2aHawaii
General Topics => Off Topic => Topic started by: drck1000 on December 12, 2020, 10:55:58 AM
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Do you strop your knives to maintain? Or to finish your sharpening session?
I have been getting into stropping more lately, especially with my EDC knives (which are mostly used for box opening and breaking down). With the newer supersteels (M390, S30/S35, etc), I've found that stropping can help extend the time between when I sharpen with stones. Similar with kitchen knives. It's a fast and convenient way to maintain knives when I am too lazy to break out the Wicked Edge for my folding knives and whetstones for kitchen knives.
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Never tried stropping but always looking for ways to make the edge last longer. Not sure if it would help with our kitchen knives because Mrs Barrels sometimes "forgets" to use the cutting board.
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Never tried stropping but always looking for ways to make the edge last longer. Not sure if it would help with our kitchen knives because Mrs Barrels sometimes "forgets" to use the cutting board.
Oh man. Yikes! :o
I've recently invested in a couple of nicer cutting boards that are supposed to be better for knife edges. I have a couple of rubber (one for meats and one for veggies) and a wood (hinoki cypress). Will see if I am able to notice a difference. Prior to that, I was using a few cheapy plastic cutting boards.
One good thing about strops is that even an inexpensive one can get good results. I have a $10 one from Amazon and it works great. Only "bad" thing is it's on the smaller side, so I ended up getting a larger one for kitchen knives.
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Do you strop your knives to maintain? Or to finish your sharpening session?
I have been getting into stropping more lately, especially with my EDC knives (which are mostly used for box opening and breaking down). With the newer supersteels (M390, S30/S35, etc), I've found that stropping can help extend the time between when I sharpen with stones. Similar with kitchen knives. It's a fast and convenient way to maintain knives when I am too lazy to break out the Wicked Edge for my folding knives and whetstones for kitchen knives.
i recently bought a cheap strop off of amazon to try on the one supersteel knife that i don't own
it seemed to work a tiny bit, we will see if it helps in the long run
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Oh man. Yikes! :o
I've recently invested in a couple of nicer cutting boards that are supposed to be better for knife edges. I have a couple of rubber (one for meats and one for veggies) and a wood (hinoki cypress). Will see if I am able to notice a difference. Prior to that, I was using a few cheapy plastic cutting boards.
One good thing about strops is that even an inexpensive one can get good results. I have a $10 one from Amazon and it works great. Only "bad" thing is it's on the smaller side, so I ended up getting a larger one for kitchen knives.
story of my life...
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I have a strop but generally only use it after stone sharpening.
I use a honing rod for the kitchen knives before every third or fourth use.
Works well.
Don’t leave them in the dish drying rack.
My wife and I have different sets of knives.
Wives go dull Because she leaves them in the rack.
Trained my kids to dry mine immediately after washing.
Wives are expensive.
Mine are cheap as I just look at the steel.
For the folders and EDCs I use a ceramic rod for touch up.
Might have to try the strop on the folders.
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Here’s a video that I’ve shared with a few friends who were asking about stropping. I like this video because a) it’s sort of a regular Bubba and b) aligns with my uses for EDC knives.
There are many videos on stropping for kitchen knives as well. One of my faves is Burrfection.
https://youtu.be/WWKhKOZOedM
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I have a strop but generally only use it after stone sharpening.
I use a honing rod for the kitchen knives before every third or fourth use.
Works well.
Don’t leave them in the dish drying rack.
My wife and I have different sets of knives.
Wives go dull Because she leaves them in the rack.
Trained my kids to dry mine immediately after washing.
Wives are expensive.
Mine are cheap as I just look at the steel.
For the folders and EDCs I use a ceramic rod for touch up.
Might have to try the strop on the folders.
When I used whetstones, lately I’ve been finishing with honing passes on a higher grit stone. I’ve been using the strop for intermediate. Since I’ve been cooking a lot more at home lately, the knives get used a lot more. My better knives get washed and hand dry after. On a rare occasion, I forget and they end up drying in the rack.
