Stroping my knives

[S-3 Ranch]

I am using my ken onion WS and following their instructions going through all the sharping bands and just wasn’t getting the results I was hoping for
Then someone recommended using a leather strop ( I used a old belt with good results) so I bought a leather strop board that came with green polish compound
And using the compound my results are questionable
Any advice from the GS experts would maybe help me work out my mistakes

[LeanMachine]

I strop to remove the foil edge you get from sharpening a blade to zero. If you don't have that burr yet, you are not ready to strop. However, I am not an expert.

[Jason Fry]

Here are my thoughts...
Build a burr at about 120 grit. Polish it off with 220/400/600 belts. Strop lightly. Don't lean into the strop, just barely more than the weight of the knife.

If you need to, use a sharpie on the sharpening bevel in between grits. It'll help you see where you're not polished. Or use an optivisor.

[dphillips62]

Brasso works very good as a strop compound been using it for years. just pour it on the leather and let it dry several days scrape off excess and go to town on it

[Dirtymike]

What type of knife, some steel just wont get there

[jerp]

I agree with Lean Machine's response. Stropping did not work for me until I learned to get a good burr - like a thin wire - on the edge first. I then use either a leather strop or a cardboard wheel with compound. With both techniques using light pressure to remove the burr is key.

[chopsknives]

Yeah the burr is called the wire edge here's a good vid on it by AG Russell

https://youtu.be/jBCLr-T7Wzo

[S-3 Ranch]

Different stuff

What type of knife, some steel just wont get there

Benchmade, buck, al krouse ( custom) , Ganzo, Russell’s, ect some kitchen knives

[chopsknives]

If your not getting a wire edge it means your sharpening behind the actual edge - the angle of the dangle is off! You can either change your angle or just keep on sharpening till it reaches the edge an easy way to tell if your getting one is it will slide on your finger one direction and scrape on the other as the last pass on the sharpening will flop the wire edge away from it - this going 90 degrees across the edge not lengthways!!!!
If it was factory sharpened on a slackbelt grinder it will create a convex edge depending on how sharp their belt was - I always use brand new belts to sharpen for this reason

[Sackett]

A worksharp won't give you the Burr or edge you need. If you look at proper sharpening, you will always sharpen the edge the same direction on your stone/hone. With a worksharp, the belt is taking steel off in one direction and then the opposite direction on the other side of the knife as the blade is pulled through.

My $.02 is to ditch the WS and use a stone. I've been through a couple dozen sharpeners and the WS is my least favorite due to the ability to remove too much material and it's "short term" sharpness it leaves me. Like most things in life, if it's easier, it's probably not as good or worth it.

[Dirtymike]

Benchmade, buck, al krouse ( custom) , Ganzo, Russell’s, ect some kitchen knives

Might be the angle. I dont typically like sharpeners. The WS i have had good luck with. You do have to be careful to not take too much metal off like Sackett said. I finish with cheap lansky ceramic sticks. I dont use the WS often only if a blade has been badly abused or new to me. Once that angle is right the ceramic sticks touch up the blade quickly and are easy to carry with me in my pack.

Leather is for a much finer edge than I would use on most blades. Just my 2 cents.

https://www.amazon.com/Lansky-4-rod-Turn-Knife-Sharpener/dp/B000B8FW0E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1529611367&sr=8-1&keywords=lansky+crock+sticks

[wdtorque]

Get a fine burr if you can?
Do NOT overstrop, please.
3-6 gentle pulls with moderate pressure is all stropping is.

[Leon County Slayer]

A worksharp won't give you the Burr or edge you need. If you look at proper sharpening, you will always sharpen the edge the same direction on your stone/hone. With a worksharp, the belt is taking steel off in one direction and then the opposite direction on the other side of the knife as the blade is pulled through.

My $.02 is to ditch the WS and use a stone. I've been through a couple dozen sharpeners and the WS is my least favorite due to the ability to remove too much material and it's "short term" sharpness it leaves me. Like most things in life, if it's easier, it's probably not as good or worth it.

I'll use numerous approaches while sharpening my blades but I've had no problems with the worksharp so long as you're working with a blade that has a halfway decent beginning edge on it. While I agree that the belt is in fact moving two different directions, I've easily been able to obtain shaving sharp on most any blade with one of those gadgets. You may be finding troubles with a technique issue or your particular blade, not trying to get off course here.

Agree with Jason on your solution here - not much to it once you discover the reality of the edge.

[S-3 Ranch]

Get a fine burr if you can?
Do NOT overstrop, please.
3-6 gentle pulls with moderate pressure is all stropping is.

Yes I might be over stropping with the green metal polish
I did have some success on my two titanium filet knives