I sharpen knives as a side-gig. My professional strop is leather on oak with a course honing compound and that is what I use to finish all knives and maintain my own. Rarely do they need to touch the stones. But I took a single daily use knife (Mercer brand) and, with a single piece of cardboard, maintained it to a level of sharpness that it would easily slice a tomato. I did that for over 18 months. Cardboard is not just paper. It has grit from spraying it with an emulsion of water and clay and then baking off the moisture. That gives it structural integrity at a low cost in weight. Cardboard makes a really great strop and this is what I tell all of my customers. I wouldn't go 18 mos with the same pice of cardboard again, though. :-)
As you mentioned, the corrugation maybe interfering with your cardboard test. Personally i use non corrugated cardboard... Frozen pizza box or cereal box. I don't even use a base, i use the whole sheet like 1 square foot, and i just put it on the edge of the table. It works great!
I'd love to get it. Thank you very much for testing cardboard finally. I live in Marietta GA. I'm disabled, but I love restoring and sharpening knives as a hobby. Thank you so much for opportunity, and your fantastic videos.
Hi, my name is Alias, I live in Chieti (Italy) I am a watchmaker, in my lab I also deal with sharpening knives and scissors using a TORMEK. I've been collecting knives for several years. Thanks to your videos I'm approaching the sharpening with Japanese water stones. I have the following stones at the moment: Chosera 800, Chosera 3000, Rika 5000. I also buy a japonese Yanagiba... I use it with passion to prepare sushi for my son. The world of blades and sharpening is a magical world, a timeless world, a world where the gesture is repeated with attention, a world where repetitiveness itself is a sort of mantra, a form of meditation. I very much appreciate your commitment and the explanatory clarity of the concepts that are being treated. I'm glad I met you online. I wish you the best. Thanks for everything.
I mainly use newspaper or cardboard for stropping my Japanese knives. It‘s perfect for quickly removing the burr without polishing away the fine toothiness like my leather strops with compound do.
I'm a system engineer for a hedge fund in NY and live in Jersey City. I've been going back and forth between using an electric sharpener or a whetstone. I finally got a stone and used it for the first time last night after watching lots of videos. I really enjoyed it! And actually think I did pretty decent so I'd love to have that base.
Great video. I’ve been stropping on cardboard boxes for a few years. I’m maybe 1/100th as skilled as this man, but I try. One neat thing for a person of experience, aka age: it is easy to see the burr actually scratch into the cardboard on the first stroke. If your eyes are bad, this little test can help confirm a burr on one side or the other. Still use your fingers, fingernails, etc.. but this is one more tool to confirm burr. It’s also kinda neat to watch as the burr stops cutting into the cardboard as you remove it.
I would love to win the strop. I work in IT in Nebraska. I like making sushi at home. Your channel has been a huge help in learning how to maintain my yanagiba. I've also gotten much much better at sharpening the couple chef's knives I use on a daily basis. Love the channel. Keep up the good work.
I had a ton of cardboard boxes in my garage to break down. I took out a kitchen knife and started to cut them into pretty large pieces that would go in the trash can. I tell you, my knife got sharp!!! I never knew this until I did all of that!! Gonna keep some cardboard around just for that!
I would love to have it! I'm a Windows server engineer. I strop on cardboard regularly! Mostly keeping up our kitchen knives. I use Mothers Mag or Blue magic as compound on the cardboard. We are a family of 5, soon to be 6 so cardboard is budget friendly :) . We are in Alexandria, Virginia.
I love your videos! Also I would love that strop, I am an animator from Santa Clarita, California. I use whetstones and sharpening knives for me to relax and also coordinate my arms better with steadiness. It's helped me understand how to make proper strokes with knives, and it's transferred into smooth steady strokes in my drawing! I sharpened my brother's knives, my mom's, my friends and show them your videos and how you've changed my life. My whole family and friends all appreciate it now when I show up to sharpen their knives. Been hooked on your channel and would love to see a higher grit stone! I currently have the Naniwa 800, and Suehiro Rika 5000 after looking through all your reviews. I also first bought a King KDS as my first stone and loved it, then realized how my knife creates slur because it's a softer stone. I also bought Mercer's $15, and $40 knives as suggested by you after your tests. I love the tacky feedback on the Rika and Chosera. Having a strop to add to my collection will help a lot, or at least a carbon fiber base. I have a limited budget so videos like these help a great deal. Anyways, thanks a ton for this! I hope you can show what higher grits have to offer with this test. I'll definitely use my boxes a lot more to strop and test them for cutting =].
