Stropping works for which (Spyderco) steels?

[aesmith]

Hi,
Just wondered out of the Spyderco steels, which ones respond well to stropping either to finish off the sharpening process or as regular touch up? I have a couple of leather strops which I use mainly for things where the final angle isn't critical, for example paring chisels but not plane irons. However although that wasn't the original purpose, they also sometimes help on a knife that's giving me trouble. Maybe the strop is concealing poor sharpening technique in those cases. Thoughts would be appreciated.

Tony S

[xceptnl]

I have had success stropping with black then green polish compounds on AUS-8, VG-10, ATS34, 154CM &1095.
I can't say I have tried it ok n some of my other favorite steels because I already get such a great edge right off the stone. I know higher carbide steels will be less responsive to normal stropping unless I am using a diamond paste.
Side note, it works for polishing the softer clad steels flats of sus310 & 420

[awa54]

An aggressive compound can slightly improve many edges when used on a firm/backed strop, however the harder to grind a steel is the less benefit you'll get from stropping.

In my experience ZDP, XHP, S90V, S110V and M4 are examples of Spyderco steels that give poor return on effort from stropping... CruWear OTOH responds very well to stropping... but as always only to refine an already well sharpened edge, or to bring back that final degree of acuity to a used (but not *dull*) edge.

If you're using more than a couple strokes per side to get a result, then use some other sharpening method to accomplish that task!

My aim when using a strop is either to remove the last remains of any burr after the finest stone in a progression, or to restore the final degree of sharpness to an already sharp blade.

[jmh58]

I will add 01, A2, Hap40 that I have found responds to stropping... John

[Eli Chaps]

You may get a variety of responses as people can have quite different perspectives on this subject.

Me? I strop everything. I just do. Mostly chromium oxide on suede and then bare tanned leather but for really hard stuff I might break out the CBN strops. But not always. I just got done stropping up my Chaparral LW with chromium oxide and it'll cut a hanging tissue.

My hardest steels are ZDP-189, CTS-XHP, S90V and S30V.

[gonzokat86]

I have had great results stropping zdp-189 on a denim on hardwood strop loaded with Mother’s Mag polishing paste. I got the idea from the Rockstead website and it works great for Zdp. http://rockstead.jp/maintenance/
I find S30V is less responsive to stropping than Zdp.
01 seems to be the most responsive to stropping and very easy to get a ridiculous edge on.
Any of the non-super steels get great results from stropping

[Pelagic]

With diamond/cbn compounds, powders, and sprays, you can strop any blade. Ideally, stropping should be minimized to maximize edge retention. There's nothing better than an edge created by forward strokes on stones. Typically, your apex will have more strength if you use 3 stones and a strop to finish as opposed to 1 stone and then 3 strops. The difference is almost negligible (especially when the strops are kept clean), but strops DO stress the apex somewhat when you are dealing with extremely high levels of sharpness/an extremely thin apex. The apex gets smeared against any gunk or steel particles within the strop and gets bent back and forth ever so slightly, ultimately making it slightly weaker. The better you are at sharpening, the less stropping you'll need. I use quite a few strops but I try not to make it a crutch for achieving high sharpness. I can't wait to get a 3x8 UF stone, perhaps even a finer stone one day. That way I can achieve the same level of sharpness with less stropping.

I learned of this philosophy through Cliff Stamp and various websites/studies. Although it's difficult to see a difference in every day use, I'm inclined to believe it makes a difference. I treat sharpening as constant practice and experimentation. I also find it very enjoyable. Sharpening or polishing a blade is often my much needed moment of Zen if I am stressed or mentally exhausted from work. It clears my mind and allows me to relax, directing all my focus on a simple yet pleasurable task.

[JonLeBlanc]

My 52100 Paramilitary 2 strops VERY easily, and takes a mirror polish easily as well.

[aesmith]

Thanks for the comments, I sort of went off stropping for a while as I thought it was maybe covering up poor technique on the stones.

[dj moonbat]

I learned of this philosophy through Cliff Stamp and various websites/studies. Although it's difficult to see a difference in every day use, I'm inclined to believe it makes a difference. I treat sharpening as constant practice and experimentation. I also find it very enjoyable. Sharpening or polishing a blade is often my much needed moment of Zen if I am stressed or mentally exhausted from work. It clears my mind and allows me to relax, directing all my focus on a simple yet pleasurable task.

I would love to adopt this model of sharpening. But with a burr/strop model, I can actually get blades sharp. I feel lost at sea trying to get to an apex without ever raising a burr.

[Pelagic]

I learned of this philosophy through Cliff Stamp and various websites/studies. Although it's difficult to see a difference in every day use, I'm inclined to believe it makes a difference. I treat sharpening as constant practice and experimentation. I also find it very enjoyable. Sharpening or polishing a blade is often my much needed moment of Zen if I am stressed or mentally exhausted from work. It clears my mind and allows me to relax, directing all my focus on a simple yet pleasurable task.

I would love to adopt this model of sharpening. But with a burr/strop model, I can actually get blades sharp. I feel lost at sea trying to get to an apex without ever raising a burr.

I still must raise a burr with no intentions of changing this. I do however try to minimize it some so i don't remove steel too unnecessarily.

[vivi]

Steels with lower levels or carbides respond better for me. "low end" stainless steels like 8Cr, BD1 and 440 series, and simple carbon steels like 1095, O1, A2 etc.

I'm very strict about my stropping. Only one pass per side. I use it more to check for burrs than I do to refine my edge. It's easier for me to strop my knife once per side and look for collected residue than it is trying to detect a burr by feel or with my naked eye.

I'm a proponent on stones fiving a superior edge to strops, it feels more aggressive and lasts longer. I always finish my edges on a stone. After I strop a freshly sharpened knife once per side to check the edge, I give the blade one or two more strokes per side on my stone.

I learned of this philosophy through Cliff Stamp and various websites/studies. Although it's difficult to see a difference in every day use, I'm inclined to believe it makes a difference. I treat sharpening as constant practice and experimentation. I also find it very enjoyable. Sharpening or polishing a blade is often my much needed moment of Zen if I am stressed or mentally exhausted from work. It clears my mind and allows me to relax, directing all my focus on a simple yet pleasurable task.

I would love to adopt this model of sharpening. But with a burr/strop model, I can actually get blades sharp. I feel lost at sea trying to get to an apex without ever raising a burr.

IMO the only time a bur should be intentionally raised is when reprofiling a knife or resetting the bevel. Raising a bur when you're touching up a knife is wasting both your time and blade steel.