All About Pocket Knives

I am considering buying a vintage strop for sharpening but am abit confused as to types of strops and honestly I don't know much about strops at all... I notice some are long leather pieces with attachments on each end while others look like a short paddle with a handle and usually 4 grades of leather (#1-4)... I would be sharpening knife blades and not razors so not sure if that plays into choices.. Also how do you know if a vintage strop is still good for its intended purpose? All and any help appreciated! (and as an aside I know there are other options for a strop such as a piece of denim etc but as part of my craziness I thought it would be cool to have a vintage strop for sharpening ).

Thanks
Lee

Lee, NOS strops can be found, although I suspect even those might have suffered some ill effects due to drying of the leather.

There was a box of six short bathroom type Cattaraugus strops on Ebay a couple of years ago and I bought a mint Robeson short strop off Ebay once. (pic below, it's the one in the middle)

I suppose with the resurgent popularity of straight razor shaving world-wide, there might be new high quality strops available.

I noticed a "Shave Store" here in Birmingham while Christmas shopping. I did not go in, but I plan to.

Also, there is a shaving specialty/barber shop on Mechanic Avenue in New Orleans called Aidan Gill For Men. They have a website, but they are a high dollar outfit. You might check there.

Some folks just glue a swatch of leather to a board.

Charlie Noyes

Thanks Charlie - much appreciated!! Actually there is a new "shave shop" that opened around my parts as well and will have to take a look... just had this thing in my head that it would be cool to use an old strop for an old knife

I guess I'm still trying to understand the difference between the strops which are a long double sided piece of leather vs those that are short paddles with handles

Thanks again
Lee

LongBlade wrote:I guess I'm still trying to understand the difference between the strops which are a long double sided piece of leather vs those that are short paddles with handles
Lee

The long double-sided ones are meant to be hung from a peg or eye for convenience.
Typically those are leather on one side and linen on the other.

The paddle type are basically table-top versions.

Hope this helps .. .. ..

As a straight razor shaver, I can tell you that unless you have your technique down real good it's very easy to cut your strop with one of the long ones. The paddle one is much easier to control. Imo

Here is an unusual one I posted awhile back.The device is hung from a hook or other appendage. The razor is inserted into the side of the device.Insert a finger(s)into the loop of the strap closest to the top and pull downward until it reached the bottom. Grab the other loop(now on top)and repeat the motion.Alternating the pull also alternates which side of the blade is being stropped.
If anyone has any info on this company I would really appreciate hearing from you.

Well that's weird.

jerryd6818 wrote:Well that's weird.

I like weird

Very neat Ray

Thanks for the clarification fellas ...

Cool strop Ray - and I thought I was just starting to understand the types of strops out there

I made pretty detailed post about strops in this thread.
http://www.allaboutpocketknives.com/kni ... 70&t=43988

I prefer a "shell" strop. Shell is horse hide. It's slicker than leather and the razor slides easier. Personal preference. Leather will finish a blade just as nicely.

My strop is vintage. I found it by accident and got a good deal on it. It was used but not much.

I got lucky and found a old Vintage Dubl Duck A-1 grade Horse butt that still had the plastic on it and was as supple as the day it was made. Its a slower strop than regular cowhide, maybe 50 strokes vs 20, but man the shaving edges that come off it are sHAweeeet.

I also have one a very special stone, its a huge black Arkansas that if I ever dropped it, I would probably quit shaving. Its the only stone I ever had that I can come straight off it and shave comfortably with without even stropping. And, I have probably 20 arkies alone. It actually has some small gold flakes in it. I thought it might be fools gold flecks. I did tons of research on it and actually tracked down the mine it came from and sure enough way back in the day they had a gold mine nearby but it was not commercially viable.
But to heck with the gold flecks, its the black stone part that is solid gold. One of a kind and fine as wine.

You know for years I thought I could sharpen a knife with the best of em. It was when you put a straight razor to your face that you realize there is a whole new level and you have to step up your game.. You can have one tree toppin hairs on your arm and might still feel a little harsh and tuggy. Thats when you stone hunt begins lol. Upper end Thurigians, coticules, Japs, vintage, translucent and black Arkies, not cheap. The learning to use the straight is the easy part.

Good snag on the strop and the stone.

I've got acquaintances that swear by "natural stones" and I'm sure they're happy. Had some of my razors sharpened by those guys on their stones and they shave wonderfully.

I'm not interested in spending a young fortune buying and learning the different stones so I use Japanese composites. They're reliable and I'm happy with the way my blades treat my face.

Love my old shell strop too. It's got a lot less draw than a latigo, but it seems to do just as good at slicking up an edge with the same number of strokes for me.