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Here’s a video that I’ve shared with a few friends who were asking about stropping. I like this video because a) it’s sort of a regular Bubba and b) aligns with my uses for EDC knives.
There are many videos on stripping for kitchen knives as well. One of my faves is Burrfection.
focusX2
you forgot the link
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focusX2
you forgot the link
Maybe that's where my real focus was on. . . :rofl:
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Anyone sharpened SV110 before?
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CW4T6RS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=odyronran-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07CW4T6RS&linkId=4c43014f838dc916e93c572ab753e70a
https://youtu.be/P5DJCqbYmD8
https://youtu.be/cCwVNkKdkFM
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Anyone sharpened SV110 before?
Not me. Of 2a members, maybe Jaynick has.
In that "range" of steels, I have (or have tried) M390, CTS-204P, CPM-20CV, CPM-S90V, and Elmax. Out of those M390 is my fave. I've read that many say these steels are difficult to sharpen, but one of my daily carry is the 204P. It was tougher to sharpen than some others, but that just means it takes me more time to get sharp. But with the Wicked Edge, no problems.
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The "takes me more time to get sharp" is mostly my impatience. Some of the steels that I have that are easier to sharpen (1095, 440s, etc) I can get a pretty good edge with whetstones. With the supersteels, I have found that the Wicked Edge is really helpful.
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I just sharpen, razor sharp isn't that important to me.
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Here’s a video that I’ve shared with a few friends who were asking about stropping. I like this video because a) it’s sort of a regular Bubba and b) aligns with my uses for EDC knives.
There are many videos on stropping for kitchen knives as well. One of my faves is Burrfection.
https://youtu.be/WWKhKOZOedM
Nice video. I have that same strop but the smaller version
I only strop as a last step on my better knives but after watching that video, I'm going to try regular stropping instead of the sharpening rods like I usually do. It seems like a good concept. :thumbsup:
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Nice video. I have that same strop but the smaller version
I only strop as a last step on my better knives but after watching that video, I'm going to try regular stropping instead of the sharpening rods like I usually do. It seems like a good concept. :thumbsup:
Stropping was (or still is) a learning curve for me. I think part of my problem is that the difference in process/intent between stones and strop. Once I started looking into just strop to maintain, it helped overall. I have the no soak stones, which aren't that humbug to setup. But stops are way easier, at least to me.
There are some videos about which steels are better served with stropping and which are the ceramic rods. The video I am thinking about was mostly with kitchen knives and differences between Japanese and German steel, but could be applied to all knives. I still have sharpening rods in kits and stuff as they are super helpful for sure.
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Revisiting this thread after spending some time to sharpen and hone/strop some knives, including a few that I carry often. Two are M390 and one S35VN. One of the M390 is my range and camping knife, and somewhat of a beater. I use all of my knives, mostly for opening and breaking down boxes, but all of them are used, no matter the price range.
Have discuss differences in steel before, but that's something I've definitely noticed in my recent use and sharpening. It may have to do with the exact steel or company who produced, as well as the blade profile/grind, but I'm definitely noticing that the M390 blades keep their edge a lot longer than S35VN and aren't that difficult to sharpen. At least based on common ratings compared to other supersteels.
One knife with M390 that I carry often is a ZT 0770CF. It was one of my first ZTs and bought from a 2a forum member. This is one of the M390 knives that got me really interested in this steel. It doesn't get beat up as much at my ZT 0566, but it gets a lot of use. I was thinking it needed sharpening. I had just finished sharpening my 0566, so I had the Wicked Edge out. After cleaning the blade off (mostly tape and adhesive residue), I decided to strop it first and see what that did. After some stropping, it was sharp enough to still shave hairs off of my arm. I was surprised since I had used that knife a lot in the past many months since last sharpening.
The other M390 I used often is a Kershaw Dividend. I think I got it for around $70 a while back. For that prices, it's been great. The "hardest" use it gets is at the range and camping. It definitely gets a lot of use, and more than boxes and tape. That one gets sharpened quite often. I should try stropping here and there.