I would love the strop! I do information security for a living. I love cooking and strive to keep my knives in good shape. I have several knives that I have slowly been learning to sharpen by watching your videos. It's quite a journey to refine the skill!!!! I have a knife I got as part of an $8 set of two on Woot several years ago that never had an edge worth mentioning until I saw one of your videos and learned how to sharpen it properly :D I don't use that knife often, pulled it out last night and it still cuts paper with 0 effort, even after sitting for 3 months post sharpen. TY for what you do, I enjoy spending time watching and learning!!!!
I stumbled across your videos by accident after watching nearly all of them you inspired me to go out and purchase my own set of shapton's, after lots of practicing with my own knives I'm slowly getting better at it. Now all my friends and family members send me their knives :) unfortunately I only use an old leather belt for my stropping, which doesn't always give the best results. Would love to own one of your strops. Keep up the excellent work Ryky, I learn so much even down here in Melbourne, Australia.
I would like it. I live in Michigan. I am a OTR driver & sharpen some knives for fellow drivers or you could say honing it for them some. I would love to add a bit of stropping with this carbon fiber plate when on down time on the road. I also have a decent set of Wustoff knives & 20 fillet knives for filleting fish since I fish great lakes. Also several other knives. I have just started to learn sharpening a bit. Another great video.
I would love to win that cardboard strop. The carbon fiber is a great idea. I’m a biomedical engineer and am just getting into hand sharping. Previously I have used a Wicked Edge but am drawn to gaining the skill of sharpening by hand. Love your videos. Keep it up.
I would love to have a cardboard strop to round out my sharpening tools! Semi-retired in Dominica, West Indies. Stay busy sharpening blades, repairing guitars, tying paracord bracelets and rebuilding after hurricanes.
Hey Ryky, nice to see you posting content again. Hoping to hear more about your recent travels and experiencing in the knife world. I live in Hawaii and work with disadvantaged middle school children. Got the perfect piece of leather to mount on that bad boy. Thanks for all the great content!
Recently found you through Harry Soo. As my name says, I’m in the grocery business. Worked for my father since 9 yrs old, cut my teeth working in the meat dept through high school. I still own a store today. Now my hobby is BBQ so my background in cutting/trimming meats is second hand. I have never used a strop, we always used a honing steel. I would love to try one!
Awesome video topic and presentation! Only a minute in and I’m stoked... man you give great instruction, you are a natural born teacher. Thanks for the great content!
I'm a cabinetmaker and woodworker by trade love the videos. don't usually comment but these comparisons are the best it's like watching mythbusters but for knife sharpening! thanks for the info
Just want to add that the PT50A is also a great tool for learning how to sharpen, and also measure the effects of normal use etc. I love mine. I live in Monmouth County NJ, would love to mount my tanned leathers on that Carbon fiber plate
Hi Ryky, i love your videos and your products. I'd love to have a strop like that. I' m an musician from the netherlands and love to cook. I found you on youtube after a year of trying to sharpen my knifes and it really opened my eyes how to do it. I'm still practicing and learning from your videos. Please go on and share everything like you did! Thnx for all!
I'd love the strop! I'm a chemistry PhD student living in Austin, and I just started getting into your videos a couple months ago, so I haven't invested in much to get my sharpening on yet but it would be a great way to start!
Hey Ryky, what I do for work is design high pressure underground gas systems. I restore old knifes as a hobby and when I'm done I gift them to friends or family, But I work with a buddy that has similar hobbies as me except he does leather work too. My buddy is a commander with the Royal Rangers, so when he finishes a project he will gift it to other commanders or to the kids when they pass the test to carry a blade at the camp outs. we where just talking about him wanting to make a strop a few days ago. I think that this strop would make a good base for him to put some leather on. so if I get your strop I would be gifting it to him. Oh and thanks for the videos.
Thanks for another thought provoking video. I have some of your stropes but would enjoy your cardboard one. I would remove the cardboard and get some film. I am a retired doctor in Orange County California.
I'd like the strop. Currently a student with a part-time software gig who likes cooking and am getting into sharpening, so a strop would be a welcome addition to my (non-existent) collection.
