Knife Sharpening : Knife Sharpening: Leather Strops

[BelairUSN]

hell, you dont even need to use a leather belt if you dont have one, you can cut a piece of cardboard and use the edge of it the same way.

obviously its not AS effective, but effective nonetheless

[residentevil926]

@BelairUSN You can even use News Paper.

[Hungerth]

@BelairUSN cardboard has clay particles in it that can be used in a pinch for honing/stropping, but will also dull the blade if done improperly (treat it as a very fine whetstone)

have fun, guys

[kvako1976]

I just want to ask which side of the belt do you use Some people say rough some say the other side Thank you

[residentevil926]

@kvako1976 The rough side is best because it has no compund or anything on it.

[tom0227]

thank you. your video help me alot

[pressed001]

I just want to say how great all your videos are. They're always common sense based. No BS, get right down to it, and highly informative.

I've been looking for a knife sharpening kit and strop. Thanks to you, I know exactly what I'm going to do.

[terraform100]

my knife is razor sharp after using expert village advice

[FerallHog]

I went to a goodwill store and bought an old leather belts for a dollar. It is in good condition and I strop my knives with it. Works great!!

[merwinfamilyjohn]

Thanks for the video, I'm happy that someone has finally put out correct sharpening information for others.

Being a professional sharpener myself and having been trained as an old school apprentice carpenter, where correct sharpening was learned "or else", I can attest that this is the best way to get a good edge that will remain a good edge.

[FerallHog]

This is the best video on knife sharpening I have ever seen. Excellent presentation, very well done. I wish there were more comprehensive, to the point, well articulated videos like this on various subjects. Well done.

[BALDMAXXX]

Excellent job Thomas. You can take a rather dry subject like this and make it informative and fun. That is a mark of a excellent teacher. Make some more please.

[MathewsBowHunter2000]

Thank you.

[videokid001]

I have just got my first leather strop and was wondering which side do i use,the shiny side or the rough side?

[kessler003]

@videokid001 i use the rough side with white compound from sears.

[penguinopolipitese]

i knew a blacksmith who made knives and everything he taught me about sharpening knives is covered in these vids. even a few I didn't know about like using a steel. The process with the strop is called deburring. Great how to's. More people need to know this stuff.

[boomstickkid]

does it have to be a genuine leather belt?

[chitown1966]

you sir, are a fantastic at teaching. You should be an instructor to Culinary schools, restaurants, suvivaliists hunters, etc. great job!

[ClubAverage]

Sick set of videos man well done.

[omfg191]

Actually, if you strop at too obtuse of an angle, it'll roll the edge. Same thing if you use too much pressure. The leather will roll up behind the edge and dull it.

[mycaddigo]

How do you know waht knife is apropriate for sharping with leather.

[joeykong94]

helped alot made the cutting way smoother but i did get yelled at for using one of my moms belts lol :)

[adfgfds]

To be honest, I bought a brand new leather strop for $12 bucks on ebay. A leather belt will cost you around $50.

[monkeyjeroen]

WTF you got 138793 video's :O

[GeneralG1810]

I hate to sound like and idiot but if your just using a leather belt does it matter wich side you use, most belts have a shiny side and a dull side. Also do you put any kind of lube on the belt at all. Yes Im a knife noob :)

[mikeoutdoorsman]

Here is a video to show how to make a razor strop fungus board... /watch?v=pgp1apsQhXE

[mikeoutdoorsman]

Also goes by the name of "Birch Polypore".

[mikeoutdoorsman]

Good video, to let people know you can also use Birch Bracket Fungus. Also goes by the name of "Razor Strop Fungus". Settlers use to use it in place of leather and is so easy to find, grows on almost every birch tree. You can even cut them into rectangles and glue into a piece of board made to hold it.

[Thekittycatateme]

Best expert on expertvillage! Actually knows what he's doing, and does it well!

[TEROCKMAN]

I DONT KNOW WHY BUT I KEEP THINKING HES THE REAL ALDO ´´THE APACHE´´

[305Wasabi]

I got a patch from an old couch thats leather, thats works right?

Also I slide the knife on the fuzzy (hairy) side of the leather.. right?

[Rossco139]

@305Wasabi

For everyone who's asking which side to use for stropping: you use the smooth side, using the rough side will only get the leather fibers stuck in the "teeth" of the blade. Any leather will work, just make sure you have a hard backing.