The reason I busted out the Wicked Edge was the ZT 0566, which is S35VN. That knife is my carried the most and most well used. I "think" I can noticed a difference in how quickly the edge degrades through use compared to M390, but just might be due to how much I used this knife.
I have a Lion Steel M390 that I don't carry as often. I might have to try carrying that one more often and seeing how it compares to the ZT 0770.
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Wives are expensive.
Mine are cheap as I just look at the steel.
:rofl: million dollar Robo-wife
Nice 2a quote.
:wave:
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I keep one of those tungsten carbide chips in my truck to edge when Rockette runs into store.
For quickie stropping, I'll just use a piece of cardboard if available.
You'd be surprised how good that works. :thumbsup:
Not a scalpel but always better than it was.
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07CW4T6RS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=odyronran-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B07CW4T6RS&linkId=4c43014f838dc916e93c572ab753e70a
https://youtu.be/P5DJCqbYmD8
https://youtu.be/cCwVNkKdkFM
I got one of those. It does a good job but the build quality is not that great. I ended up buying some different stones and working on my technique.
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I keep one of those tungsten carbide chips in my truck to edge when Rockette runs into store.
For quickie stropping, I'll just use a piece of cardboard if available.
You'd be surprised how good that works. :thumbsup:
Not a scalpel but always better than it was.
Chips? I have a sharpening rod, I think diamond and something in my camp kit and some other kits.
Yeah, cardboard can help. I can also sharpen using the bottom ring of a coffee mug if the ceramic is exposed. Takes a while, but can be done.
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I got one of those. It does a good job but the build quality is not that great. I ended up buying some different stones and working on my technique.
I think someone on this board, who doesn't "officially" have anything also owns that.
I use high quality stones for my kitchen knives. I have some pretty nice Naniwa stones and use the technique from the Burrfection guy. I just stay away from knives with the bolster, so most German knives. I can get those suckers scary sharp. Haven't been cooking at home as much recently, but my sashimi knives have been getting decent use.
I like the Wicked Edge for the curved blades of pocket knives. I can get the edges sharp with stones, but takes me a lot more time. The straighter edges of kitchen knives are much easier with whetstones, at least for me.
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I think someone on this board, who doesn't "officially" have anything also owns that.
I use high quality stones for my kitchen knives. I have some pretty nice Naniwa stones and use the technique from the Burrfection guy. I just stay away from knives with the bolster, so most German knives. I can get those suckers scary sharp. Haven't been cooking at home as much recently, but my sashimi knives have been getting decent use.
I like the Wicked Edge for the curved blades of pocket knives. I can get the edges sharp with stones, but takes me a lot more time. The straighter edges of kitchen knives are much easier with whetstones, at least for me.
i got the work sharp one that is a cheaper version of the WE
and i only own knives i got "from a friend"...
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I just got a knife in S90V. more difficult to sharpen than D2, but i haven't sharpened yet.
I have a friend that only uses the strop to sharpen and his comes out very sharp, but he says it takes a while
I gotta dig my sharpening stuff out of my stack of boxes soon
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I just got a knife in S90V. more difficult to sharpen than D2, but i haven't sharpened yet.
I have a friend that only uses the strop to sharpen and his comes out very sharp, but he says it takes a while
I gotta dig my sharpening stuff out of my stack of boxes soon
I don't have a S90V knife. The most difficult I have to sharpen is a ZT in CPM 20CV. That's one of my favorite knives too. Can sharpen it well now, just takes a bit more time.
I have one Benchmade D2. I have stayed away from D2 mostly because of the "less stainless" properties. The Benchmade D2 steel does sharpen well, but it also does take a bit more time. That Benchmade is on my counter inside my door and I use it a lot to open boxes as well as cut them up before putting them in the recycle bin.
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i got the work sharp one that is a cheaper version of the WE
and i only own knives i got "from a friend"...
