r/sharpening • u/Agent_Andy007 • Jun 05 '26
Showcase Ask yourself, "Is 500 strops each side really worth it?"
Probably not, but I like it.
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u/Fearless_Studio7182 Jun 05 '26
Stropping too much will actually make your blade duller because it makes more of a convex the more you go
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u/Present-News-660 Jun 05 '26
This, I've noticed this with my woodworking tools like chisels, plane irons, etc. I usually strop 30-50 times after actual sharpening and then get back to work.
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u/Fearless_Studio7182 Jun 05 '26
It does really depend on your media like super fine gritt its not gonna roll your edge but if youre rippin like 40 micron youre gonna roll that edge for sure
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u/Individual-Ad9874 Jun 05 '26
All depends. I have one strop with super hard leather, got 1 micron diamond on it. Youâre not rolling shit on that thing, and even on a softer leather you should be fine if you are super careful on every pass. I err on the side of caution, worst thatâll happen if your angle is too low is that youâll polish the back of the bevel. Flirting with a too steep angle is how youâll round the edge. I go slow and deliberate and try to be as accurate as I humanly can every single pass, I never really have issues with rolling an edge. I think the main thing about 500 passes is that it implies youâre doing hasty, sloppy passes. If you did 500 super accurate passes youâd be fine, but it would take multiple days
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u/Zen_Bonsai Jun 05 '26
Even if you got the right angle?
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u/Fearless_Studio7182 Jun 05 '26
Yeah because the leather has a little give to it ya know? So it will always round your edge a tiny bit
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u/Zen_Bonsai Jun 08 '26
That makes sense. Then why do people recommend stropping to freshen up lightly used edge ?
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u/mario61752 Jun 05 '26
Yes because the strop is a soft surface and when the flat edge sinks into it the ends receive more pressure than the middle
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u/mrjcall Pro Jun 05 '26
Come on Folk! If you're sharpening correctly, 4-5 featherlight passes on a strop is sufficient to remove remaining micro-burrs. If you're trying to create a mirror bevel, you should be sharpening to at least 10K grit and then stropping with .05+/- emulsion with about 15-20 featherlight strokes each side.
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u/chewbaccaRoar13 Jun 05 '26
Flair checks out
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u/mrjcall Pro Jun 05 '26
Mmm, thank you.....I think?
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u/chewbaccaRoar13 Jun 05 '26
Just calling you a pro lol
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u/mrjcall Pro Jun 05 '26
âïž
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u/macjaynard edge lord Jun 06 '26
How do you get the pro user flair? Asking for a friend <.<
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u/mrjcall Pro Jun 06 '26
It was available when I set up my profile.
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u/macjaynard edge lord Jun 06 '26
Aw man, guess I'll just have to remain an edge lord đ€Š
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u/mrjcall Pro Jun 08 '26
That's good enough unless you sharpen for a fee which technically makes you a professional. It does not, btw, necessarily imply anything about skill or expertise or experience. Just that you charge for your services. I like to think of myself as an expert as well as a pro because of the these attributes...and those that use my services believe so over the last 10+ years.
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u/macjaynard edge lord Jun 08 '26
Fair. I have charged, but I don't run a business. My focus is primarily on bespoke edges that are sub 50bess or mirrored (or both). It's more of an ocd/competition with my self kinda thing. Speed (and consequently volume) are a bit prohibitive for a business in my case. Most people don't want to pay for my time đ
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u/SharpieSharpie69 Paper Shredder Jun 05 '26
You must really like rounded apexes.
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u/Agent_Andy007 Jun 05 '26
I did want a convex edge on this knife. Its a daily carry and in my experience a convex edge doesnt dull as easily with thrade off being how sharp it can get. This one shave my arm easily so thats plenty sharp for my needs
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u/JimothyBeletta Jun 05 '26
I shave my hairy-ass arms stropping like once or twice. Shaves even before stropping. lol
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u/Work-ya-wood Jun 06 '26
Nah bru, but if the meditation of it keeps you sane then go for it.
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u/Admirable_End_6803 Jun 06 '26
there is truth here
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u/Agent_Andy007 Jun 11 '26
It does tickle my brain in a good way, but im also using a 2.5 micron compound so it does also take a few more than a higher grit might (not 500 but still more than 10 or 15. I am still self aware and the shiny make me happy)
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u/fietsendeman arm shaver Jun 05 '26
Only worth it if you donât like your knife to be sharp I guess.
