How to strop your knives
Sharpening is cool, but here’s the truth: if you stop at sharpening, you’re only halfway there. Stropping is where the magic happens. It’s like giving your knife a quick haircut and then finishing it with a fresh fade. The edge goes from “sharp enough” to “wow, this thing might actually be dangerous.”
The best part? Stropping is easy. Like, almost suspiciously easy. You don’t need fancy tools, just a strip of leather, and a little patience. In less than a few minute, your knife goes from semi sharp to scary sharp.
How to Strop a Knife (Without Overthinking It)
- Get a strop: Leather is the classic choice, it's really nothing fancy. Add compound if you want extra shine, but plain leather can do the trick too.
- Lay it flat: Desk, table, workbench, it doesn't matter... just make sure it won’t slide around while you’re working.
- Set the angle: Find the same angle you used to sharpened your knife, usually 15°–20°.
- Spine leads, edge trails: Always pull the knife spine first. Think of it like petting a cat (I mean it) go with the grain, not against it.
- Alternate sides: Swipe one side a few times, flip the knife, and repeat. Balance keeps your edge even.
- Keep it chill: 10–15 passes per side is enough. You’re not sanding a deck, you’re polishing steel.
- Check the sharpness: Slice some paper, shave some arm hair, or just give a smug nod at your reflection in the blade.
Please take a second to check out our strops (with compound included) here :)
Why Bother Stropping?
Simply put, because it works. It is such a simple step that can improve the performance of your knives, so, why not?