I've been carrying the We knife I got end of last year this week. So far, I like it.
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I don't have a S90V knife. The most difficult I have to sharpen is a ZT in CPM 20CV. That's one of my favorite knives too. Can sharpen it well now, just takes a bit more time.
I have one Benchmade D2. I have stayed away from D2 mostly because of the "less stainless" properties. The Benchmade D2 steel does sharpen well, but it also does take a bit more time. That Benchmade is on my counter inside my door and I use it a lot to open boxes as well as cut them up before putting them in the recycle bin.
the S90V blade that I got is a TwoSun blade. surprisingly it is very good. I got another TwoSun in M390 that is really really good. I would say in the same class as my ZT's for a lot less money. I'll post pics and my opinions on it in the other knife thread later. but I was really surprised how good they are
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I just use super fine grit whetstones.
I can't tell the difference whether I strop or not. And I don't even need them that sharp.
If I needed super sharp, I would use one of my razor blades. I have handles that you attach razor blades to. You can google around.
These days I don't bother trying to sharpen the "ultra-knife" - I bought too many knives in the past, and sold a lot of them on eBay already. Too much crap at home haha.
One "trick" I finally learned which might not work for everyone, is to use angle guides when doing the whetstones. They are just plastic bevels at specific degrees to help you maintain the correct angle.
I forget offhand right now but I think I just sharpen all my kitchen and utility knifes at 15 degrees.
I haven't done any sharpening for months now. I just sharpen everything at home at one go, because it is a pain in the ass to pre-soak the whetstones (I give them 30 mins) and then sharpen using only water. Mine are all waterstones.
The drying of the whetstones is the real hassle. Need to make sure they dry completely or they can grow mold. Can take one or two days even under direct sunlight. Much longer if no sunlight.
I have a few sharpening systems, including the Lanky one, but I have found the best and most practical is the water whetstone with the angle guides.
I bought a few leather strops but hardly use them. Since I don't do the 50 shades of bullshit stuff, they are just somewhere in a drawer. LOL.
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https://www.knifecenter.com/item/LSLCD5D/Lansky-4-Rod-DeluxeTurnbox-Crock-Stick-Sharpener
this is what i use most of the time. its quick and easy. usually takes only a couple minutes if the blade isn't that dull. 10 or less passes on each side with the diamond rods and the ceramic rods will get the blade shaving sharp. not like a razor blade but enough to shave the hair off my forearm. blades like M390 or D2 take a few more passes on the rods.
as long as the blade isn't abused, this system works well for me
I also have the guided sharpener but I dont really use it bc i dont let my blades get that dull
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Just FYI on the whetstones I use, I have a 400/1000 one for dull blades.
For maintenance I use a 3000/8000 one.
No need stropping after the 8000 side.
Stones are about $20 to $30 each. Many different sellers on Amazon, selling basically the same thing.
Angle guides are: Wedgek Angle Guides 10 to 20 degrees for Sharpening Knives on Stone ($13 only)
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I bought a leather strop on a wood block but I really don't use it. I can get arm hair shaving sharp with the spyderco stones along.
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I had the Spyderco sharpening set with the sticks in V. I also have an older set with ceramic rods that I used to use for kitchen knives. I gave the Spyderco away to a buddy. He uses it often and can get the knives pretty darn sharp. I think they were ok. If the blade came with different grind angle, it takes a while to match. Doing that with M390 of say D2 is a royal PITA. With the softer 1095 or other similar, no problem.
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I had the Spyderco sharpening set with the sticks in V. I also have an older set with ceramic rods that I used to use for kitchen knives. I gave the Spyderco away to a buddy. He uses it often and can get the knives pretty darn sharp. I think they were ok. If the blade came with different grind angle, it takes a while to match. Doing that with M390 of say D2 is a royal PITA. With the softer 1095 or other similar, no problem.
The diamond stones for the Spyderco sharpmaker are real good, they solve the problem of a different factory angle a lot quicker than the gray stones.