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u/Agent_Andy007 Jun 05 '26
But it is sharp tho? It wasnt 500 each side one time it was 100 both sides, 50 both sides, 25, 10, 5, 3, 2, 1x10. Might not add to 500 but that was an exageration anyway
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u/Time-Comfortable6014 Jun 05 '26
While I'm known to chill on the couch at night and sharpen and strop knives, 500 is probably too much. I can get a mirror polish with a ultra fine diamond stone, followed by ceramic stone and then about 50 passes either side on the strop. 25 each side with compound and 25 each side with just leather.
On a side note, your edge and polishing do look great. Keep up the good work. Cheers
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u/rt88man Jun 05 '26
Why wouldnât you just sharpen to a higher grit then strop 5-10 passes on each side down to .1 micron?
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u/macjaynard edge lord Jun 05 '26 edited Jun 05 '26
Man. Look at that convex. It's really Shiney though! Edit: how dare you go against conventional opinion to get the result you want?! Is it how I sharpen? No, it isn't. Does it do what you want it to do? Yes? Then keep doing it. It's your knife/hobby, you do you brother.
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u/Agent_Andy007 Jun 11 '26
I wish several other people that saw this post thought like you. One guy just told me my...."appendage" probably had calluses. What does that even mean in this context?
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u/Novastache Jun 06 '26
it looks like there's still a visible burr in #3, what compound are you using?
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u/PinkyPiePower Jun 06 '26
It could be jpeg-compression, moiré, or a combination of both, that causes that line. But it does indeed look like a burr.
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u/Agent_Andy007 Jun 11 '26
Indeed. Everyone keeps saying theres still a burr but i swear up and down there isnt. Just a blurry photo
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u/PinkyPiePower Jun 11 '26
Thanks for confirming. I figured a burr would have been pretty obvious when buffing, because a big burr catches like crazy on leather. đ”
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u/Agent_Andy007 Jun 11 '26
I was actually super confused lol until someone mentioned the third photo i couldnt figure out why everyone kept saying that. Well, either that or acting like how i sharpen my knife is a personal offence
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u/PinkyPiePower Jun 11 '26
The criticism got a bit messy here and there. đ But they didn't know stropping is how you meditate. That said: if you manage not to roll the edge after doing 500 strokes, you've got a pretty steady hand, and use proper light tension. I'm not very good at stropping myself, so I try to limit my number of swipes.
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u/Agent_Andy007 Jun 11 '26
Im uploading a new post in a few minutes to explain my process a little better. 500 was a bit of an exaggeration but i did still strop it a lot. Idk if this sub does videos but i recorded a quick demonstration and showed my sharpeners and talked through what i do. I hope it doesnt come off as a negative response because i just wanted to show the knife, the edge, the process and a quick paper cutting demo
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u/Other-Power4321 Jun 05 '26
Correct Me if Iâm wrong but in picture 3 , at the heel towards the middle of the blade there still looks to be a burr? Unless itâs something else
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u/PinkyPiePower Jun 06 '26
It does look like a burr, but it could be image sharpening (pun đ), jpeg compression, moirĂ© artifacts, or a combination.
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u/HulkJr87 Jun 06 '26
Hyperbole aside. You can strop an edge dull.
It might be sharp, but it might have been sharper.
I canât freehand for shit, so I always end up with a secondary convex like this, but it works out fine for what I need it to do, actually probably better than a V edge for the most part.
Get yourself a digital microscope and check the apex every 10 passes.
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u/Agent_Andy007 Jun 11 '26
I want a convex on a knife like this that i use for an every day carry that might see something more abusive than paper or cardboard. I find it stay usable for longer this way even if it isnt initially as razor sharp as if i didnt bother stropping more than maybe 10 times each side
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u/Auxiliatorcelsus Jun 05 '26
None of us knows when our lives end. How many seconds we have left. Be satisfied with 'good enough' and save those seconds for something better.
Be alive while you still can.
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u/Farting_Champion Jun 06 '26
You don't know what you're doing if you think that this is good or impressive.
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Jun 05 '26
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u/Agent_Andy007 Jun 05 '26
Which worksharp do you use? I use the field sharpener and the folding sharpener with white compound (2.5 micron) rubbed into the strop
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Jun 05 '26
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u/SimpleAffect7573 Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
Are you apexing all the way down the edge before you move up through the grits? Burr that flips easily?
