We all own knives – for one purpose or another. Some like having a handy tool around, while others enjoy cooking like a real chef. Both of these types of knife-owners have one thing in common – they want to have the best tool for the job, and keep it in mint condition for as long as possible. One of the best ways to keep a knife in good shape is to strop it. But, how to strop a knife if you are an absolute beginner? That’s what we’re here to help you learn!
Before we help you make your knife shiny and good as new and actually get to that, let’s go over the basics.
What is Stropping?
In its essence, knife experts use the term “stropping” when they talk about the act of polishing the knife. Usually, this is done using special equipment – like leather straps on sturdy surfaces.
The purpose of stropping is quite simple too. The blade’s cut might have scratches because obviously, it was used. So, removing these scratches and imperfections is done by stropping. Also, stropping knives makes them really shiny, as if they are new – giving the whole thing an eye-pleasing aspect.
But, besides what meets the eye, stropping is good because it increases the sharpness of the blade.
Which knives can you strop?
A lot of the folks out there believe that only razors are meant to be stropped, but that’s far from the truth. You can use the stropping technique on any blade-possessing item. This includes EDC knives, pocket or even kitchen cutlery knives.
It might not be an easy thing to imagine if you stroke a knife on a piece of leather for a couple of times the edge will be significantly sharper but that is the simple truth however before stropping your knife you must sharpen it on a stone or on another tool because stropping a dull knife will not to any good for you.
Based on what kind of blade you intend to strop, its hardness and the quality of the steel used in the making of the knife, you’ll notice different results. But, all knives can be stropped in general.
Types of Strops
Two different types of strops exist and they are: hanging strops and bench strops.
-Hanging strops are ones that you might see at your local barber shop or razor shaver.
-Bench strops are the strops that are generally used for sharpening and finishing up knives.
The first ones, the hanging ones are usually attached to something high. This can include a hook, a doorknob or even a bar.
The second ones – the bench strops, on the other hand, are horizontal instead of vertical. They are usually attached on a sturdy surface.
How To Strop Your Knife
Here, we’ve compiled a list following the steps of an effective and efficient process of knife stropping. Following this guide will help you get the results you want.
1. Start Slowly And Gently
The first thing you need to do is take the blade and pull it across the strop. Make sure that you pull the item towards its’ back. Follow your instincts and stop only when you think you should.
We suggest covering the whole cut with the strop. You can do this by moving the whole knife toward the tip. This way, the tip of your blade will also touch the end of the strop.
The best thing would be if you are able to move the middle part of the knife from the tip down along the strop – all of this using a single movement. This might look more challenging, but believe us, it is really easy.
Remember to not press too much. If you do, you might damage the cut, and worse – hurt yourself.
2. Finishing
You will have to repeat the process above until you feel like your knife is sharp enough, or if you want your edge really to be razor sharp you can switch to a finer strop which will help you that additional finishing result.
3. Harden and clean your strop
You might see at some point of time that your strop is slowly turning into a black color, don’t be concerned about that- this is the steel that was polished off your previous knives. The black color means that your strop is much rougher than original, which means that your polishing process on that strop will be faster and will give more shine on your knives. There are a couple of ways to roughen up your strop but this is purely optional.
Another thing you can do to increase the efficiency of your strop is to use a wire brush. This will roughen the surface, andd thus, the surface will be more effective. However, you really must know what you are doing. Otherwise, you risk ruining the strop.
Conclusion
Now, a question here appears : Do I really need a strop for my knife? And the question to that is it depends. Many sharpeners sharpen your knife in such a way where you will not need a strop after sharpening, others do. But if you are not that concerned about the finishing touches and if your knife shines in the end process, stropping might be a thing that you don’t need.
On the other side if you want the sharpening process of your knife to be complete and you want your knife to be as sharp and as shiny as possible, stropping is the way to go.
The rules of sharpening knives in general are universal, same goes for stropping, but of course knives differ from each other so you might need to change your technique a little bit from knife to knife.
Gary Portman is the founder and main author of Knivesadvice.com. With his extensive knowledge and experience, he is committed to assisting people in choosing the perfect knife for their needs. Through his articles, Gary shares valuable insights on various aspects of knives. With his expertise, readers can make informed decisions and find a knife that is tailored to their preferences and requirements. You can find more info about Gary here.