needed to ask for a long time!

[santagibbs]

I know this sounds like a dumb question but here goes........ What is the differance in a two sided strop and a four sided strop? Curtis had a four sided strop and I have been using it for three years.. He used it for over ten years or more.. Do I need to get a new strop and would you get a two sided one or a four sided one.. Two sides would be easier to use.. I picked up the knives and started carving with no instructions so the " keeping the knife sharp" is the wonder for me .. I seem to be keeping it sharp with sroping it but still don't know if what I am doing is right.. Thank's for the advice about the different strops..Charlotte

[BRIAN D]

Charlotte, one of those old stories "if it ain't broke don't fix it" as long as your tools are sharp, thats what matters. Use what ever works for you. Strops can be any configuration you want 1 sided, 2 sided, 4 sided,and then you get into compounds, White, red, green, yellow. I personally use valve lapping compounds course & fine. It's what ever works for you, sharp is what matters, sounds like Curtis got you on a good track to begin with so keep what works for you. I've seen your posts you do a beautiful job! Hope I've answered your questions. Enjoy your carving. Brian D

[santagibbs]

Thank's Brian, maybe I should have put it this way.. Is a two sided strop , just as good as a four sided one? In other words, am I doing more stroping than I have to and do strops wear out? Maybe I wouldn't have sense enough to know it needs a new one? I only put the compound on one side with the four sided one.. and end up using the stop that is like a rough material or sort of like a piece of canvas.. Is there a book out there somewhere about stroping? Charlotte

[AlArchie]

Charlotte, my bet would be that Curtis had 4 different grits on that 4 sided strop......one on each face, starting with a course emery, then a white or gold, then a tripolli and finally a side with that red jewelers rouge for finish stropping. Way overkill in my mind, but it just may have been effective for the type of carving and knives he had.

I have a one sided strop and it serves the purpose well. I also have a second one with NO abrasive on it...just a smooth leather that I use to finish off a blade on occasion, but I don't really think that makes much difference...kinda like a superstition.

What are you using for compond now?

Al

[Thomp]

Charlotte,

hone<>strop is the same, as i understand it.

stropping in most cases is preformed on a well sharpened edge that has lost that sticky feel to the edge,
honing will restore the super sharp edge
honing with one grit compound is fine for this,

a two sided hone<>strop is used like Al mentioned to get the fine polish on
the edge most anytime you think of it

the 4 sided hone you mentioned, im not sure what or how Curtis had it set up. but i have different color-grit compounds on mine,
i use it after taking a cutting edge back to the sharpening stones, because of rounding or damage to the edge, then i start at the biggest grit and hone on each grit in steps until the desired edge sharpness is obtained
this
actually "going through the grits" its called, where in each step you remove the micro fine scratches produced by the previous step,

as long as the leather or surface of a hone is intact (without nicks, missing surface or lumps) the hone is serviceable,

sometimes the hone-strap will have a built up layer of compound that starts flaking off,
to keep the surface flat on the hone that has layers of compound build up i usually take the back of a good stiff knife and scrape off the excess until it dont flake off anymore then reapply compound like using a kids crayon...

hope you can get some helpful info from this

[santagibbs]

Al and Thomp, I would have answered sooner but the girl was here cleaning . that tells me more about the strop for sure..I am ashamed I didn 't pay attention to Curtis stroping his knives .. He had me painting and I knew when he was stroping, but just didn't pay that much attention.. He bought it in the middle ninties at a wood carving show in DollyWood, Tenn. and it was a homemade strop.. I know he put compound on it but just didnt' know what kind he used.. I think I will order a flat one like you have and get the compound that they say goes with it.. Thank you so much for your advice.. I don't really have a clue how many times to strop but have been stroping on each one about fifteen times each side.. Hopeing I am holding it and my mouth right..lol I really appreciate your help.. Charlotte

[santagibbs]

Oh, I forgot to say that the bag that held the colors in it says...
Side No. 1 Black, no 2 is white, No 3 is plain no.4 is green..The only color I put on the strop is 1 black.. the fourth side is that white looking canvas or something and I haven't put anything on it... Charlotte

[Tom-H]

Charlotte,

What you have is a Lynn Sheeley "Razor Sharp Strop"

Side one is for the Black compound
Side two is for the white/gray compound
Side three is the leather
Side four is the green

You start with side one , then two, three, and finally the green polish.

Each one of the four surfaces also should have a "V" cut for honing the V tools.

I have one. I don't know how much better it is than my two sided one. They both seem to do the job.

Tom H

[William]

Hi Charlotte,

I have that same 4 side strop that Tom and maybe you have, on the handle it has "Razor Sharp Strop" and side 4 has what looks like a 1-1/4" nylon wick.

To use sandpaper as an example I think the two side strop would be like starting with a 300 grit and then using a 600 grit to finish but the four side strop would be like starting with 200, then 300, 400 and finish with 600.

I like side 4 for the finish but as al said it may not make that much difference but it sure makes the blade look nice.

Bill
^v^

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

Don't know if this will help but I have a two sided strop about 10" long, main side I use Flexcut gold and hone 50 times per side about every 20 - 30 minutes. Second side (smoother) I use Yellowstone, I then strop another 10 - 15 times per side. Don't know if this is right or wrong but it sure keeps my tools nice and sharp.

Dave
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