Can you over-strop?

[KennyB]

Now, assume that the angle and pressure being used are exactly right, can you over-strop a knife, or will it just keep getting "sharper"?

I ask because at times I strop a knife for so long that it doesn't actually seem as sharp as it was before, but I'm not sure if it's beacuse I'm angling it wrong, using too much pressure or if I'm simply stropping too much.

 

[unit]

Now, assume that the angle and pressure being used are exactly right, can you over-strop a knife

Can you over sharpen with any stone/medium/grit? Same answer.

, or will it just keep getting "sharper"?

Once it is polished to the limits of the media you are using it will not get "sharper".

I ask because at times I strop a knife for so long that it doesn't actually seem as sharp as it was before, but I'm not sure if it's because I'm angling it wrong, using too much pressure or if I'm simply stropping too much.

If it gets duller, technique or contaminants on the strop are to blame.

There comes a point at every step in the sharpening process when it is time to move to the next grit...continuing beyond that point only removes more material needlessly.

Hope this helps.

 

[KennyB]

Can you over sharpen with any stone/medium/grit? Same answer.


Once it is polished to the limits of the media you are using it will not get "sharper".


If it gets duller, technique or contaminants on the strop are to blame.

There comes a point at every step in the sharpening process when it is time to move to the next grit...continuing beyond that point only removes more material needlessly.

Hope this helps.

I don't know about stones, because I usually just raise a burr and move on with those. However, I strop any day I use my knife, and a couple of times ( in the past when my stropping technique wasn't as great, so I blamed it on angle inconsistencies ) it has come off feeling "duller" so I just wanted to know if I could be hurting it by stropping everyday--I didn't think it would hurt it, but I figure I better make sure of that.

By contaminants, do you mean the residual metal left over? My strop is pretty loaded and glazed over right now, but it's not really that dark looking. I haven't gotten any WD40 to clean it off yet, and it hasn't been feeling duller lately after stropping so I'm not too worried about it, just want to make sure of things.

 

[stitchawl]

Try thinking of stropping this way...

"How long does a barber strop his straight razor before he shaves you?"

About 10-15 strokes. ... (Note: that is NOT 10-15 minutes!)

Now, he's stropping on a bare horsehide strop, the absolute final step in the sharpening process, but logic out how long you really need to be stropping on .05mic diamond paste, or Cr02, or 1mic paste. We are talking perhaps 30-40 strokes per side, not 30-40 minutes. If you are stropping for a half hour, you should have spent an extra 5 minutes on the last stone instead. Unless you just really enjoy stropping, of course. That is ALWAYS a valid excuse for more stropping!

Stropping removes such a small amount of metal as to be almost just a color of metal rather than a layer of metal. It's the finishing touch.

Stitchawl

 

[nozh2002]

Now, assume that the angle and pressure being used are exactly right, can you over-strop a knife, or will it just keep getting "sharper"?

I ask because at times I strop a knife for so long that it doesn't actually seem as sharp as it was before, but I'm not sure if it's beacuse I'm angling it wrong, using too much pressure or if I'm simply stropping too much.

Yes, longer you strop - more probability that you will make mistake just because you do it much longer or just because you tiered - overpressure or angle.

It will not get sharper more then abrasive particle you use on final stage. It is possible in theory that lightest touch will make abrasive to affect edge only by fraction of it working size, but I doubt it is easy to control, so you will have edge sides more and more polished, but very edge will not be sharper, until you are very very skilled.

I strop 20 times per side to get rid of burr and then another 20-30 times switching sides with very light pressure - if it whittle hair after that - I stop. Otherwise do more switching sides and check again.

Thanks, Vassili.

Thanks, Vassili.

 

[KennyB]

Try thinking of stropping this way...

"How long does a barber strop his straight razor before he shaves you?"

About 10-15 strokes. ... (Note: that is NOT 10-15 minutes!)

Now, he's stropping on a bare horsehide strop, the absolute final step in the sharpening process, but logic out how long you really need to be stropping on .05mic diamond paste, or Cr02, or 1mic paste. We are talking perhaps 30-40 strokes per side, not 30-40 minutes. If you are stropping for a half hour, you should have spent an extra 5 minutes on the last stone instead. Unless you just really enjoy stropping, of course. That is ALWAYS a valid excuse for more stropping!

Stropping removes such a small amount of metal as to be almost just a color of metal rather than a layer of metal. It's the finishing touch.

Stitchawl

Yeah, I do 25 strokes a day any time I've used the edge. This is why I was worried that I could be somehow over-stropping even if my technique was sound.

As long as I know it doesn't hurt it though, I'll keep it up. I like the idea of just maintaining the edge a little each time its used versus waiting until it's "not sharp enough" and putting it back on the stone.

 

[Jason B.]

Its not going to make the edge duller but the slight damage the occurs to the edge will prevent it from getting as sharp. With each re-stropping after use the edge will become slightl duller until it needs a stone to fix the blunting that has occurred from cutting.

 

[KennyB]

Its not going to make the edge duller but the slight damage the occurs to the edge will prevent it from getting as sharp. With each re-stropping after use the edge will become slightl duller until it needs a stone to fix the blunting that has occurred from cutting.

So does that mean that stropping after each use won't make it last any longer than not stropping, or just that it won't completely eliminate the need to touch up on a stone after a while?

I haven't really been stropping long enough to get a good feel on how it improves wear resistance.

 

[stitchawl]

So does that mean that stropping after each use won't make it last any longer than not stropping, or just that it won't completely eliminate the need to touch up on a stone after a while?

I haven't really been stropping long enough to get a good feel on how it improves wear resistance.

Stropping regularly after use (or before use) will make the edge last a LOT longer between the need for resharpenings on a stone. Regular care of a blade is a good idea!

Stitchawl