Spyderco Bug

Posted in Folding Knives by admin on May 24, 2009

Spyderco Bug

Is a leather strop necessary when sharpening a pocket knife?

I recently caught the high end pocket knife bug. I bought myself a small Chris Reeve Sebenza pocket knife a few weeks ago and it has gotten a little dull. I tried to sharpen it on an old sharpening stone my grandpa gave me and being unexperienced at sharpening, not only did it seem to make my knife more dull then it already was, it also put a few ugly scratches on the side of my nice knife.

Anyway, getting to the point... I ordered a nicer Spyderco knife sharpener online but I've noticed in a few youtube instructional videos that a lot of people use a leather strop on their knife after they sharpen it. I was wondering if I needed to go order a leather strop. What does the strop do for me?
@Colonol: It's a Small Sebenza. So far it's the only knife I have other than an old buck knife.

In short not much, but they make good straps for naughty kids! Or teen agers that won't do what's been asked of them!!

Your best to us an oil stone used for sharpening wood chisels & the like, As your trying to sharpen it rotate the knife in circular motions along the oil stone & on your last rotation drag the knife back towards you as this helps to remove any feathered edge that may have apeared on the knife. Do the same on the other side in the same order .Just make sure you hold the knife firmly as you rotate it along the oil stone.

Leather straps are only used for sharpening cut throat razors & pocket knives don't need to be that sharp!