Do You Strop Chisels/Plane Irons?

[Derek Arita]

Lately I've gotten into using stones for sharpening. Now I'm wondering if I should bother to strop and if so, what to use and how to use it? I've been stropping of a Tormek, so should I strop by hand when using stones?

[chris carter]

I use a strop. It hangs from the end of my bench because it does probably 98% of all sharpening. I just slap in a dog and butt the strop up against it. I really only go back to my diamond stone if something is actually wrong with my blade, like rolling/chipping an edge, which is rare. Why is it so rare? Because having the strop right there in my face, and so fast and easy to use, means I’m constantly sharpening so nothing usually gets dull enough to suffer damage that would need a stone. It just sits there within reach quietly calling me, "use me, use me, use me." My strop is 1/16th veg-tan leather on a piece of plywood. If you get thick leather and go crazy, then you will slowly round over your bevel. If you get thin leather and are careful to maintain your bevel angle just like you would on a stone, then you won’t have problems rounding over the bevel, at least I don’t. When I do use a diamond stone, it’s the DMT extra-fine. No reason to go finer than that because the strop will take care of the rest.

[Phil Mueller]

Generally, I’ll strop a few times after honing on stones (I use diamond and ceramic), if for no other reason than to ensure the wire edge is gone. Not 30 strokes like Paul Sellers does, just a few swipes on both sides. I use a piece of leather glued down to MDF with the green compound.

[Doug Hepler]

Yes, I strop after the 8000 stone (or 1 micron film) and often between honings. I prefer the green compound from Veritas on leather. Drag lightly once or twice.

Doug

[Jim Koepke]

Sometime a strop is used, sometimes it isn't. My tendency is to stop more after an oilstone than after sharpening on water stones. Then it is usually less than five strokes on each side.

jtk

[Prashun Patel]

I strop after 8000. I can feel the edge sharper (with my thumb) than without stropping.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I strop with a leather strop and green chromium oxide. It has been debated here 1,000 times whether or not green chromium oxide is really the 30k grit claimed by one mfg, but I can tell you it is absolutely finer than my 16k grit Shapton.

In the end, whatever gets it sharp enough is good enough. This is just what I have found to work best for me.

[William Fretwell]

My strops are leather offcuts from hides for Rolls Royce seats from the leather tannery in Canterbury, UK.
It is glued to a block of wood and rubbed with green compound. After my final stone I pull the back of plane blades flat over the leather three times. The first pull you feel the resistance, by the third pull there is none.
The bevel side I pull 5 or 6 times. You can feel the refinement of the edge.

For chisels I use the same method, except Barr timber frame chisels with their rounded bevel require many pulls at different angles for their bevel edge. It is ridiculous how much white oak you can chop with those and they are still sharp.

[ken hatch]

I'm with Jim, when I use oil stones (which is most of the time) I strop on leather with green or pink stuff. Artificial water stones are kinda whatever because the cutter comes off the stone with a smaller scratch pattern than the same cutter off oil stones. From some very un-scientific A&B checks I believe even cutters sharpened on waterstones benefit from light stropping not in original sharpness but very slightly in useable working life.

ken

[Andrew Seemann]

I tend to hit the strop wheel on the Tormek briefly after using a 4000 grit water stone (I do the hollow grind on the Tormek, hone the cutting bevel on a flat water stone and then strop on the leather wheel). It seems to give the blade that last cherry-on-the-top sharpness. Sitting on the wheel too long seems to dull the edge. It could all be in my head though, but the leather wheel seems to help.

[Mark Rainey]

After an 8000 Norton water stone, I strop. I think it gets the blade a little touch sharper. I judge this by two methods. Let the blade gently fall into your finger nail and feel how it sticks into it. Then touch the tip of your blade and see if it catches your skin. Stropping improves both.

[Warren West]

My strops are leather offcuts from hides for Rolls Royce seats from the leather tannery in Canterbury, UK.


So what your saying is it's the ..... "Rolls Royce" of strops.:D

I think if done right, stropping always improves the edge.

I power strop with a buffing wheel.

[steven c newman]

When doing a lot of chisel work, I tend to "strop" the edges right on the pants leg of my work jeans.....otherwise, it be an old leather work belt ( used to carry my nail bags) with a load of the green stuff....as I only sharpen to 2.5K grit. Then the strop. Plane irons and chisels....both get the same routine....

[Jim Koepke]

Over time one of my experiments has been to see if there is much difference between off the stone vs off the strop for an edge. The subjective measuring was done by shaving arm hair. If the blade off the stone, 8000 grit Norton water stone, cuts perfectly smooth, then it usually isn't stropped or only one pull on each side. If there is a bit of hair catching, then as many as five stokes for each side on the strop seems to be about right for my set up and stropping vigor.

