makeshift stropping station. $31.99. ive been using my compounds and strops to get the edge to a nice polish almost as much as i have for just a final bur removal. But theres more to meet the eye. Now, if only I can actually get it sharp Ill keep trying. Often, sharpeners who use the smooth leather side of the strop do not use much, if any compound. They are the iceing on the cake. Its the polishing of an edge with an abrasive thats about 1 micron in size. I generally use buffing compound available from Lee Valley Veritas and here is the link. Typically its rough side up for a strop. 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. DURABLE BRASS HARDWARE: made with durable screw hardware - genuine brass screws will allow easy replacement of both: leather and canvas strop. Each person has a different requirement for the tools they need to hone, and so we will take a look at the various options that are most commonly used today. This is the reason for all that force. Premade leather strops with a convenient handle are readily available and very easy to use. It won't cut a hair by dropping it on the edge at all, but I'm trying. The best surface for stropping is leather. The sides of leather for a strop can be either smooth or rough. Home Tutorials How to Use a Leather Strop: A Guide. Just as deciding what tool is right for the task at hand, deciding what surface to hone a cutting blade on depends on what it is and how it will be used. I'm not 100% sure that it has to be a fabric component. This includes cutting surfaces and yourself! The first step is to attach the leather strop to a solid surface. Sharpening Supplies 12 Double Sided Paddle Strop. But which side of the strop provides the best finish- the smooth leather or the suede side? Newsprint, magazines, denim jeans, cotton t-shirts, felt, and even heavy cardboard. You are using an out of date browser. The main reason that the rough, or suede side is preferred by many users is that by virtue of its irregular surface, it retains the charge of buffing paste better. And 3 micron CBN is a good all around compound. Ill say one thing though, Ive noticed in at least one video Paul stropping a blade and the leather parting from and turning up from the wood block it was fixed to. A fascinating option for straight razor enthusiasts is a strip of leather mounted in a wood or metal frame known as a Loom. They rely on the natural texture of the leather to hone their blades to the absolute finest edge they can get. No messy oil needed. smooth side When stropping a straight razor, the smooth side of the leather strop is most effective, and the suede is It does not require any base for support. If the leather is more than 1/16" thick they compress and actually roll the cutting edge. I'll need several months before I have a real firm opinion on the matter. I generally use buffing compound available from Lee Valley Veritas and here is the link. Getting the absolutely best shave depends on having the most finely honed blade. This is where stropping comes in. Compound will still remove small bits of metal- bare leather will simply straighten the metal out. By accessing Badger & Blade, you agree to abide by the Terms of Usage. Abrasive: I use any and all fine metal abrasives, and they do want to be as fine as your fine sharpening benchstone. But for knives the rougher side would be fine to bring your edge back. Prices can vary wildly, from about $50, all the way up to north of $500. I don't think it's the strop, or leather, but the compound/technique that is holding me back. But should you wish to increase the draw, rub a small amount of neatsfoot oil into the strop. Their stuff is consistantly great. With the right strop and skilled technique, knife owners will keep their knives sharp and always ready to use. Stropping will help refine the edge and realign the micro teeth. No, it would help if you did not strop on any old piece of leather. Although you can buy ones which are more elaborate, my paddle-strop is a simple, single-sided leather one, and that's always done up my razors just fine. One side of the leather strop is smooth, while the other has a rough surface. Step 4. Easily the most common type of strop available on the market today. and does thickness of the leather matter for stropping process? For stropping without compound, oil tan leather is still a popular option among both enthusiasts and professionals. So far I have survived quite happily without it. Every industry or craft that utilizes a cutting edge will have its preferred methods as well as different requirements as to the fineness of the edge. The answer is yes, in a pinch, you can use a working belt (that you actually wear) to strop a knife; you just need to clean it first to make sure that there isnt any kind of debris just as fabric fluff from your jeans or anything else caught on the belt that might prevent the knife from making a smooth connection with . On my 20 (inclusive) knife I can drag a hair across the edge and it'll break the hair. Welcome! A nice 2X18 piece of Horse butt-hide attached to a piece of oak makes a good all around strop. Is the strop mounted to a solid surface (paddle)? It does matter espically if your stropping after coarse sharpening. With the help of a ruler or measuring tape, mark the