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Was cleaning and found my flexcut strop. I think I'll try some stropping soon
Been hearing stropping is good to extend the life of the blade bc much less steel is removed vs stone sharpening
https://youtu.be/_FeShET043E
https://youtu.be/2TycpVXEv00
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Another good read. I met a knife/blade and whetstone dealer many years ago and he basically introduced me to what my wife say obsession with crazy-sharp knives (mainly kitchen knives, butcher, skinning, etc.) Even my mom who loves sharp knives stays away from my sharp knives, lol. Anyhow, I stay away from jnats (Japanese natural stones) as they need special talent to use those that I can’t seem to figure out how. I use natural whetstone equivalent around 3000 and 6000, and 12000 finishing and use Japanese nagura/slurry (best in my opinion). Then strop my knives with leather or balsa wood after rubbing green polishing compound (bought from Amazon). As long as I did the correct sharpening of my knives (no burrs etc) all I do after is strop unless I messed up the blade with improper use.
If you’re interested I can share a little of the green polishing compound and you bring your leather or balsa wood. I rub the compound on either and you’ll notice how sharp the blade gets after only a couple of strops. A little of the compound goes a long way.
Again as long as the blade was sharpened correctly, all it needs is stropping as maintenance. You’ll eventually need to resharpen the blade to maintain proper geometry, but that’s after a long while.
I think the dealer is still on the island and I’m happy to introduce you to him. He may have ideas or products for edc blades and maintenance. He introduced me to the world of sharp knives and whetstones and now I collect whetstones. Don’t have to buy from him and he won’t rip you off either.
Aloha!
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Was cleaning and found my flexcut strop. I think I'll try some stropping soon
Been hearing stropping is good to extend the life of the blade bc much less steel is removed vs stone sharpening
SNIP
I have strops from Amazon and sharpeningsupplies.com
https://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Strops-C11.aspx
I haven't been stropping my pocket/daily carry knives lately. Just been lazy. I should have the strop hanging from the side of the cabinet where I strop and sharpen. It would remind me as well as make access easier. Not that taking 10 seconds to get it out of a drawer is a lot of work. haha
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Another good read. I met a knife/blade and whetstone dealer many years ago and he basically introduced me to what my wife say obsession with crazy-sharp knives (mainly kitchen knives, butcher, skinning, etc.) Even my mom who loves sharp knives stays away from my sharp knives, lol. Anyhow, I stay away from jnats (Japanese natural stones) as they need special talent to use those that I can’t seem to figure out how. I use natural whetstone equivalent around 3000 and 6000, and 12000 finishing and use Japanese nagura/slurry (best in my opinion). Then strop my knives with leather or balsa wood after rubbing green polishing compound (bought from Amazon). As long as I did the correct sharpening of my knives (no burrs etc) all I do after is strop unless I messed up the blade with improper use.
If you’re interested I can share a little of the green polishing compound and you bring your leather or balsa wood. I rub the compound on either and you’ll notice how sharp the blade gets after only a couple of strops. A little of the compound goes a long way.
Again as long as the blade was sharpened correctly, all it needs is stropping as maintenance. You’ll eventually need to resharpen the blade to maintain proper geometry, but that’s after a long while.
I think the dealer is still on the island and I’m happy to introduce you to him. He may have ideas or products for edc blades and maintenance. He introduced me to the world of sharp knives and whetstones and now I collect whetstones. Don’t have to buy from him and he won’t rip you off either.
Aloha!
I've been sharpening my kitchen knives on Naniwa stones after following Burrfection on YT. His techniques really helped me. When I was little, my dad would sharpen the kitchen knives to the scary sharp level and that got me interested. It wasn’t until I got older that I really got into it. My dad could get some knives with pretty crappy (probably was ok) steel quite sharp, but the knives my sister brought back from Japan were another level.
