stropping advice needed

[Jmora]

I need some advice on stropping, I was thinking of getting a leather strop to complement my sharpmaker. Right now I have the two normal spyderco ceramic stones, and I was wondering if it would be good to have a strop with paste for a finer abrasive or polishing to finish the process.
My reasons are
1) as I understand it, it is better to strop the edge regularly, rather than continuously sharpen on stones, and wear down the blade. Is this right? or is does it make no difference if I am rubbing the blade on stone or leather loaded with compound? Additionally, since I have reprofiled a lot of my blades, they are a little convexed, and I thouht it would be better to use the strop to get the whole edge.

2) I am confused about what colour compound to buy for the strop, which would be the next level of fineness from the white spyderco stone? I'm guessing a green paste, or red, but its all confusing, especially since the german brands seem to look so different, with different colours (e.g. yellow and black) from english brands.

[AimlessWanderer]

Stropping without compound will realign the edge, and stropping with compound will realign and remove a very small amount of material (less than stones). I'd suggest a double sided paddle strop loaded with compound on one side only - personally I'd go for red compound as that's what I've always used. I wouldn't get too caught up in which compound unless we're talking about open razors.

Strop without paste frquently, and only move to the loaded side when dry stropping doesn't give you the bite you want. If done regularly you may never need stones again unless the edge is damaged or after prolongued/heavy use without any stropping to keep the edge keen

EDIT: Also, if stropping a blade that has been sharpened to a very acute angle, always strop before use and not after to allow the steel to relax and avoid weakening the edge. This is mainly specified with open razors, but worth doing on any very acute grinds. More robust grinds will not apply

[Jmora]

EDIT: Also, if stropping a blade that has been sharpened to a very acute angle, always strop before use and not after to allow the steel to relax and avoid weakening the edge. This is mainly specified with open razors, but worth doing on any very acute grinds. More robust grinds will not apply

thanks for tips  , I was wondering, could you explain what that means above, should I strop the knife shortly before using it if it is an acute angle (I sharpen most of my knives at 30 degrees, so this sounds important to me)? How does that protect edge? is it because the edge is already well-aligned before it cuts, and so imperfections won't be exaggerated with cutting?

[Bensasupertool]

anybody have a noob instructional video of this stropping. Rather check here first than go to the you tubes. I have a wet stone to work with but im not to satisfied with the results. Could be the user.

[Sparky415]

The thread here is useful Bensasupertool

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,23827.msg436528.html#msg436528

[Bensasupertool]

The thread here is useful Bensasupertool

http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,23827.msg436528.html#msg436528

Very helpful. This fourm is great.Thanks Sparky

[Ashley]

Best advice I can give to go to knivesshipfree.com and buy their strop with the bark river compound. Excellent stuff!

Sent from Ash forum mobile

[AimlessWanderer]

EDIT: Also, if stropping a blade that has been sharpened to a very acute angle, always strop before use and not after to allow the steel to relax and avoid weakening the edge. This is mainly specified with open razors, but worth doing on any very acute grinds. More robust grinds will not apply

thanks for tips  , I was wondering, could you explain what that means above, should I strop the knife shortly before using it if it is an acute angle (I sharpen most of my knives at 30 degrees, so this sounds important to me)? How does that protect edge? is it because the edge is already well-aligned before it cuts, and so imperfections won't be exaggerated with cutting?

Applying strictly to open razors, and diluting accordingly as the edge angle increases ... 

The very edge of the blade is quite delicate which is why it can be easily deformed (aligned) by running it over a piece of soft leather or canvas, or lightly over the rim of a glass for example. It is also quite elastic, but will not "spring back" immediately. If you use the knife the fine delicate part of the edge can be deformed, and stropping it immediately after can snap this edge off as if removing a wire edge after sharpening - net result - stropping just made your knife blunt. This is why some people have the notion that steeling a blade is bad for it - they're either doing it wrong ... or at the wrong time. Leave it 24 hours and assuming it's not damaged, the micro stresses put into the steel during the initial deformation will straighten the edge back up. Strop before next use and you'll make that final realignment and have a wicked sharp edge.

Same story, but reversed ... ever have a knife which mysteriously "self dulls" after you've not used it? You get it hair popping sharp but then it seems to go dull for no reason. This can happen with over sharpening, uneven sharpening or occasionally the blades internal structure, whereby the relaxed state of the edge is bent. The cure is to resharpen with fine stones evenly both sides, leave 24 hours and repeat so you're trying to remove the "curl" from the edge and leave a blade that is sharp in it's relaxed state (not easy) ... either that or just strop before use so you have a straight edge and remember it will relax misaligned and you'll need to strop/steel it again before next use

Very often a dull knife is still sharp, it's just the edge isn't pointing in the right direction to cut as well as it should - so people hit the stones with it when it's not always necessary

[Jmora]

Best advice I can give to go to knivesshipfree.com and buy their strop with the bark river compound. Excellent stuff!

Sent from Ash forum mobile

looks pretty good, I eventually went for a solingen variety, just because it is faster and cheaper to get something from Germany than from OS.

[Jmora]

thanks 50ft-trad  , that is really interesting info, I never really thought of the blade as being that dynamic and changeable. that reminds me I really have to go easy on the resharpening of my blades, am looking forward to getting this strop going.

[Ashley]

Best advice I can give to go to knivesshipfree.com and buy their strop with the bark river compound. Excellent stuff!

Sent from Ash forum mobile

looks pretty good, I eventually went for a solingen variety, just because it is faster and cheaper to get something from Germany than from OS.

  didn't realize you weren't in the states. Sorry

[Jmora]

Best advice I can give to go to knivesshipfree.com and buy their strop with the bark river compound. Excellent stuff!

Sent from Ash forum mobile

looks pretty good, I eventually went for a solingen variety, just because it is faster and cheaper to get something from Germany than from OS.

  didn't realize you weren't in the states. Sorry

no worries,  , knife stuff seems so much cheaper there than it is for Europeans, if I ever make it to the US, I will go on a knife buying binge (and a hamburger binge too while I'm at it)