Yes the Japanese stones are prolly the best bet for the avg guy but I would think you still would have to have a few ie: 4k,8K or whatever.
I tried a coti rock but could never get the hang of the slurry thingy, I had little choice as I had used the Arkansas stones all my life and can use them and have confidence in what I'm doing. I knew there would be one that existed that would do the trick but just had to find it.
Everybody has their favorite and it really does not matter as long as you can get there.

When I first started, a guy told me that when you got it right it did not really feel sharp on your face but more like just moving a soda straw on your cheeks. I thought he was full of it as I was getting them sharp but they did not feel exactly like a straw. Then one day blamo I got it right and dang if the guy was not right, the thing did not feel sharp at all and felt like a soda straw moving across my cheek.
I even bought a magnifier trying to see the difference and its the strangest thing. The Black Arkie sharpening job still has minute crosshatch scratches but feels better than one that is polished more shiney. Such a thing as too sharp? I dunno.

Its also interesting to hear that you can use the same number of strokes on the Horsey and Latigo. Mine seems to take a few more. I guess its just a strop thing.

At any rate its good to hear experience from a fellow straight shaver as when I started doing this their was not a lot of people around to ask.

SOme of my fellow straight razor users and I sent each other some razors. One uses Shapton glass stones, another uses jnats and I use Naniwas and Choseras. We sharpened the razors as we would our own and sent them back to their respective owners. The jnat honed razors were smooth shavers. The Shapton honed razor was finished on a 16K. That razor took about 10 stropping/shaves before it settled down and was easy on my face. It was exceedingly sharp. The Jnat honed razor was nice. The guys liked my edges finished on a 12K Naniwa, and we all agreed that the 16K finished blades were awesome but took a few uses to settle down.

My favorite razors are older Sheffield made half or quarter hollows. 7/8 or larger. I have a couple of American blades that I enjoy using every now and then just because a 5/8 sqare point is weightless compared to what I normally use. My favorite American blade is a Robeson "New Science" concave. It's stiff like a heavier blade and doesn't flex like a full hollow. Not as noisy either.

Here's a link to some of my blades.
http://s658.photobucket.com/user/Wullie ... t=3&page=1

There are some sub folders with more razors in there as well.

I know absolutely zero about straight razors but think they are cool. I saw this at a gun show a couple weeks ago a bought it. I like it
Keith

Cowdiddly wrote:
I also have one a very special stone, its a huge black Arkansas that if I ever dropped it, I would probably quit shaving.

Anything like this? A Carborundum Duo-Stone 2 inch by 12 inch on either side(a coarse and fine).

Those razor dudes have a language all their own. Willie, I didn't understand a word either one of you said.

Lee,
Since you want to sharpen knives and not razors, I would suggest a Power Strop:
http://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/pws20/

This Power Strop is designed for wood carving knives as well as for other knives. The large wheel is 3-1/2" and is available without the "V" shaped wheel: http://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/pws10/

I have a six-inch leather wheel that I have on a small bench grinder that I use to finish the edges on my knives.
I can’t remember where I got the 6 inch wheel, but I think it was from Jantz Supply.

I think the six-inch leather wheel and the Flex-Cut gold polishing compound works very well to debur and polish the edge of a knife. Though I have used Yellowstone honing compound and white jewelers rouge as well. The Flex-Cut gold compound seems to work best for me.

Razors strops will work fine on knives it just takes more time and effort.

jerryd6818 wrote:Those razor dudes have a language all their own. Willie, I didn't understand a word either one of you said.

LOL
JNAT= Japanese Natural stone. Stones mined from various locations in Japan. Each is pretty unique as far as cutting ability. Different mines located within the country produce stones that cut from course to fine. For the most part they are very expensive and no two are exactly the same so you have to "learn" your stone to get the most out of it. Natural stones from Europe, Africa, and the US, have their own cult followings.

16K = 16,000 grit. Pretty much non cutting as far as removing metal, it does leave a mirror shine on the edge.

Naniwas/Choseras are synthetic water stones made in Japan. My Chosera is approx 1,000 grit and my Naniwa stones are 5,000, 8,000, 10,000 and 12,000 grit.
Bevel is set with the 1K Chosera and finished on a progression through the higher grits until all the cut marks from the previous grit are gone. 12,000 grit makes a mirror finish too. Advantages are price and consistency.

Shapton stones are glass with the cutting media in the glass. They range up to 30,000 grit. Not many blades out there will hold an edge made by a 30K stone.

Thanks Willie. Blades with another level. You've done and got yourself deep into it. Good to "see" your smiling face.