I'm not going to lie, I would be absolutely stoked to win the strop, I currently don't have any good kitchen knives, but I have a couple of good hunting knives, I have no clue how to wet stone sharpen but want to learn, I'm just a college senior struggling to pay rent and get decent grades in Minneapolis at this point in life, good job on the videos can't wait to see the next one
The strop would be great, I work at a Japanese restaurant in Green Bay, Wi as a hibachi chef and a sushi chef. I usually use a paper towel to strop after a 6000 grit king and it works well, but I have never used real leather to strop.
I am really enjoying your channel. Lots of useful information. I am curious to see how a plain leather strop compares to a strop with compound. Any chance of seeing such a video in the future?
Murray Carter won the Chef knives to go sharpening competition with a king 1000/6000 stone and newspaper. Second place was won by a gentlemen who used several chosera stones, if I remember correctly, finishing at a 10,000 grit. So I think you’re opinion about polishing on a 6000 in order for newspaper to be most effective is *probably* accurate.
Something odd happened with the cardboard at 30 strokes. The test best shows how much the user plays a role in the process, getting inconsistent and illogical progress at times. Either that or the material/installation started disintegrating and aren't for repeated use instead of "one time use".
Of course I want it. I just ordered a few days ago a 3m microfilm set and didn't know where to put it on... I am in love with carbon fiber 🤣. I am a chef in Thessaloniki, Greece.
I would love that strop. I am currently a caregiver for my mother who is on Hospice, but in the past I have done a ton of stuff from IT to Restaurant Management. I live on a boat in New York, but am currently in Ohio with my mother.
Hi, Thank you for these videos! Knives just became a new passion to me :) It's such a good pleasure to learn about this field. I live in Belgium (south part, french language) and I work in web marketing and also as a manager for Estate projects. Best regards from Europe !
hi ryky my name is sam i´m from Canary Islands-Spain and i´m a cooking student currently going for my second year, i'm the only one in my school who sharpens his knives with whetstones in fact I bought the king 1000/6000 thanks to one of your videos, also i work in a catering, so i really want that carbon strop
I drive for a living i live in iowa. I already bought a strop from u though so give it to someone who really needs it. The rolled buffalo that i received from u works great by the way. Thanks again Ryky. This is coleplayz. (Changed name)
I would love to have it im a chef and because of your videos iv started to sharpen my knifes I used to send them off thanks to you I save moneyvand have a new hobby
Hello Ryky, I would would like to give that strop base some love in Washington State. From a carpenter that sharpens all his own tools including circular saw blades, I have never thought of using carbon fiber sheet for a base (I like ;-)
Just found your channel and I love it. Thanks for making such informative and interesting videos! I was wondering if you have tried denim as a strop? As a vegan I'm looking for a leather alternative. Of course I now know I can use cardboard -- cool -- but something more permanent would be great. I've seen others use denim but I would love your opinion. :) Thanks.
I should add that I'm looking to sharpen wood working tools so that might be a consideration since the surface of denim is fairly rough and I've seen people load the denim very heavily with stropping compound. Oh, forgot to add 'question'. ;)
I would love to receive that strop. I recently purchased the Nexus chef's knife from Cutlery and More based on your review of that knife and plan to purchase the Dragon Fire chef's knife and paring knife, also based on your reviews. That Dalstrong chef's knife also looks pretty sweet. I'm a unit secretary at a hospital in Springfield, MO. I love knives.
Hey Ryky...Steve from Milwaukee. i work as an independent financial planner. I'd love to have a chance to try out your cardboard strop! Thanks for the awesome vids!
Hello; just subbed your channel. I have a few stones for my straight razors, and i wanted to try and use them on my German knifes. One small request, is it possible to make a vid that walks you through the theory and basics of knife sharpening, showing you talking about technique and what to feel for when progressing through the stones. I saw a few of your videos using a specific knife on a specific stone, but I couldn’t under what the overall game plan was. It would be useful to know where to start, what to look for when you are ready to move to next stone and then so on. Thanks!
I would love the strop. I would add a nice piece of leather and use it for my straight razors. I am an IT Supervisor here in Farmington NM, and run a 3D printing Etsy business catering to the wet shaving community.
Hello! I would really like that strop, it would be my first! I am a grade 11 student who works part time as a cashier. I live in Calgary, AB, Canada. I have been watching your videos for some time, thank you for inspiring me to keep my knives sharp.