leather at inch intervals along one edge. i use the smooth side, i put jewelers rouge on it. Actually I prefer using HH's WB top with a printer paper because rounding is the least among all substrates (including hard backings, such as: wood, glass,..). Nothing more. WebThe smooth side of the leather is typically used for finishing an edge or for touch-ups between sharpenings. To use one, you should attach it to the end of your countertop or another sturdy surface using adhesive tape. The rough side of the leather does a great job This is achieved by the abrasive particles further pushing the blade teeth back into place. I usually use two strops, one with green compound and then one thats plain leather that I finish with. Many things have been used as strops. Chromium Oxide (Cr2O3) is a superfine, polycrystalline abrasive, it is the mineral that gives green polishing compound its color. How To Sharpen A Straight Razor With A Strop. WebWhich side of leather strop do you use? If you were to view the blade under a microscope, you'd see that it has thousands of little "teeth." #7. WebIt has the smooth grain-side leather on the one side, and has the flesh-side leather on the other side. What is the difference between green and white stropping compound? JavaScript is disabled. I was reading in another forum how it is reccomended to use the smooth side of a piece of leather for stroping, but I have always thought it was the rough side that is best to use for final edge honing. Leather straps are not recommended for sharpening straight razors. Other good options include mink oil, Williams Shaving Soap, and leather conditioner. To review, the side of the strop you use will depend on the type of blade that you are sharpening. 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. They can be mounted to a rigid base, like leather on wood paddle strop, or can be flexible, like leather on a razor strop. Be sure to use gentle, steady strokes: Blunt force and speed can damage the knifes edge. I used to use rubber cement or plastic laminate cement and this works well, but I found that double-sided mounting tape works just as well and double-sided carpet tape all the better., Per Pauls blog post: https://paulsellers.com/2013/02/on-strops-and-more/. My barber strop has coarse and smooth elements. And there's the option of lapping films as well. Leather Rivets Guide to Size, Material, Slection, and Use, Leather Strips Options, Thicknesses, and How To Use Them. CLICK HERE. However, it would be best if you were careful not to damage or scratch the blade when doing so. A strop in its most basic form is a flat surface capable of holding a stropping compound. Once my razor has an edge though, I only use leather before each shave. A strops usual purpose is to realign a sharp edge, similar to steeling, not for actual sharpening. There are essentially two kinds of leather that are used as strops: Vegetable Tanned and Oil Tanned Leather. Which needs the rough side with about a 300 grit slurry applied. How do you sharpen a straight razor with a strop? Attach one side with the rough side up and the other with the smooth side up. The tool is then pulled away from the edge to avoid digging into the strop. 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. Youre now ready to skive! If the finish is too hard or smooth, I use abrasive paper to give a little tooth to the surface. WebTip: Leather strops are pliable, so its helpful to lower the sharpening angle by 1-2 degrees for stropping to maintain the original sharpening angle. 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. Just a little plug for DMT. * Contact Tanning, The team in this store is awesome. This offers the most portability and versatility to hone/polish virtually any cutting edge to the largest group of users. White is rated at 9000 grit which is more abrasive than green. From Business: Family Owned And Operated For More Than 30 Years A full service leather & upholstery company ready to provide you with the best quality service in Austin, TX! Lets take a more in depth look at the stropping process and why the type of leather used is so important. This worked well but took a long time, I had tried water stones, they where a mess and the flatting thing was more mess and work. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. It is great for bringing an edge that has just begun to dull back to sharpness. While an axe needs to be sharp to chop wood, Its cutting edge is ground at a different angle and the axe head itself is made of a different steel than that of a chefs knife. Re: Leather on strops, smooth side or rough side Hi R-Olds My leather strop that I made in 1975 is still going strong.It is made from heavy saddle skirting leather.I was building saddles at the time so thats what I used.I put the red rouge stropping compound on the smooth,hair side. YP - The Real Yellow PagesSM - helps you find the right local businesses to meet your specific needs. Leather has two sides, the grain (smooth) side and the flesh (rough) side. Smoother is better. YP, the YP logo and all other YP marks contained herein are trademarks of YP LLC and/or YP affiliated companies. HANGING KANGAROO LEATHER KNIFE STROP DUAL TWO TYPES TAIL ONE SIDE SKIN THE For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. "Practicing