In a pinch, toothpaste can be used as a stropping compound. Toothpaste has pumis ( volcanic rock dust) in it's mix and can act as a polishing agent. On my toothpaste, in the ultra fine print, it says, "contains silica", which is a type of sand, glass or quartz.
I seriously took my sharpening to a new level after hearing you say ‘has my edge’ when slowing part of your knife collection. I decided if I couldn’t recognize my edge from a factory one, then I didn’t know what I was doing. That is changing now. Thanks for the inspiration.
Very good, Stassa! I especially liked the part, where you explained why it's better to have a thinner leather covering. I see a lot of written strop reviews, on Amazon. Complaining about how the leather is so thin. Because they don't know, that thinner is better. 👍🔪🍺😎
While I'd agree that's generally true, but I'd argue that firmness is more important than thickness. Thinner leathers are usually either pulled tighter, or so thin theres not a lot of physical space for compression. If a leather is firm enough, it doesn't matter how thick it is. For example, wood is so hard (firm), it really doesn't compress, so it doesnt matter if its 2mm thick or 2 inches thick.
@@cp1532 basically. the reason why people get kangaroo strops is because they are thinner and you basically relying on your backing plate to be stiff. i also have some super firm horse butt leather. its not thin by any stretch, but it works well because its so firm.
Great video, i actually just made one yesterday from a leather belt from the thrift store and a piece of 1x2 wood. 5 bucks total and works awesome. Thanks for sharing.
That old beavercraft is really nice for the money. The other thing I use is a hanging barbers strop that I leave in the bathroom. Works just as nicely on knives for quick touch ups. Don’t even need any compound on that one...leather is nice and smooth (what you’re looking for anyway) and has some “natural stropping compounds” in it as is.
I like the paint stick idea. Also the Balsa would work great. You could use some double-sided carpet tape to attach it to some thicker wood. And then just peel it off when it was worn out. Thanks for the ideas...it’s got me thinking. Where can I buy Veggy Roo Leather?
Knives plus strop block is a great strop, haven't felt the need to get any others... so please don't start reviewing a bunch and make me "need" another one :P
its drawback is that its not diamond paste/spray. meaning it would not be idea for use on steel with lots of vanadium or chromium carbides. such as s30v, s110v etc. it will work, but you will notice a difference between them in use, sharpness and in sharpening speed.
I've mostly just noticed that it leaves a more toothy edge on the knife after stropping s35 etc. which I don't mind. Not sure about time since it's the only one I've used.
How do you clean your strops of all the metal gunk? I use a large eraser and it's pretty efficient. I was wondering if you had a better method. Then I use a hair dryer to heat up the strop and the green stopping compound, and I kind of alternate applications of the green stuff and a Russian diamond paste I bought on Amazon. I will try the alcohol trick tomorrow, because it's time to clean the thing. And have you tried stropping with denim?
using heat on leather is not good. but i have done that to get green compound into leather and it works. would recommend some leather conditioner to help cause it will be dried out. also avoid alcohol on leather too. it may work to clean it, but its not good for the leather.
I got 1 micron tech diamond emulsion and jende nano cloth I can whittle beard hair but not a head hair gonna try .5 micron jende emulsion with nano cloth next
@@damensutherland7081 if you debur the apex properly you should be able to whittle a hair with much lower than .5 , it also depends on your edge angle, a 15 degrees per side edge is much easier to whittle than say a 20 dps edge. My Spyderco Police has a 14dps edge finished on 600 grit diamond plates with 10 passes on 3.5 micron gunny juice and it whittles the hair from my wife’s comb and it can cut a free standing strain of hair. It’s a really aggressive edge nice and toothy
I've tried a lot of woods, and a lot of everything else. Basswood is my favorite. I still look for new mediums to experiment with, and use other strops occasionally, but that's really just part of the sickness. If I had to pick only one to use, or to recommend, basswood is it.
@@cp1532 its great. I do still really like kangaroo leather though!. I havent tried nanocloth yet, but I'm happy with the results I get from basswood, and roo leather. I sharpen professionally, so I get the chance to experiment with tons of different stones, grit progressions, stropping compounds, etc
@@nathenwallis5664Yea. IIRC it excels at polishing, best if used with very light pressure, maybe trailing strokes only, cant remember. But I feel like it has potential, the concept that is. Maybe it just needs to be harder? Idk, but there has to be some kind of material or formula out there that can be manufactured to outperform natural strops. I just don't think we're quite there yet.
I like seeing what other people use. I wish more knife channels would show how they sharpen and what they use.
In a pinch, toothpaste can be used as a stropping compound. Toothpaste has pumis ( volcanic rock dust) in it's mix and can act as a polishing agent. On my toothpaste, in the ultra fine print, it says, "contains silica", which is a type of sand, glass or quartz.
Would baking soda work?
Always interesting to see what other knife nuts use. Thanks for sharing. ✌️👍👊
I seriously took my sharpening to a new level after hearing you say ‘has my edge’ when slowing part of your knife collection. I decided if I couldn’t recognize my edge from a factory one, then I didn’t know what I was doing. That is changing now. Thanks for the inspiration.