I'd be pleased to own this! :D Well I'm a student from Germany and plan going into IT. I also am a fairly new hobby-cook and interested in sharpening knives or more knives on themselves. Have a nice day!
That cardboard strop is sure to become a collector's item! I live in New Mexico near the border. I cook for hotel restaurant. I salivate watching your videos and seeing all your knives. The the ones at the restaurant are laughably bad and really dull. Luckily I got a Victorinox knife when you posted about a sale. I make sure nobody touches it but me.
i could really* use the base! im a stay at home parent, although my guy just started kindergarten, so thats likely to change soon. :) my budget is tight, but ive been eyeballing your strops for a good while. with the base i could swing a piece of leather from you and complete the package! im originally from New Albany Indiana, but currently reside in Cannelton Indiana. appreciate the chance!!!
I'd love the base, been looking at things to use as a base for a piece of veggie tanned buffalo leather I purchased. I work dispatch at a furniture company. I live in Queensland Australia.
Hello from Greenland, Love your Video's. this most be one of the stupidest question I will ask. Can you do sharpening to Hunter's knife bowie knife and survival knife? or do you do only kitchen knife's? sorry for my bad english. :)
Please do a video on boning vs filler knives. I don't know what the difference is and I need to buy a fillet knife. Are they the same, just stiffer or more flexible. Or totally different? Thanks
Is there any place where I could purchase the rolled buffalo leather? Preferably online? As the graph showed, it is a clear winner against all of the other materials you used, however, is the price difference a big gap between them? Also what other material could I use to make a panel like the one you're giving away which is made of carbon fiber? Would some wood do the trick for stropping? It was a neat setup with the rubber feet and the double sided tape which caught my attention. Im still new to all this and I only have a KING 1000/6000 whetstone, to my understanding, having a strop would give the knife that last touch to make it as sharp as possible.
Hello Ricky, I would love to have that fine cardboard strop. What do I do for a living? well I am a full time pre-med student at the university of Puerto Rico, and I've been looking at your series for a while now, I can say I've been inspired to start a series of (maybe sushi) cooking videos as a hobby. Literally yesterday (sept 8) I received my first knife from Amazon (its an Abaniwudi damascus 60 something layers) and since im on a budget I ordered the 20$ soaking stone that you "recommended"in one of your videos (i know, not the best, but I think I can pull it of). If i could only win that strop (base) I could apply a leather to it and be ready to go. P.S. I really enjoy your videos a lot!! :)
Question Ryky: Which of your Etsy Store strop leathers (buffalo, equine, cordovan) yields the best edge when loaded with the DMT spray? Assume the steel can benefit from this level of abrasive and the stropping follows a proper progressive whetstone polishing. Is one leather surface significantly better than the others or is it “too close to call” in which case ‘cheaper’ wins? Looking for an opinionated performance comparison in terms of speed, resulting sharpness and strop life without regards to the initial price. Does your leather choice change if loaded with the 3 micron DMT stropping paste instead?
I would like to have that awesome strop! just started a new job and I need to get my knives sharpened and stropped to make food for our new friends here in IL!
I would love to add this to my signed collection of older model wood strops(if you remember signing them for me). I live south of Kansas City Missouri and I work for the Department of the Treasury. Have a great day and hope I win! Cheers
Great vid. Appreciate you making a proper cardboard strop. Live near Sunnyvale, CA and used to be a chemical engineer... now I just stare at spreadsheets (point point, click click, type type) If I win, can you please autograph it?
I would love to have tath strop. I came from Germany and work currently in a soup kitchen as an internship and make additionally my degree for the university extern from the school, anyway, love your videos. Keep it real!
I'm probably a little late. But I would love to have a carbon fiber base. I'm a Mechanic in Ohio, I started sharpening my pocket knives but loved doing it so now I sharpen my wifes kitchen knives all the time lol.
Would love to win the strop. I am an IT specialist in the Netherlands. I als would love to see the same test with knives sharpened on a higher grid. And if compound on the newspaper or cardboard would help.
Hi Ryky! Enjoyed the video. I have one of your strops which I use weekly. I would enjoy having the cardboard strop, I would apply the 3M film. I am a retired audio, video, and theatrical lighting professional. Cheers!
I would like to humbly enter the give away. I am an airplane mechanic living in Montreal Canada. I am enthusiastic about bringing my knife to ultimate sharpness although my knowledge is very limited since I just started. I appreciate the experienced information you are providing as I also like precision hence my profession. Thank you.
