Strops and Stropping

[Daniel]

Hello lovely people!

I just today received my Stewart Marsh Bushcraft knife, and very nice it is!! However, I'm thinking it's time to get a strop. I did have a quick search but was a bit overwhelmed with the results, so thought I'd ask my two Q's on a new thread...

1. Where can I buy a good, but cheap, strop? (I'm thinking maybe a tenner max, if that's possible??)

2. Do I need some kind of polishing agent to put on the strop??

Ok, sorry, three questions...

3. When stropping does one stroke the bevel on the leather, with the bevel flat against the leather, if you know what I mean, or do you only have the edge touching the leather? I hope that makes sense.

Thankyou!!

Dan

 

[peppin72]

To answer (sorry, only) your first question:

Using an (old) leather belt 'll do the job.

Pepijn

 

[jamesoconnor]

i hope that this site will help. i own barbershops myself and use this company to get some of my shaving products including strops. they also have instructions on how to strop a blade properly.
http://www.classicshaving.citymax.com/articles/article/590351/4057.htm

let me know if you have any more questions.

regards
james

 

[Bumblebee]

At the bushmoot The General used a piece of cardboard with Flitz (sp?) steel polish on it.

 

[Bumblebee]

When stropping you stroke the bevel on the leather, with the bevel flat against the leather. Stropping just makes sure you have a perfect edge symmetry, never stroke the edge along the strop.

 

[mark a.]

Another vote for ClassicShaving. I got my straight razor, strop and Norton hone from there. The owner is very kind and helpful, and the prices are much better (mainly due to FX rate) than here in the UK.

Plain leather is fine - some people like to put diamond paste on it, but I like the idea of using it "raw". Strop so that it's edge trailing (i.e. opposite to honing), laying the bevel flat on the strop, and just using the weight of the knife as downward pressure. It will flatten and polish off the edge to perfection.