How to Use a Leather Strop After Sharpening for a Razor Edge
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What Is Stropping and Why Does It Matter?
After you've sharpened your kitchen knife on a whetstone or sharpening system, you might think the job is done. But here's the thing: when you run the blade across the leather strop, it gently removes tiny burrs or rough spots left behind during the sharpening process. These microscopic imperfections matter more than you'd think.
While sharpening removes metal to form the blade's edge and honing realigns it, stropping takes it a step further by smoothing out microscopic imperfections, leaving your knife sharper, cleaner, and ready for precise cuts. In other words, stropping is the finishing touch that transforms a sharp blade into a truly razor-sharp one.
When to Use a Leather Strop
A leather strop is typically used immediately after sharpening a knife in order to polish and realign the microedge of the blade, while removing any microscopic burrs left on the blade. The best time to strop is right after you've finished with your final sharpening grit—whether that's a fine whetstone or the last disc in your sharpening kit.
You can also use a strop for quick maintenance between full sharpenings. It can also be used for daily maintenance to keep the cutting edge properly aligned for precise and efficient cutting, slicing, and dicing.
Setting Up Your Strop
Before you begin stropping, prepare your leather strop properly. If you're using a stropping compound (optional, but recommended), apply it to the leather according to the manufacturer's instructions. If you have a honing compound, coat your leather with a light layer before stropping. The compound – which is known under the other aliases of chromium oxide or diamond paste – slightly increases the abrasiveness of the strop.
Place your strop on a stable, flat surface where you have room to work comfortably.
The Correct Stropping Angle
Angle is crucial. Lift the spine of the knife to match the existing sharpening angle you created on your whetstone. For most kitchen knives, this is between 15 and 20 degrees per side. A helpful trick: imagine a coin's thickness between the spine and the leather—this gets you close to the right angle.
The key is consistency. Keep that angle steady on every stroke, and the leather will do the rest of the work.
How to Strop: Step by Step
1. Position the blade correctly. Placing the tip of your blade on the strop is your first step. Pull the knife over the strop towards you, until the heel of the knife has reached the top of the strop. Repeat this several times, and then strop the other side of the edge.
2. Always strop with the spine leading. This is important: always pull the blade spine-first across the strop. Moving the edge forward (edge-leading) can cut into the leather strop, potentially ruining both the strop and the blade's edge. The edge trails behind as you pull the knife toward you.
3. Use light pressure. You don't need to apply a lot of pressure. One of our Sharpening Specialists describes it as light as the weight of the knife or tool while others say simply light pressure. Too much pressure can actually damage your edge and the strop.
4. Alternate sides. Make sure to do an equal number of strokes on either side of the blade – we find that between 10-20 usually suffices. This keeps your edge balanced and sharp on both sides.
5. Repeat until you achieve the desired finish. Start with more strokes and gradually decrease as your edge becomes more polished. You'll know it's working when your blade takes on a smooth, mirror-like shine.
Common Stropping Mistakes to Avoid
Don't cut into the strop. Always remember: the spine leads, the edge trails. Never push the edge forward into the leather.
Don't use too much pressure. Light pressure is enough. Too much will damage the leather. Let the strop do the work for you.
Watch your angle. While having a precise angle isn't critical, using an angle that's too steep or flat can reduce the knife strop's effectiveness. If your angle drifts too far, your stropping won't be as effective.
After You Strop: Testing Your Edge
Once you've finished stropping, you can test your blade's sharpness. A good working edge should allow the knife to slice through paper effortlessly. With minimal force or pressure, a razor-sharp knife should be capable of push cutting through paper, gliding effortlessly. If it doesn't feel quite there yet, a few more passes on the strop usually does the trick.
Maintaining Your Strop
Your leather strop will last for years with basic care. You will notice that after a lot of use, the strop might turn black. Don't worry! This simply means that the strop is doing its job. The black colour comes from the metal that you have polished off the edge of your knife. It's a sign of a well-used, hard-working strop.
Clean your strop regularly with a dry cloth to remove any buildup, and it will serve you well for a long time.
The Stropping Advantage
When you combine a quality sharpening system with proper stropping technique, you're not just maintaining your knives—you're honoring the craft. The main benefits are a slightly sharper than just sharpened knife and a more refined edge that will stay sharp longer. That's the difference between a sharp blade and a truly razor-sharp one.
Stropping takes just a minute or two after sharpening, and the payoff is a professional-quality edge on your kitchen knives every single time.