I also strop with the green compound, but typically only for my pocket knives. For kitchen knives, I typically hone with the higher grit stones. The stones I used most often are the 0800/1000 (workhorse) and 3000. I have higher (I’d have to check), but I rarely use them.
I have also always been interested in Arkansas stones. That was one of the first sets I got when I was younger for pocket knives. Might eventually get a set to experiment with.
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Another good read. I met a knife/blade and whetstone dealer many years ago and he basically introduced me to what my wife say obsession with crazy-sharp knives (mainly kitchen knives, butcher, skinning, etc.) Even my mom who loves sharp knives stays away from my sharp knives, lol. Anyhow, I stay away from jnats (Japanese natural stones) as they need special talent to use those that I can’t seem to figure out how. I use natural whetstone equivalent around 3000 and 6000, and 12000 finishing and use Japanese nagura/slurry (best in my opinion). Then strop my knives with leather or balsa wood after rubbing green polishing compound (bought from Amazon). As long as I did the correct sharpening of my knives (no burrs etc) all I do after is strop unless I messed up the blade with improper use.
If you’re interested I can share a little of the green polishing compound and you bring your leather or balsa wood. I rub the compound on either and you’ll notice how sharp the blade gets after only a couple of strops. A little of the compound goes a long way.
Again as long as the blade was sharpened correctly, all it needs is stropping as maintenance. You’ll eventually need to resharpen the blade to maintain proper geometry, but that’s after a long while.
I think the dealer is still on the island and I’m happy to introduce you to him. He may have ideas or products for edc blades and maintenance. He introduced me to the world of sharp knives and whetstones and now I collect whetstones. Don’t have to buy from him and he won’t rip you off either.
Aloha!
thanks for the offer on the stropping compound. but I just ordered some on amazon. I'll try it out this weekend maybe
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I never use my EDC knives for cutting cardboard boxes, carving wood, or hunting. This is like using a Rolex to snuff out a cigar. A sharp folding knife should only be used as a self-defense weapon. After its first use, the police will probably seize it for evidence. Just like a handgun you fire to protect your family. Even diving knives are reserved for self-defense, not shucking oysters. While traveling in a car, it might make sense to carry one (EDC) knife on your person, and another in your toolbox.
There are other tools like boxcutters, hacksaws, chisels, butcher knives, and pruners for most cutting jobs. A two sided diamond sharpener does a fairly good job of sharpening and finessing the blade. Strops are for barbers who still shave people the old-fashioned way, and like a polished blade. Some people are just perfectionists.
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I never use my EDC knives for cutting cardboard boxes, carving wood, or hunting. This is like using a Rolex to snuff out a cigar. A sharp folding knife should only be used as a self-defense weapon. After its first use, the police will probably seize it for evidence. Just like a handgun you fire to protect your family. Even diving knives are reserved for self-defense, not shucking oysters. While traveling in a car, it might make sense to carry one (EDC) knife on your person, and another in your toolbox.
There are other tools like boxcutters, hacksaws, chisels, butcher knives, and pruners for most cutting jobs. A two sided diamond sharpener does a fairly good job of sharpening and finessing the blade. Strops are for barbers who still shave people the old-fashioned way, and like a polished blade. Some people are just perfectionists.
When did this thread shift from knife sharpening and maintenance to self defense?
"EDC" is not synonymous with "SD". A cell phone is essential EDC, but it has nothing to do with self defense.
:stopjack:
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/snipped/
A two sided diamond sharpener does a fairly good job of sharpening and finessing the blade. Strops are for barbers who still shave people the old-fashioned way, and like a polished blade. Some people are just perfectionists.
It all depends on
1) how finely you sharpen the blade
2) the quality of the metal the blade contains
3) how much you intend to use the blade in utility-style tasks, like opening cardboard containers vs. butchering meat.
The purpose of stropping is to remove the burr created during a good sharpening. The burr is tiny but can be seen with the naked eye as well as felt with the thumb. It feels like a microscopic wire at the very edge.