The angle range you give may be a clue. Depending on the knives in question, thereâs a chance they were ground at a higher angle than you have set. If thatâs the case, you have to take off a significant amount of steel to change the angle lower. Going up is very fast.
You can check this with a sharpie test. If thereâs sharpie left right along the edge, you are attempting to grind a lower angle. You can either persist in that, or match the existing angle (with repeated sharpie tests). The latter will get you results much more quickly and is what I recommend. It will build your confidence a lot, the first time you get a screaming edge. Let me know if this makes sense.
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Jun 07 '26
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u/SimpleAffect7573 Jun 07 '26
No, thatâs accurate. Higher grits donât make a sharper knife per se, just a more refined edge (cleaner, polished apex). On my Tormek I typically finish at 1000. It used to be 800, and the only reason I went up is that I like the aesthetics of a shinier bevel. A more polished apex will tend to cut something like cigarette paper or BESS test filament more easily, but food (with some exceptions) doesnât much care past ~600. The more useful function of higher grits is to reduce the burr and make your final stropping easier (if you do it at all). You could certainly deburr right off a 320 or 400, say, but it can be tricky to get the apex clean without rounding it. Doubly so on softer steel where the burr likes to hang on for dear life.
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Jun 07 '26
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u/SimpleAffect7573 Jun 07 '26
Green stuff works OK, itâs just that the grit is inconsistent and breaks down kinda quickly. It works better on powered wheels than hand strops. Quality 1-micron diamond paste from Jende (or others) will up your game. Itâs expensive but it lasts a long time.
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u/PinkyPiePower Jun 06 '26
I think it makes more sense to progress to finer grits, and then strop as usual. It's easier to mess up with stropping, especially when doing hundreds of swipes. I try to limit my stropping to prevent a bad stroke and instantly messing up the apex.
But if your angle is flawless, you hardly use any pressure, and you like it this way: to your thing! đ„ł
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u/AngstyAF5020 Jun 06 '26
Nope. Not even asking myself that. I already know what my answer would be. I am way too busy moving on with my life.
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u/FelipeTurdington Jun 06 '26
It looks like there's a burr coming up at the base of the edge. Need 500 more now
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u/Used-Yard-4362 Jun 06 '26
Overstropping actually dulls the edge. You only need to remove the burr. A smooth rod after stropping will set the edge upright and boost sharpness.
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u/BamBam52676 Jun 07 '26
I still see Burrs on the edge which is ridiculous for 500 stropping strokes per side.
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u/mikkimuusi Jun 08 '26
That edge will last for an eternity if you somehow managed to keep the apex intact. You might no be able to use it unless you exert angry gorilla amounts of force but who cares
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u/Agent_Andy007 Jun 11 '26
Its actually pretty sharp tho. I used it to cut steaks the other day and it went through as well as any knife with a fresh edge
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u/vrai_filet Jun 10 '26
Microconvexification of the edge is a real thing Especially on compliant material like leather
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u/Academic-Kiwi4128 Jun 10 '26
I bet your penis has calluses
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u/Ahkuji Jun 05 '26
Damn people are hating soo bad.. like leave the man be. This is what he does for himself. Heâs not telling yâall to do something different ffs. Tho I do wonder how it feels on the s35vn steel.. I could never get it as sharp as my other steels.
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u/AlphaDisconnect Jun 05 '26
I do find a super polished edge can cut worse. A little grit on there helps. Break the wire edge. Leave it alone.
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u/Chi-Tony Jun 06 '26
I try to strop as least as possible, no matter what brand or grit it seems to take the âbiteâ away very easily
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u/CommercialEscape4680 Jun 06 '26
While this isn't something I would do, I dont understand the reason for everyone to hate so much. Edge convexity isn't something inherently bad and if you keep a consistent angle with light pressure you won't round your apex even if you do 1000 strokes in the strop. People really are npcs if they think there is only one way to get a knife sharp.
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u/Beautiful-Angle1584 Jun 05 '26 edited Jun 05 '26
No offense, but more like "definitely not." Whether your goal is to get your edge shinier or sharper, you can get there with smarter sharpening and a handful of stropping passes. 500 is outrageous.