Thread: Strop

Originally Posted by derekcohen

What do you plan to strop? And why strop?

Regards from Perth

Derek

What's your recommendation for naughty children?

Why go to all the trouble of sourcing off cuts when you must have an old leather belt you no longer use. Been using mine for years.

Unless you are sharpening carving chisels, I would avoid a leather strop. My preference is Lee Valley green compound rubbed on planed hardwood. I have used leather in strops for many years, and these can dub the edge and will slowly curve the back of a bench chisel and plane blade. Wood has no give and there is a minimal chance of dubbing. Robson Valley's suggestion of cardboard is for similar reasons.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Originally Posted by derekcohen

Unless you are sharpening carving chisels, I would avoid a leather strop. My preference is Lee Valley green compound rubbed on planed hardwood. I have used leather in strops for many years, and these can dub the edge and will slowly curve the back of a bench chisel and plane blade. Wood has no give and there is a minimal chance of dubbing. Robson Valley's suggestion of cardboard is for similar reasons.

Regards from Perth

Derek

I'm with Derek, I just use MDF with LV green compound. I glued sandpaper on the back to stop it sliding around during use.

The hidden issue with things like the Lee Valley sticks of CrOx/AlOx is this: the carrier is some sort of waxy stuff.
Over years of application, cleaning and recharging, I'm convinced that the honing compound wax actually softened
my expensive leather strop. Despite the fact that the leather was glued to wood. So the leather rebounds and rounds off the edges.
I hone a carving tool and it's in far worse shape (stupid blunt bevel angle like 40 degrees or more) than when I started!

Leather was the carrier, centuries ago, as there was nothing else at all.
Box card has to be the modern economy. You already own the box.

*note to myself: DO NOT IGNORE YELLOW PAGES. IT ACTUALLY WORKS IN AUSTRALIA."

Thanks a lot guys.
I see that lots of people suggest against using leather for stropping.
Well that is what I remember ages ago that my dad was using and that is something I 've seen chefs using on their knives and of course as a newbie in wood I guess it's also the Paul Sellers video so add that all together and leather was the only thing I thought could do the work.
Thanks again for all the suggestions and tips.

Nikos