Without stropping, you'll have to resharpen the blade more often to keep a quality edge on it. Removing the burr allows the blade to attain maximum sharpness without subjecting the blade to more frequent, repeated sharpening with stones, plates or sandpaper, thereby maintaining the thickness of the blade for much longer.
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I never use my EDC knives for cutting cardboard boxes, carving wood, or hunting. This is like using a Rolex to snuff out a cigar. A sharp folding knife should only be used as a self-defense weapon. After its first use, the police will probably seize it for evidence. Just like a handgun you fire to protect your family. Even diving knives are reserved for self-defense, not shucking oysters. While traveling in a car, it might make sense to carry one (EDC) knife on your person, and another in your toolbox.
There are other tools like boxcutters, hacksaws, chisels, butcher knives, and pruners for most cutting jobs. A two sided diamond sharpener does a fairly good job of sharpening and finessing the blade. Strops are for barbers who still shave people the old-fashioned way, and like a polished blade. Some people are just perfectionists.
Knives are tools. . .
Diving knives for “self-defense weapon”? Bwuahahaha. I haven’t dove for a while, but I had a dive knife on me when I used to scuba. Last thing I had in mind was defending myself. . . Many give knives don’t even have a tip. Many have a flat tip for prying. Not quite shucking, but more along those lines than “defending” yourself against Jaws. . .
Two sided diamond sharpener for “fairly good job of sharpening”. That’s like using 80 grit sandpaper to polish car headlights. . .
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I never use my EDC knives for cutting cardboard boxes, carving wood, or hunting. This is like using a Rolex to snuff out a cigar. A sharp folding knife should only be used as a self-defense weapon. After its first use, the police will probably seize it for evidence. Just like a handgun you fire to protect your family. Even diving knives are reserved for self-defense, not shucking oysters. While traveling in a car, it might make sense to carry one (EDC) knife on your person, and another in your toolbox.
There are other tools like boxcutters, hacksaws, chisels, butcher knives, and pruners for most cutting jobs. A two sided diamond sharpener does a fairly good job of sharpening and finessing the blade. Strops are for barbers who still shave people the old-fashioned way, and like a polished blade. Some people are just perfectionists.
my EDC blades are just that. something I would carry every day, and use every day. I have never had to use any knife for self defense, but I use knives every day to cut cardboard, plastic straps, tape, char siu, spam, an orange or apple or pear etc. I use a $400 knife to cut cardboard all the time, works great. and if I need to use it for defense, I can, but 99.9% of the time I'm using it in the office or at home for light use
so primarily my EDC's are tools for utility, and secondarily for defense. but that's just me and how i use my knives.
for primary defensive knife, I would use one of my larger fixed blades since those are much sturdier than a folding knife
I have a 2 sided diamond sharpener that I hardly ever use bc although it does sharpen the blade it doesn't make it shaving sharp. I like to have all my knives shaving sharp. kitchen knives, fixed blades, folders, EDC, etc
if I was going into zombie apocalypse SHTF then I would use my Tops Operator 7. now that's a knife!!! blade is over 1/4" thick
and I'll try to strop it soon too :shaka:
Tops markets this knife as a "Classic American “fighting” knife aesthetics and a workhorse tool" so Tops designed it as a defensive knife and a tool
(https://live.staticflickr.com/7800/31699798117_52d31afb53_c.jpg)
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Got the polishing compounds and used the black then the green on AUS8, S30V, and ar rpm9 steels. All I got shaving sharp. The S30V took a little more work but not bad. Have to practice more. Good results so far
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Got the polishing compounds and used the black then the green on AUS8, S30V, and ar rpm9 steels. All I got shaving sharp. The S30V took a little more work but not bad. Have to practice more. Good results so far
Glad stropping seems to be working well for you. I have to remind myself when is enough or how sharp is sharp enough. I spent a lot of time reprofiling blades because I didn’t know when to stop working them on my whetstones. Stropping kind of fixed this for me because my knives stay sharp longer, and I’m also smarter now to avoid bones and to stay easy on the chopping board.