Sword polishing/sharpening: Stropping technique

Here I demonstrate the stropping technique for polishing and keeping a sharp edge on your katana.
This video has been featured and recommended on Sword Buyers Guide as a tried and true way to bring back a razor's edge on your modern production katana.
White Jeweler's Rouge=
An extremely dry grade of compound made with ultra-fine, soft abrasive powders. Produces a clear, brilliant, mirror-like finish on chromium, stainless, carbon steel, brass and aluminum.
I hope everyone finds this video helpful.
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Category:

Howto & Style

Tags:

• Katana
• sword
• jeeperrandy
• sharpening
• polishing
• strop
• stropping
• united
• backyard
• cutters
• UBC

[bigwillee802]

Great video. When you run the blade across do you rotate the sword a little to follow the convex edge of a japanese sword? It didn't appear that you were doing that.

[Jeeperrandy]

@bigwillee802 Most modern production katanas have no niku with a few exceptions like the Cheness Kaze.. The sword in this video has a flat ji so the surface of the blade can be kept flat with no rolling to compensate for niku.

[TheXboxfreak100]

When he said he gets his better swords professionally sharpened. Where can u have that done at. I looked all over utube trying to find out how to sharpen a katana. I just got one and people say to use wet stone or don't use it. Use this use that. I'm confused. Should I do it this way or wet stone? Please someone answer me

[Jeeperrandy]

@TheXboxfreak100 It depends on how sharp your blade is. Most modern production 'battle ready' swords come very sharp from the factory. Just like a filet knife they will dull a bit after being used some and you may want that razor edge back. That is what this stropping technique is for. The swords I would have ;professionally sharpened' are nihonto or custom swords worth thousands of dollars.

[mkultraification]

can you still get Kawashima swords? I can't find any.

[Jeeperrandy]

@mkultraification I believe the Kawashima forge was bought out by another manufacturer.

[bigwillee802]

@Jeeperrandy When I try to take something straight to my Hanwei Ninjato and align it to the blade, it does not seem perfectly straight all the way down. Maybe a secondary bevel near the edge. But I think you're right, it's not convex or appleseed shape like I thought it was. Thanks for the response.

[bigwillee802]

@Jeeperrandy Great thanks, I'm going to try this out. Thanks so much for the instructional video.

[stgeorgetemplar]

heres a slighty good idea why dont you make that wooden stand thing hand held so you hold it in each end of your hand then brush down the blade all the way and not have to do certian parts like in your video. find a way to keep your sword from moving and just use your techinue all the way down the blade.... if you get what i mean soory im not good at explaining things

[gasnate]

hi, can i use a barber's leather to sharpening my 1060 musashi katana?, and what kind of polish product is that? umm can i use aluminum oxide powder? thanks..

[JTMUSICCHANNEL]

I just thought today at at a store bought a sword and had to but cheaper didnt know the store would have those but anyways what ways can sharpen it besides this

[somewhereinnz]

@TheXboxfreak100

if you want to sharpen your sword yourself with a water stone and you've never done it before then I suggest you buy a $30 made-in-china piece of rubbish sword off ebay and practice sharpening it first. You don't want to mess up your good sword, right?

[TheBushidoJujitsu]

The amount of hours polishing with stones is imense, I have polished around 10 swords using stones. having the privilege of using "uchigumori stone" (very Expensive). Jeeperrandy is right... high end, nihonto and custom predominantly use stone polishing (you've paid for the sword why go cheap now). this honing technique is bang on the money.

If you get dints, scratches in the blade:

1. learn to cut properly

2. use stones to work out the marks

Nice vid, and the fire looks nice and warm. :)