How To Prepare A Strop?

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Chambers

Settler
Jan 1, 2010
846
6
Darlington
Well after recieving my strop (thanks again Toadflax) and looking at it in amazement for a while I think its about time to get on with using it.

Im on the cheap at the moment so dont want to have to buy and special paste but I have read that if it makes metal shiny it will do the job (Autosol) Im just wondering how I go about putting it on, is it a case of a bit before every strop or a load every now and then? Any ideas?
 

sasquatch

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jun 15, 2008
2,812
0
47
Northampton
I'm not authority on this but I put a small dab of autosol on mine and work it around each time. When it builds up shiny black use the back of your knife to scrape it off and start again. I use a homeade strop so it's not fancy, Toadflax might flip when he reads this!
 

Toadflax

Native
Mar 26, 2007
1,783
5
64
Oxfordshire
I was gutted the first time I put metal paste on my nice shiny new strop (which BTW I was given as a freebie by someone else on here a couple of years ago).

It looks a right mess now!

But the strop is meant to be used - so please use it. I don't need to tell you this, but remember to put the paste on the flesh side. :eek:


Geoff :)
 
Jan 11, 2006
165
0
55
brecon
agreed autosol turnes a nice strop in to a disaster area , lucky for me i used an old belt araldited to some oak so no great loss , i apply more every time i use the strop but after a few goes it does sort of linger there and it is possible to get away with the ocassional stop without adding more if you need to take it camping after a decent amount of use you can get away with it for instance. even a white specialist paste is going to make a black ugly mess of your strop after some use, just bite the bullet m8 and dont worrie about it its going to be the best edge youve ever used works especially well on high RC knives .
edit ....by the way if you read the/ a sharpening guide or 2 most have it wrong ..the point of a strop is to remove a wire edge you dont create a wire edge on a knife by pushing the cutting edge forward on a stone.
 
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BushEd

Nomad
Aug 24, 2009
307
0
34
Herts./Finland
Didn't want to start another thread so ill bump this one :D

Which side of the strop do you put the Autosol on? I have a strip glued to a piece of pine with the rough side face up, smooth side glued down.

have i messed this up? does it need to be on the smooth side? Someone said flesh side...but as a leather newb this doesnt help :D :confused: :240:
 

jungle_re

Settler
Oct 6, 2008
600
0
Cotswolds
smooth side up for me. Though in truth i doubt it makes too much difference the strop is only taking off the thing wire edge and even the roughest of strops after a couple of stokes loaded with autosol goes smooth quite quickly
 

Tadpole

Full Member
Nov 12, 2005
2,842
21
59
Bristol
by using a loaded strop almost every time I use my knives, I find that I don't need to sharpen them very often. Why, I am not sure, if it is only for getting off the wire edge? I use my knife(s) daily, for cutting every thing from cable ties, cardboard, chopping wood, to slicing spanish sausage for my lunch.
 

jungle_re

Settler
Oct 6, 2008
600
0
Cotswolds
becouse your using so often that wire edge never really forms as your not using coarser abrasives taking off a very small amount of metal and keeping the edge very sharp. All the loaded strop is is a very fine abrasive

If you were using other sharping methods then the sharpening process makes a small micro burr on the edge using the strop removes this though you could also use a steel or very fine wet stone and nagura etc etc
 
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