Good small bench strop for honing SAKs etc.?

[Oxford_Guy]

Hi - I have a Spyderco Sharpmaker (with the standard rods) that I use for sharpening my SAKs and small Spydercos, which is relatively easy to use even for someone as unskilled at sharpening as me, but think I could do with a small bench strop to hone my SAk and Spydie blades between sharpening.  Does anyone have any recommendations for a suitable bench strop, preferably something easy to find in UK online stores? Is it necessary to use a stropping compound, or is just stropping on the leather all that's really needed? Thanks

[Smashie]

An old leather belt and a stick of Smurf poo (look on amazon, I'm not joking) is what you need 

[AimlessWanderer]

Yup, an old section of belt glued to a stick, and you'll do fine. Sometimes I'll use a compound, sometimes not (such as if I've just looped the end of the belt I'm wearing over a door handle and used that).

Between sharpening I tend to steel a knife rather than strop it, which I know some people don't like doing

[Oxford_Guy]

An old leather belt and a stick of Smurf poo (look on amazon, I'm not joking) is what you need 

There seem to be different colours of "Smurf Poo" for different purposes e.g. Blue (very fine, 5/8 abrasive rating), Green (very fine, 7/8 abrasive rating), Brown, White (very fine, 3/9 abrasive rating), yellow - which one is recommended? The blue?


Also I don't really have any spare leather belts, so would prefer something ready made, mounted on a block or paddle.

[Sparky415]

A few ideas here Oxford if you want to make one yourself? 
http://forum.multitool.org/index.php/topic,20546.msg385782.html#msg385782

And some other compound
http://www.axminster.co.uk/flexcut-gold-polishing-compound-510075

PM on it's way 

[Smashie]

An old leather belt and a stick of Smurf poo (look on amazon, I'm not joking) is what you need 

There seem to be different colours of "Smurf Poo" for different purposes e.g. Blue (very fine, 5/8 abrasive rating), Green (very fine, 7/8 abrasive rating), Brown, White (very fine, 3/9 abrasive rating), yellow - which one is recommended? The blue?


Also I don't really have any spare leather belts, so would prefer something ready made, mounted on a block or paddle.

Blue and take hint from Tony and visit a charity shop to get a belt

[Oxford_Guy]

Ideally what sort of width is best for stropping small knives? Pretty much all my knives are 3" or less - is it better to have the strop wider than the knife length or narrower?


If using a stropping compound do you ideally need two strops (or one double-sided) - one for use with the compound, one without? Thanks

[AimlessWanderer]

Personally, I'd only go to that extent on a high quality strop for an open razor. For a general purpose pocket knife, a home made job with any compound will be just fine  IMHO.

[Oxford_Guy]

Personally, I'd only go to that extent on a high quality strop for an open razor. For a general purpose pocket knife, a home made job with any compound will be just fine  IMHO.

Oh, okay, so you just strop with the compound and leave it at that?


BTW stupid question - which side of the leather belt do you use for stropping, the smooth polished side, or the rough untreated side? I'm assuming the latter?

[Smashie]

Personally, I'd only go to that extent on a high quality strop for an open razor. For a general purpose pocket knife, a home made job with any compound will be just fine  IMHO.

Oh, okay, so you just strop with the compound and leave it at that?


BTW stupid question - which side of the leather belt do you use for stropping, the smooth polished side, or the rough untreated side? I'm assuming the latter?

I use the rough side, but I could be wrong

[AimlessWanderer]

It depends how furry the rough side is. Unless it's pretty darn smooth there's no point in using compound IMO. If the smooth side is untreated you can use that with compound, but if it's glossy the compound is unlikey to take properly.

I consider stropping for deburring and straightening the edge, rather than trying to polish it. Those who want a gleaming perfect edge will want a compound on a smooth clean premium leather. My philosophy is that the edge will only be perfect till you do your first proper cutting task with it, and I don't want to be stropping more often than necessary.

Some people will just strop on the leg of the jeans they're wearing, others will use a coffee cup or car window to steel it. There's lots of different degrees of precision here, you just need to find the right level for you 

[Oxford_Guy]

Well I've ordered some Blue Smurf Poo from Amazon for starters, will see if I can find a leather belt cheap in the local charity shops

[AimlessWanderer]