[Mail Walker]

using the scary sharp method, can the 2000 grit or higher be used for stropping/honing, eliminating the need for a leather or hard rubber strop?

[rick-in-seattle]

I am not a "Scary-sharp" expert, but I know that you can strop with leather, wood, canvas, a brown paper bag, or even your palm in an emergency.

If the 2000 grit will remove the "wire edge" without rounding the cutting edge too much, sure it could work.

[Canopener]

Don't know much about scary sharp either; but somewhere along the line, some author recommended gluing a piece of crocus cloth on a board for polishing. Crocus cloth is finer than emery cloth, [not sure of actual grit] is usually red in color and can be found in most hardware stores. It will last a good while. I do not use it very often, but it can be very useful if you need to get the wire edge off or a small nick,etc. I suppose it would suffice for a final edge, but I believe a final stropping really does the trick because the wax in the compound greases the skids, so to speak.
By the way, making a strop is no big deal. I made mine out of old boot leather glued to a board; rough on one side, smooth on the other, rub some compound on and it's good enough for government work!
Have fun.
Jim

[Just Carving]

I've used the 2000 emery grit and the leather strop with white honing compound. I got better results with the leather strop and white honing compound. You just got to make sure you don't round over the edge.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

Nope.....you still need the strop.