Stropping: why and how to strop a carving knife
Written by Mattias Höög · Last updated
Short answer
Stropping is pulling the edge backwards (edge trailing) over leather or wood loaded with a fine polishing compound. It removes the tiny burr left by stones and polishes the edge, and regular stropping keeps a carving knife sharp for weeks before it needs a stone.
Why strop
Sharpening on stones leaves a microscopic burr, a thin wire of steel folded over the edge. Stropping removes that burr and polishes the apex, which gives a smoother, cleaner cut in wood. Carvers strop often, sometimes every 20–30 minutes of carving.
How to strop
- Load a leather strop or flat piece of wood with a fine compound (for example green chromium oxide).
- Lay the bevel flat on the strop, exactly as on the stone.
- Pull the knife away from the edge, spine first. Never push edge-first into the strop, since that cuts it.
- Use light pressure and do 10–20 strokes per side, alternating sides.
- Test by slicing end grain of a softwood: a sharp edge leaves a shiny, clean surface.
Common mistakes
Lifting the spine rounds the edge, which makes the knife dull even though it looks polished. Soft, thick leather makes rounding more likely, so a firm leather glued to wood works best.
Frequently asked questions
- How often should I strop my carving knife?
- Whenever the cut starts to feel less clean, often every 20–30 minutes of active carving.
- Which direction do you strop a knife?
- Edge trailing: pull the blade spine-first so the edge moves away from the direction of travel.