your craft in expert fashion is noble, honorable, and satisfying. A skive is a thin piece of leather that is cut from the edge of a thicker piece. How Do You Use a Strop? But the rough side of leather will usually scrub more compound from sticks/bars and hold it more tenaciously, without it being scraped off during stropping. The main thing is, make sure whatever youre using isnt doing more damage than good. That way all cutting tools are always sharp, clean and ready to work, I hatted it that when I was in the middle of doing something, I would have to stop hunt a tool then have to sharpen, fix, clean a tool be for I could continue. Push the blade into the leather and drag it away from you. Strops and the act of stropping are interesting subjects. / 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. I maintain a rough-side strop that has been heavily charged with green rouge. To achieve the rounding that you need, begin by beveling each side of the leathers that you will be using. Which side of the leather? This can dull your edge. WebDUAL SIDED KNIFE LEATHER STROP: One side of the separate slip strop is rough, the other side is smooth, you will get mirror-like edge after stropping your knife or tool with our stropping block, ergonomic handle allows you to use a two-sided strop in a more comfortable way than other strops. That way, when they flex as youre stropping an edge, they wont roll over the edge and dull it. No messy oil needed. Loom and paddle strops have a shorter, flat surface to work with compared to hanging strops; these tend to be the most commonly used. A hanging strop is still a very popular option among straight razor enthusiasts. You can find our Privacy Policy here. Leather has two sides, the grain (smooth) side and the flesh (rough) side. Stropping should be done before every shave. Ive never seen a barber use the rough side. I used the paste on a piece of glass to sharpen them. Sometimes, you will find that non-leather side used with different pastes for sharpening or polishing. Like others have said, it depends. Receive my periodic Crafters Notes with tools and tips. They helped me find the leather coat I was looking for. It depends on many factors. Woodworking Masterclasses is a trading name of Rokesmith Ltd, About Rokesmith Ltd | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions | About Us, Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 21 total), https://paulsellers.com/2013/02/on-strops-and-more/, This topic has 20 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated. I answered the question based on woodworking. No, you dont need it, depending on how sharp you get your knife before moving to a strop. Those that do use compound, first, need the layers of compound scraped, then brushed off the surface of the leather before it too can be cleaned, treated, and recoated with stropping compound. Its the same as polishing an edge with a Japanese waterstone that is about #8,000 grit or #10,000 grit. Accidents are more likely to happen with a dull knife, so the sharpness is more than just for best cutting results. How do you use a double sided leather strop? But, yes, you can roughen up the shiny side with sandpaper to get a better grip with the paste. Ill share what I have learned along the way about leather strops. Generally speaking, knife makers and straight razor enthusiasts prefer the smooth, top grain side of leather. A typical leather strop can be purchased in many stores for less than $50. Leaves you with clean fresh steel to align and polish on leather. My strops are always 3 wide, 3/4 thick and 10 long. Stropping the blade regardless of what it is, is done to maintain that crisp, razor sharp edge. The fuzzier side of the leather is preferred by many crafters including woodworkers and leathercrafters for its ability to hold stropping compound. Make sure that you are marking from the top of the leather (the side that will be facing up once you are finished skiving). To strop your razor to refine the sharpness of its blade, take the following steps: Do not put too much pressure on the blade, or you will cut the strop. Free shipping for many products! Deer, horse, cow, buffalo, kangaroo, bull, etc. What you might want to try is using 2 pieces of leather (one on either side of the strop). You must log in or register to reply here. What do you guys do? See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for the best Leather Cleaning in Bastrop, TX. WebPolishing wise, the material used is less important than the polishing medium. Personally I have made strops with both configurations. Lets take a look at what works for a strop, the different configurations they are available in, and what can be substituted for a strop in a pinch. Here is a helpful video demonstrating how to sharpen blades with a leather strop: Lets try to answer a few common questions that arise when talking about stropping. 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DURABLE BRASS HARDWARE: made with durable screw hardware - genuine brass screws will allow easy replacement of both: leather and canvas strop. That is why it also works great on wood which is one thing MDF is actually good for . The hanging strop has been featured in countless Hollywood movies and are sometimes found as an interior design element when a rustic look is desired. Going from his last diamond stone, he expects a lot from a strop (1200->8000). Choose the side that works for you Additional Details Small Business Yes, using a leather strop on carbon steel knives is possible. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock. Then I wondered if I put right side of the leather up. I need something besides smooth leather alone. This inevitably ends up in an edge which is rounded. Medium Universal Green. ) Unit, you just made my head hurt a little.but good info. Life & Work. Use sandpaper and finish with a stiff wire brush to get rid of any grit. While it is the best option, Leather is not the only option. JavaScript is disabled. As soon as your knife doesnt feel as sharp as it should be, strop it again before it becomes dull. If you want to go a bit more advanced, get a 2X2 piece of oak and glue the horse hide to 3 sides, then treat with 6 micron, 3 micron and 1 micron cbn. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Good luck, stay sharp. They bring together crafters, creators, professionals, hobbyists, knife makers, woodworkers, leathercrafters, barbers and more. You can start using a strop right after you get it. This is done by running the blade over a smooth, porous surface. 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. DURABLE BRASS HARDWARE: made with durable screw hardware - genuine brass screws will allow easy replacement of both: leather and canvas strop. Nylon is one that will not. i keep one charged with a red rouge and the other with a more abrasive compound made for stainless and other metals. Thanks very much to all of you for sharing your experiences and insights. Great Savings & Free Delivery / Collection on many items My grinder is on one side, my 1220 glass plate on the shelf above, my plates in a holder on a second shelf all other supplies are on top or in the drews this way what ever is needed is ready, do the sharpening get it done and back to work, one other thing that made a big difference in the shop, If you se a tool, sharpen it wipe it down (clean it) and put it away. And I'll generally take a stand-up mercenary who takes pride in his professionalism over an artist any day. I have very limited strop experience/expertise, but from what I've seen, the rough side can load up more compound than the smooth side. Veg tan will have a different natural grit than oil tan. The wider strop allows the entire blade to be pulled straight back across the length of the strop. 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. The difference may be miniscule, but to the perfectionist, even the tiniest details make a difference in the sharpness of the knife. Barber razor strops have the closed side the grain facing out. This will help keep it in good condition for longer. They all vary in grit, and the most common compounds are the green compound and white This feature is normally found on leather splitters costing much more money. 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. Preferred listings, or those with featured website buttons, indicate YP advertisers who directly provide information about their businesses to help consumers make more informed buying decisions. I even gave them an example to use off of for. so if you remove the thin hide you can use the surface under it. They are generally made from vegetable tanned leather with a few popular makers offering an oil tanned leather option. 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. Be careful not to cut yourself or damage anything when using your new knife. WebThis stropping leather for sharpening is 3 x 8 inches, 4.0 millimeters thick, and made of genuine buffalo leather Includes Green Stropping Compound: Restore the razor-sharp edge of your knives and blades. I wonder why. As the blade passes down the compressed strop the leather rises as the compressed blade passes. However, if using a stropping compound, almost any wood will work. The soft surface of the suede compresses under the blade to help round the bevel of the blade. Veg Tan Easily the most popular of the two, is named for the plant and tree tannin extracts used to cure or tan the animal hide. Do you need paste for a strop? #20. White: a very fine grit, used to polish the edge of a straight razor or a knife when you want an extreme level of sharpness. In addition to creating luxurious fur, From Business: *For Wholesale Customers, See Our Web Site *We are a Sister Company to NAPA Glove & Safety & Source Leathers of All Kinds From Around the World. That said, You can also use sandpaper instead, but be careful not to scratch or damage the side facing up while you are working on it! Stropping regularly will keep the razor nice and sharp and prevent cuts when shaving. Stropping does not sharpen the blade, but it does refine it by bending the little teeth back into alignment. Another carvers trick is to follow up using a very flat piece of thick 18mm at least good quality plywod charged with jewelers rouge down one half and finishing with Autosol down the other. Many carvers and knife sharpeners use suede strops. The bevel of the tool should be placed as flat against the strop as possible. just use the weight of the knife and light pressure, just riding on top of the leather. This applies to stropping belts, straps and stropping paddles. A leather strop is a device that is used to sharpen and polish tools, knives, and other items made of metal. Complete Sharpening Stone Set- Dual Grit Whetstone 1000/6000 - Bamboo Leather Strop - Waterstone Knife Sharpener with Non Slip Bamboo Base, Angle Guide Only when a stropping compound, diamond spray or paste is applied, does a strop actually sharpen. Which side of leather strop do you use? 