The number of options out there to help you sharpen your Bowie knife are staggering. You have traditional bench stones, as well as rod systems and more exotic options. However, many people feel that a strop should be used in conjunction with other sharpening methods. What is a strop? How does it work? Is this a good choice for your needs? To answer these questions, you’ll need to look a bit deeper at what a strop is.
In essence, a strop is nothing more than a wide strip of leather or canvas. Most users prefer a leather strop, but canvas options are quite popular as well. The strop might be a handheld paddle, or it can be mounted to a wall or some other immovable object. Stropping a Bowie knife should be done as part of the sharpening process, or as part of basic maintenance, between sharpening periods. It should not be used as a replacement for a rod system or even a bench stone. Why bother stropping at all, then, if it cannot replace other options?
First, you should understand the benefits offered by a strop. When it is used in conjunction with other sharpening methods, stropping can create a tremendous polish on the blade. It is also able to give your blade a finer edge than what you can achieve with a stone or rod system, without the loss of much blade material. This means that strops help you keep your blade in the best possible condition, ensuring that you always have the perfect edge on your blade.
Bowie knives can be sharpened on these quite easily. Because these knives have large blades, small stones can be very awkward, especially when you’re finishing off the edge. When you use a strop, you usually have a lot more freedom of movement for the blade as there is a much wider surface area on which to work. This can make it very fast for sharpening Bowies.
As you can see, a strop can be an excellent investment for those owners who like to keep a Bowie knife in pristine condition and as sharp as possible. It takes very little time to learn how to use a strop, unlike a whetstone, and the optional abrasive compounds used to help speed sharpening are usually affordable.
Blake is a business consultant for an online bowie knifes store featuring western bowie knife.