[SUP3RZ0MB1E]

Yeah, with a belt, do you use the "smooth" side? Or the "rough" side?

[HipHopJun]

@SUP3RZ0MB1E smooth side.

[TheJORPR777]

Where can I find a leather strop?

[cmonneah]

haha he said spend a bunch of money on a leather strop. I got a perfectly good, professionaly made strop off of eBay for under $15 bucks. And it's a piece of equipment that is pretty important.

[MrAlwayzbakin]

I mean, this can turn all of my knives into shaving razors, why didn't I know?!?!

[MrAlwayzbakin]

dude, I really just signed up for a youtube account just so I could thank you for this video. This technique needs to be more widely known in restaurants, and I thank you for giving me the "edge". THANKS!!

[wolpack1116]

Gotta love that ~70 degree edge he's putting on the knife on the stroke away from him. :P

[ChronicMist]

I replied to someone who asked me which side to use. don't reply back if you're clueless about what people are talking about kid. BYE

[tronclay]

thanks i was actually trying to find out which side of a leather belt is better to strop with, i got one with a shiny glossy side and a porous rough side, thanks for the tip

[StaKind85]

Wow I just used a cheap Wal-Fart pull-through sharpener on some cheap pocket knives I have and then finished them off with an old belt looped around the bedpost and the belt idea really works well. Thanks for the tip I had never thought of it!

[bigsky89]

good info, thanks alot! been working a blade out of a monster 16 inch bowie that had been dulled.

[amaznazn1nvazn]

may be the only expert village vid that knows what he is talking about

[cmonneah]

so very true.

[knarfster]

@amaznazn1nvazn Not. The angle is not super important when stropping, but it is important not to make it too steep, plus the tighter your strop the less pressuer you need to use.

[bbrown1985]

@amaznazn1nvazn I don't typically go out of my way to reply/comment, but you're dead on! Hah... So many expert village videos I won't even watch as soon as I see it's from them, this guy is great though, explains what he's doing, WHY he's doing it, and gives you detailed enough information for you to walk into the task with confidence!

[turuanu]

@amaznazn1nvazn Totally! I had to check twice that it was actually an expertvillage video.

[chronocentric67]

thank you for all the efforts of explaining.

great vid. open a shop in my neighborhood !

[somanypenpals]

Hadn't thought of getting a leather belt from a thrift store. Thanks for the advice!

[lhamilt2]

does it matter which side of the leather we use?? smooth, shiny side or dull, rough-looking side??

[amgiad]

Good job man! Amgiad fron italy

[leah2604]

Awesome videos Thomas. You do a great job of explaining these processes. Thanks heaps from Australia

[krycer123]

yeh um his knife is a vitorinox fillet knife, kitchen knife, gtfo owned.... sexcond thought its a messermeister...and behind him is all kitchen ones

[LGENER]

Best Sharpening Vid bro. You explain everything really well. Thanks for posting.

[dgreniero]

I bought some thick leather but would like to know which side of the leather to use. The smooth side or the back side which is the suede side.

[SmokeRises]

dgeriero - use the smooth side

[joyisaware]

your vid's are the best sharpening guide's i've found, thanks 4 sharing!

[fghjgty]

dose the store belts finish affect the sharpness? I have a double shoulder hide that I make shethes from can I use that ? Also I make knifes from Damascus steel have you ever done this to that type of blade? thanks

[sacco13440]

you have wayy to many knives!

[suicidebylifestyle]

That helped me a lot thanks!

[cheesphht]

I just want to see it cut the tomato! I'd watch that for a while - Ginsu us!!!

[wolpack1116]

I highly recommend the leather belts made for belt sanders. A little buffing or honing compound and a cheap 1x30 inch sander and you'll be shaving knats legs.

[leloodallasmultipass]

@wolpack1116 I feel like this whole movement to shave gnats' legs is rooted in the media's obsession with superficial beauty. Just because gnat vogue says gnats have to be smooth and prissy doesn't make it so.

[sgtschmitty8013]

@wolpack1116 What about a leather shoe can you knife strop with that too?

[bluefish04455]

Thanx, that was informative! Russ

[2012solarboom]

Thanks I had a question or two about A leather strop but you answered them Thanks.

[meat2dawad]

you sound like mr. rogers : )

[12GaugeLosAngeles]

hi neighbor. ( =

[golfer15963]

very helpful