This type of video is not done enough! Thanks for a great video!
Very good, Stassa!
I especially liked the part, where you explained why it's better to have a thinner leather covering. I see a lot of written strop reviews, on Amazon. Complaining about how the leather is so thin. Because they don't know, that thinner is better.
👍🔪🍺😎
While I'd agree that's generally true, but I'd argue that firmness is more important than thickness. Thinner leathers are usually either pulled tighter, or so thin theres not a lot of physical space for compression. If a leather is firm enough, it doesn't matter how thick it is. For example, wood is so hard (firm), it really doesn't compress, so it doesnt matter if its 2mm thick or 2 inches thick.
@@cp1532 basically. the reason why people get kangaroo strops is because they are thinner and you basically relying on your backing plate to be stiff. i also have some super firm horse butt leather. its not thin by any stretch, but it works well because its so firm.
Great video, i actually just made one yesterday from a leather belt from the thrift store and a piece of 1x2 wood. 5 bucks total and works awesome. Thanks for sharing.
That old beavercraft is really nice for the money. The other thing I use is a hanging barbers strop that I leave in the bathroom. Works just as nicely on knives for quick touch ups. Don’t even need any compound on that one...leather is nice and smooth (what you’re looking for anyway) and has some “natural stropping compounds” in it as is.
Interesting topic ! Great video !
My paint sticks made the vid!
👊👊👊🙏🙏🙏😁😁😁
Good video and topic. A have 3 strops. Use them after 2/3 uses on a knife. My favorite is my shop made strop. Bit of green compound in the rough side.
Wow really amazing reviews!!! :D
Great review. Very informative.
Just picked up the Beaver Craft medium awaiting its arrival!
I like the paint stick idea. Also the Balsa would work great. You could use some double-sided carpet tape to attach it to some thicker wood. And then just peel it off when it was worn out. Thanks for the ideas...it’s got me thinking. Where can I buy Veggy Roo Leather?
Knives plus strop block is a great strop, haven't felt the need to get any others... so please don't start reviewing a bunch and make me "need" another one :P
its drawback is that its not diamond paste/spray. meaning it would not be idea for use on steel with lots of vanadium or chromium carbides. such as s30v, s110v etc. it will work, but you will notice a difference between them in use, sharpness and in sharpening speed.
I've mostly just noticed that it leaves a more toothy edge on the knife after stropping s35 etc. which I don't mind. Not sure about time since it's the only one I've used.
How do you clean your strops of all the metal gunk? I use a large eraser and it's pretty efficient. I was wondering if you had a better method.
Then I use a hair dryer to heat up the strop and the green stopping compound, and I kind of alternate applications of the green stuff and a Russian diamond paste I bought on Amazon. I will try the alcohol trick tomorrow, because it's time to clean the thing.
And have you tried stropping with denim?
using heat on leather is not good. but i have done that to get green compound into leather and it works. would recommend some leather conditioner to help cause it will be dried out. also avoid alcohol on leather too. it may work to clean it, but its not good for the leather.
Tactical Center Thanks. I’ll check out some mink oil or whatever.
Where they sell the small plastic strop one ?
Nice
👍
I was so ready to post a whiny comment about how stropping does indeed remove material . . . and then you said NOTICEABLE.
Can you use a leather belt .
Long time mate hope all well
Do you get hair whittling edge with .5 micron grit
I can get a hair whittling edge off on 1000 grit Diamond stones and 3 micron
I got 1 micron tech diamond emulsion and jende nano cloth I can whittle beard hair but not a head hair gonna try .5 micron jende emulsion with nano cloth next
@@damensutherland7081 if you debur the apex properly you should be able to whittle a hair with much lower than .5 , it also depends on your edge angle, a 15 degrees per side edge is much easier to whittle than say a 20 dps edge. My Spyderco Police has a 14dps edge finished on 600 grit diamond plates with 10 passes on 3.5 micron gunny juice and it whittles the hair from my wife’s comb and it can cut a free standing strain of hair. It’s a really aggressive edge nice and toothy
Swallow
Basswood is another good wood for strops, its usually right next to the balsa wood in crafts stores
I've tried a lot of woods, and a lot of everything else. Basswood is my favorite. I still look for new mediums to experiment with, and use other strops occasionally, but that's really just part of the sickness. If I had to pick only one to use, or to recommend, basswood is it.
@@cp1532 its great. I do still really like kangaroo leather though!. I havent tried nanocloth yet, but I'm happy with the results I get from basswood, and roo leather. I sharpen professionally, so I get the chance to experiment with tons of different stones, grit progressions, stropping compounds, etc
Haha yea kangaroo is my 2nd choice. And never tried nano either. Everything I've heard about it sounds like it just isn't my style.
@@cp1532 same here. Everything I hear about it, you either love it, or hate it
@@nathenwallis5664Yea. IIRC it excels at polishing, best if used with very light pressure, maybe trailing strokes only, cant remember. But I feel like it has potential, the concept that is. Maybe it just needs to be harder? Idk, but there has to be some kind of material or formula out there that can be manufactured to outperform natural strops. I just don't think we're quite there yet.