What does a strop do?

What does a strop do? A strop is a tool used in the final stage of the knife sharpening process. It is typically a long, flat, and flexible strip made of leather, canvas, or other materials. When used to strop knives it’s usually a piece of leather glued to a piece of wood. The primary purpose of a strop is to refine and polish the edge of a knife, razor, or other cutting tools, rather than actually removing metal to sharpen it like a whetstone or a honing rod.

Correctly preparing a piece of leather to make a strop is more important that the actual leather that is used.

When a knife is used frequently, its edge can become slightly misaligned or develop micro-serrations, which affect its cutting performance. The sharpening process, whether using a whetstone or a honing rod, can create a sharp edge, but it might still have some roughness or microscopic burrs. This is where the strop comes in:

1. Smoothing the Edge: When a knife edge is drawn along the strop, the slightly abrasive surface of the leather or canvas helps to smooth out any remaining burrs or imperfections on the edge. This process is known as “stropping.”
2. Polishing the Edge: Stropping also helps in achieving a finer and more polished edge. It can refine the cutting edge to a razor-sharp level, enhancing the knife’s cutting performance and slicing ability.
3. Aligning the Edge: Stropping aligns the edge of the knife, making it more uniform and centered, which improves the overall cutting efficiency.

Stropping is a gentle and easy process and involves using very little pressure. The knife is typically pulled along the strop with the edge trailing, and the motion is repeated multiple times on each side of the blade. Some people also apply a small amount of stropping compound on the strop, which is a fine abrasive paste that further enhances the stropping process.

It’s essential to note that a strop doesn’t actually remove metal from the blade; it is not a substitute for proper sharpening when the knife’s edge is significantly dull or damaged. Regular stropping, however, can help maintain a knife’s sharpness between proper sharpening sessions and prolong the time between sharpening tasks. Stropping is particularly useful for maintaining the sharpness of straight razors, woodworking tools, and high-quality kitchen knives.