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. Search results are sorted by a combination of factors to give you a set of choices in response to your search criteria. A strop is a narrow strip of leather used to restore the cutting edge of a knife or crafting tool. Wood Balsa, Bass and Maple are commonly mentioned. Repeat with both sides until the blade is honed, about three to five strokes per side. It also decreases the chance of cutting yourself. Science and chemistry have given us a wide range of products to choose from. Woah! Thank you all for a lot of good information. I may be new to woodwork but Ive been stropping blades all my adult life as a leatherworker/chef. Regardless of the kind of strop or which side of the leather is being used, learn the right way to do it, then build muscle memory by doing it over and over again. For diamond/cbn/sic compound, I use skin/smooth side of leather. Leather strops are an essential piece of equipment for makers across a wide range of crafts and often, having just one is not enough. I only use the canvas after honing and before the leather. This is what i use when I need to hand polish and hone an edge. Special requests accepted! If they have not been maintained, a visit with the local leatherworker or boot maker/repair shop may be required to restore the leather. :confused: I think the best side for me is the smooth side charged with abrasive. Stropping the edge of a straight razor, kitchen knife, hunting knife, woodworking chisel, or other crafting tool(s), is an exercise in geometry, metallurgy, hand-eye coordination, and a lesson in controlling both pressure and speed inorder to achieve the best possible outcome of the sharpening process. 2,809. So, buying a dedicated strop is purely optional. It may not display this or other websites correctly. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. With abrasive particles in the 2-4 micron range, it is finer than the Green Paste and gives a near mirror finish. Download these free leather guides with signup. WebDo you use both sides of a strop? I experienced the rough one, charged with Cr2O3, to be a great deburrer. Would recommend if you have a lot of money. I've watched several Youtube videos on how to use leather strops, and now I don't know which is THE better side of the leather to use: I use the rough side for charging with compound or etc, and the smooth side without any additions when I'm just trying to realign the edge. This process does not sharpen the blade (per se) or remove any metal, but it does clean up the edge for a better shave. This feature is normally found on leather splitters costing much more money. Leather Goods Luggage (830) 833-5161. Polish the blade on it. Just charge it with compound and put it to work. You are using an out of date browser. Generally, a strop is usually a strip of leather that is used to remove the burr from the cutting edge of a freshly sharpened blade. Stropping at home often happens with a stropping belt, or piece of leather. The articles on this site are for informational purposes only. Sharpen dry. Newspapers and magazines have been used in a pinch as well as denim, cotton and felt fabrics. In this way, the focus is on removing the imperfections of the cut and avoiding the risk of cutting your strop in half at the same time. You must be logged in to reply to this topic. When stropping a straight razor, the smooth side of the leather strop is most effective, and the suede is best for larger blades such as a carving knife. The piece of leather has a smooth side and a rough side. Each of these marks will correspond to inch of the final width of your skive. 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. From Business: Creative Colors International CCI, is the ultimate on-site leather repair, vinyl repair, fabric repair, carpet repair, boat seat repair service and more! Postby Mako109 Mon Mar 28, 2011 1:29 pm, Postby spydietingle Mon Mar 28, 2011 2:58 pm, Postby phillipsted Mon Mar 28, 2011 3:08 pm, Postby jackknifeh Mon Mar 28, 2011 8:06 pm, Postby jackknifeh Mon Mar 28, 2011 8:10 pm, Postby razorsharp Mon Mar 28, 2011 8:52 pm, Postby bada61265 Mon Mar 28, 2011 8:53 pm, Postby Mako109 Mon Mar 28, 2011 10:09 pm, Users browsing this forum: 5-by-5, attila, Bing [Bot], Coastal, Enactive, Google [Bot], gunmike1, olditguy, R100, Scandi Grind, TomAiello, Wandering_About and 70 guests. 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. In South Jersey the good part of New Jersey, USA. I would imagine that if you're using the strop like a barber, just pulling the leather tight between two points, then it would be sort of the reverse, where the thinner leather would give more and the thicker would give less. I would like to know if people use the rough - split - side rather than the smooth - grain - side when stropping.