Hi Ryky! I live in Dublin, CA, and I work as a head chef while studying mathematics as a full time college student. I love watching all your videos and would love a chance to win the strop!
I would really love the strop, I'm living in Manggis Street I No. 5, 57144, Laweyan, Surakarta, Middle Java, Indonesia. I'm a highschool student, and I love your videos!
i would love to have the strop it would be good to add to my stuff as it is a small collection finally got the chefs in the kitchen to get water stones and i can teach them how to us it I'm a pizza maker from Florida and my teacher is from New York so making pizza best i can with out the proper water
I have one question. Is it possible to use the residue/wet powder from your whetstone as strop compound? I mean do you get a similar result from it? Thanks in advance.
That would be nice to have. I am a trained chef in RI currently working on starting a business relating to the food industry. I'm very well versed in sharpening, but don't own any nice flats to put lapping paper on. Thanks, great video
I want it. I live in Louisiana and I do Not destructive examination in the Exxon Mobil chemical plant. Also I have been free hand sharpening for 12 years now and am paying trying to get into doing it professionally.
Would love that cardboard strop Rycky! I'm a highschool teacher of English in The Netherlands. Sharpening knives is something I can't yet do for a living but it's getting quite good. I really appreciate these videos with the DIY comparison.
I sharpen knives as a side-gig. My professional strop is leather on oak with a course honing compound and that is what I use to finish all knives and maintain my own. Rarely do they need to touch the stones. But I took a single daily use knife (Mercer brand) and, with a single piece of cardboard, maintained it to a level of sharpness that it would easily slice a tomato. I did that for over 18 months. Cardboard is not just paper. It has grit from spraying it with an emulsion of water and clay and then baking off the moisture. That gives it structural integrity at a low cost in weight.
Cardboard makes a really great strop and this is what I tell all of my customers. I wouldn't go 18 mos with the same pice of cardboard again, though. :-)
When you wasted all you money on a knife: alright what do we have here
lol, here we are looking to see if we can use old newspaper because we cant afford real leather
As you mentioned, the corrugation maybe interfering with your cardboard test. Personally i use non corrugated cardboard... Frozen pizza box or cereal box. I don't even use a base, i use the whole sheet like 1 square foot, and i just put it on the edge of the table. It works great!
I'd love to get it. Thank you very much for testing cardboard finally.
I live in Marietta GA.
I'm disabled, but I love restoring and sharpening knives as a hobby.
Thank you so much for opportunity, and your fantastic videos.
Hi, my name is Alias, I live in Chieti (Italy) I am a watchmaker, in my lab I also deal with sharpening knives and scissors using a TORMEK. I've been collecting knives for several years. Thanks to your videos I'm approaching the sharpening with Japanese water stones. I have the following stones at the moment: Chosera 800, Chosera 3000, Rika 5000. I also buy a japonese Yanagiba... I use it with passion to prepare sushi for my son.
The world of blades and sharpening is a magical world, a timeless world, a world where the gesture is repeated with attention, a world where repetitiveness itself is a sort of mantra, a form of meditation. I very much appreciate your commitment and the explanatory clarity of the concepts that are being treated. I'm glad I met you online. I wish you the best. Thanks for everything.
I mainly use newspaper or cardboard for stropping my Japanese knives. It‘s perfect for quickly removing the burr without polishing away the fine toothiness like my leather strops with compound do.
Aahh...the warm feeling of nerdiness when watching your videos. Love it!
I'm a system engineer for a hedge fund in NY and live in Jersey City. I've been going back and forth between using an electric sharpener or a whetstone. I finally got a stone and used it for the first time last night after watching lots of videos. I really enjoyed it! And actually think I did pretty decent so I'd love to have that base.
Great video. I’ve been stropping on cardboard boxes for a few years. I’m maybe 1/100th as skilled as this man, but I try. One neat thing for a person of experience, aka age: it is easy to see the burr actually scratch into the cardboard on the first stroke. If your eyes are bad, this little test can help confirm a burr on one side or the other. Still use your fingers, fingernails, etc.. but this is one more tool to confirm burr. It’s also kinda neat to watch as the burr stops cutting into the cardboard as you remove it.
I would love to win the strop. I work in IT in Nebraska. I like making sushi at home. Your channel has been a huge help in learning how to maintain my yanagiba. I've also gotten much much better at sharpening the couple chef's knives I use on a daily basis. Love the channel. Keep up the good work.