My experience with stopping a very smooth cutting blade more than a stroke or two has resulted in it not cutting arm hair as well as when it came off the stone. With a different strop material and personal technique, 395561

jtk

[Don Dorn]

I use a 220,800 & 1000 stone by hand, then strop pretty hard for about 30 strokes. Receipt paper falls in half which is my test.

[Tony Wilkins]

I’ve been tempted to try a strop but every time I see someone doing it they seem to be putting a lot of effort into it — ie really pushing down into the leather.

[Warren West]

I’ve been tempted to try a strop but every time I see someone doing it they seem to be putting a lot of effort into it — ie really pushing down into the leather.

Well, so try it but don't push down so hard. See what works.

Arm hair and paper is one thing, but my suggestion to everyone is see how it cuts wood and go by that over any other test.

[James Pallas]

I usually strop carving tools as opposed to going to the stones. If I'm sharpening bench chisels I sometimes go straight from my smooth flat river Rock to the work. I think it works like this. You need to do what is needed for the edge you want. If you don't know what you are doing to or for the edge you need to find out. When you use a strop with compound on it the purpose is to remove steel. When you use a clean strop you are refining the edge without removal of a lot of steel. Depending on how dull I feel a carving tool edge is I will go to the rough side of leather with some green or gold stuff on it wipe the blade and go for light strokes on clean leather. I sometimes just go to the clean leather just to refine a good edge a bit. I have a friend, good carver, who swears by brown paper. I've tried it and it does work. Others use their palm or their pants. It all works. The point I'm making is you have to know, there is no way you can tell someone to take fifty strokes on a stone and then rub thirty tomes with 20lbs of pressure on a strop. You have to learn to read the edge to get what you want.
Jim

[steven c newman]

Ok, was doing a few mortises in White Oak today....lost a tiny sliver off the edge of the new Narex mortise chisel..no biggie..
395586
600 grit Medium India stone, then the leather strop...back to work.....About after each mortise, a quick three strokes on the pants leg...ready to chop.
That little curl laying there? Had one tenon that was too thick, with most of the excess on one side...
395587
Chin-powered Aldi's to trim the excess off..one stroke. YMMV...

[Frederick Skelly]

I usually hone to 6000 and then strop on leather with green compound. I usually pull shavings that are .002 - .003 thick.

[steven c newman]

Would take me all day to get a job done..with shavings that thin.....

395604
This took almost too long to do, as it was...

[Frederick Skelly]

Would take me all day to get a job done..with shavings that thin.....

395604
This took almost too long to do, as it was...

Yes it sure would! :) To clarify, I was using my favorite smoother, the MF #9.

[Steven Mikes]

I use waterstones (4K + 8K if there are no dings/chips) and always a leather strop with green compound after. It's just a thin piece of leather glued to MDF.

[brian zawatsky]

I guess I’m the odd guy out on this one. I finish with a 12k Shapton & that gets the edge where it needs to be. I used to use a strop when I was still sharpening with sandpaper and float glass, but once I switched to ceramic stones I didnt see a need for the strop anymore.

[Brandon Speaks]

I strop about 5x as often as I sharpen, and always strop after sharpening. Even if the strop is put away in a drawer, getting it out putting in the end vice, and stropping takes all of a minute and makes a world of difference.

[Jay Larson]

Just started strpping my chisels and plane irons. Tried both 20-30 swipes per Paul Sellers, and just a couple. While I do notice a difference when I strop versus when I skip it, I have not noticed much difference between a couple of swipes and 20-30.

One question I would like to add. How often do you recharge the strop? Every Time? When you see it turn black? When you haven't done it in a while?

[Brian Holcombe]

I don’t strop, I have nothing against the practice but find it unnecessary.

[Steven Harrison]

I'm about to phase stropping out. I feel like I get better results when I skip the strop, and I can see other's points when they say that stropping rounds the edge off.

[Zach Dillinger]

I strop chisels and gouges frequently, often as a way to lightly refresh a faltering edge without having to stop work completely and actually sharpen it. If you can catch the edge before it starts to chip / break it can be a real time saver. On plane irons I don't do this, as if I'm taking the time to take the plane apart, I'm going to make sure the iron is as good as I can get it before it goes back into the plane, i.e. no time saving half measures. The last step in that process is a couple of swipes on the strop.

[Alexander Zagubny]

Starting woodworker here, so not a lot of experience.
I do strop chisels after sharpening and during the work. Plane blades I probably strop less than I should (due time required for disassemble). Result of stropping I can easily feel on a newspaper test (single sheet, trying to shave thick strip from the edge). Result is notable in cutting wood as well.

