Knifewear Leather and Suede Paddle Strop

A leather strop is how every super knife-nerd keeps their knife sharp. Like many knife maintenance tools, the strop is designed to help you clean burrs off the edge of the knife. The rougher suede side grabs any rough burrs that have formed on the edge and either straightens them out, or pulls them off. The plain leather side is then used to give your knife a final polish, bringing it to a mirror finish and giving it a lightsaber edge.

HOW TO USE IT

Grip the paddle firmly by its handle and hold it straight out, parallel to the floor. Start with the rougher suede side facing upwards. Rub the edge of the knife along the strop, leading with the spine from one end to the other. Be sure to run the knife away from the edge to avoid cutting the strop. Repeat this motion on each section of the edge, on either side of the knife a dozen or so times. Flip the strop over and repeat the motion on the smoother side. To make your strop super-effective, coat the rough side with chromium oxide once every few months. Chromium oxide is an abrasive
polishing compound that is somewhere between a stone and a strop, so it will give your blade extra polish and remove stubborn burrs without taking off excess metal. We use chromium oxide on all of our suede strops, especially just after sharpening a knife. Use your strop weekly to maintain a good edge, or more often if you work in a restaurant. For the best edge-maintenance use a ceramic honing rod, followed by a leather strop.

HOW TO MAINTAIN IT

Strop care is mostly about preventative maintenance. Because our strops are made from leather and wood, they are easily damaged by moisture. Keep them well away from water. If after a while your strop appears dirty, use a dry cloth to buff it for a minute or so. Once a year, moisturize it with a light leather cream, especially if you live in a dry climate.