[joel cervera]

Yes. I strop. 1000 then 4000 water stone to hone then strop on leather over mdf charged with green compound. By all measures it makes my edges sharper. and its cheap to boot. I could go buy an 8k then 12k stone for $200 or more.. Or spent $20 on brick of compound the will last damn near forever and a piece of scrap leather and mdf. I may get a finer stone one day but i don't find it necessary and appreciate budgeting funds toward other shop needs for now. And the bottom line is my tool edges are plenty sharp as is.

[Stanley Powers]

Jim brings up a good point. You need to develop a quick test to see how sharp the tool is- whether shaving hairs, slicing a thin sheet of paper, cutting end grain, etc. When you have achieved the level of sharpness you wish, stop. I use a power strop I made for my drill press which consists of approx an 8 inch disk with leather on the surface. It is seconds to achieve a razor sharp edge. Rarely use stones because it is much easier to KEEP edges sharp, then to GET edges sharp!

[Rob Luter]

Jim brings up a good point.....it is much easier to KEEP edges sharp, then to GET edges sharp!

Raising a mature thread from slumber, but I agree. I built a strop and have taken to using it frequently. It’s easier to master freehand than working on stones and if the amount of blood is any indication it’s pretty effective. Pro tip: keep your fingertips the hell away from the edge. Yikes!

[Jim Koepke]

Pro tip: keep your fingertips the hell away from the edge. Yikes!

It is much easier to accidentally cut body parts in the path of the edge than it is to accidentally cut that which is behind the edge.

jtk

[Bill McDermott]

I strop (green on leather on wood) chisels during use. I don’t strop plane irons, or chisels after sharpening. I just go through the grits and they are done. I can feel the difference stropping makes when paring with chisels but not so much with sharp planes. Anyway, when I disassemble a plane, it just gets sharpened. Chisels can get swiped on the strop and barely interrupt work.

[Arash Korangy]

I strop about 5x as often as I sharpen, and always strop after sharpening. Even if the strop is put away in a drawer, getting it out putting in the end vice, and stropping takes all of a minute and makes a world of difference.

Im in this camp. Having the stropping setup nearby has drastically reduced the amount my stones are needed.

[Jim Koepke]

Im in this camp. Having the stropping setup nearby has drastically reduced the amount my stones are needed.

Hmmm, maybe my strop should be moved over to the bench instead of across the room.

Though a few other things have also changed in my sharpening regimen. My proficiency at using oil stones has improved over this last winter. As many know my shop does not have running water and the standing water freezes during winter cold spells. So oil stones are my winter stones.

Most often though my reason for going to the stones is to remove a nick.

jtk

[Rob Luter]

It is much easier to accidentally cut body parts in the path of the edge than it is to accidentally cut that which is behind the edge.

jtk

Sage advice. Right up there with "Don't touch it to see how sharp it is" :o


Hmmm, maybe my strop should be moved over to the bench instead of across the room. jtk

That's where I keep mine.

[Robert Engel]

I don’t strop, I have nothing against the practice but find it unnecessary.

I do strop, but think its unnecessary, too. :)

Have to say I'm amazed at the guys who claim they use nothing but a strop........

[James Pallas]

I strop chisels. I found from using carving tools that stroping makes for a nice clean smooth edge. I usually don't strop plane irons unless I need a quick touch up for something tricky. I don't do the high pressure fast strop. I pay attention to the angles and make as even a stroke as I am able. When the tool doesn't feel right to me in the cut I go right to the strop. Seems to work well for me. To test I try to make an even slicing cut in the work, if possible, and I think I can feel the little catches in the edge if there are any.

[Günter VögelBerg]

strop after oil stones, not after water stones

[Tom M King]

I had to look to see if I had already posted in this thread.

I don't strop, have never felt for a raised burr, and don't bother to test the edge. I have seen by the swarf that it has been sharpened all the way across, and can tell by the feel on the stones that they have done what they're going to do. I am particular about the feel of stones though. That's the reason I have little use for Diamonds, or hard water stones in the process.

[Mike Henderson]

I only strop carving tools, not bench chisels.

Mike

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I have a Shapton 16000, and I usually strop. I don't strop much and I have no idea if it really matters. I just do it. I do not push excessively. Eventually, I will figure out how to look very carefully at the edge to see if it looks like it matters. Depending on what I am doing, however, I expect that I am removing that super nice edge very quickly. If I have something tough (like some end grain), I am likely to strop very often. And before I put away my chisels, I usually tune them up so that they are ready to go for my next round.

[Jason Kamery]

I use waterstones 1k, 5k, 8k then strop. If I am doing a lot of work with the chisel, I will strop in between if I think it's starting to cut a little harder.