I had a ton of cardboard boxes in my garage to break down. I took out a kitchen knife and started to cut them into pretty large pieces that would go in the trash can. I tell you, my knife got sharp!!! I never knew this until I did all of that!! Gonna keep some cardboard around just for that!
I would love to have it! I'm a Windows server engineer. I strop on cardboard regularly! Mostly keeping up our kitchen knives. I use Mothers Mag or Blue magic as compound on the cardboard. We are a family of 5, soon to be 6 so cardboard is budget friendly :) . We are in Alexandria, Virginia.
I love your videos! Also I would love that strop, I am an animator from Santa Clarita, California. I use whetstones and sharpening knives for me to relax and also coordinate my arms better with steadiness. It's helped me understand how to make proper strokes with knives, and it's transferred into smooth steady strokes in my drawing!
I sharpened my brother's knives, my mom's, my friends and show them your videos and how you've changed my life. My whole family and friends all appreciate it now when I show up to sharpen their knives.
Been hooked on your channel and would love to see a higher grit stone! I currently have the Naniwa 800, and Suehiro Rika 5000 after looking through all your reviews. I also first bought a King KDS as my first stone and loved it, then realized how my knife creates slur because it's a softer stone. I also bought Mercer's $15, and $40 knives as suggested by you after your tests.
I love the tacky feedback on the Rika and Chosera. Having a strop to add to my collection will help a lot, or at least a carbon fiber base. I have a limited budget so videos like these help a great deal.
Anyways, thanks a ton for this! I hope you can show what higher grits have to offer with this test. I'll definitely use my boxes a lot more to strop and test them for cutting =].
I would love the strop! I do information security for a living. I love cooking and strive to keep my knives in good shape. I have several knives that I have slowly been learning to sharpen by watching your videos. It's quite a journey to refine the skill!!!! I have a knife I got as part of an $8 set of two on Woot several years ago that never had an edge worth mentioning until I saw one of your videos and learned how to sharpen it properly :D I don't use that knife often, pulled it out last night and it still cuts paper with 0 effort, even after sitting for 3 months post sharpen. TY for what you do, I enjoy spending time watching and learning!!!!
I stumbled across your videos by accident after watching nearly all of them you inspired me to go out and purchase my own set of shapton's, after lots of practicing with my own knives I'm slowly getting better at it. Now all my friends and family members send me their knives :) unfortunately I only use an old leather belt for my stropping, which doesn't always give the best results. Would love to own one of your strops. Keep up the excellent work Ryky, I learn so much even down here in Melbourne, Australia.
I would like it. I live in Michigan. I am a OTR driver & sharpen some knives for fellow drivers or you could say honing it for them some. I would love to add a bit of stropping with this carbon fiber plate when on down time on the road. I also have a decent set of Wustoff knives & 20 fillet knives for filleting fish since I fish great lakes. Also several other knives. I have just started to learn sharpening a bit. Another great video.
I would love to win that cardboard strop. The carbon fiber is a great idea. I’m a biomedical engineer and am just getting into hand sharping. Previously I have used a Wicked Edge but am drawn to gaining the skill of sharpening by hand. Love your videos. Keep it up.
I would love to have a cardboard strop to round out my sharpening tools! Semi-retired in Dominica, West Indies. Stay busy sharpening blades, repairing guitars, tying paracord bracelets and rebuilding after hurricanes.
Hey Ryky, nice to see you posting content again. Hoping to hear more about your recent travels and experiencing in the knife world. I live in Hawaii and work with disadvantaged middle school children. Got the perfect piece of leather to mount on that bad boy. Thanks for all the great content!
Recently found you through Harry Soo. As my name says, I’m in the grocery business. Worked for my father since 9 yrs old, cut my teeth working in the meat dept through high school. I still own a store today. Now my hobby is BBQ so my background in cutting/trimming meats is second hand. I have never used a strop, we always used a honing steel. I would love to try one!
Awesome video topic and presentation! Only a minute in and I’m stoked... man you give great instruction, you are a natural born teacher. Thanks for the great content!
I'm a cabinetmaker and woodworker by trade love the videos. don't usually comment but these comparisons are the best it's like watching mythbusters but for knife sharpening! thanks for the info
Just want to add that the PT50A is also a great tool for learning how to sharpen, and also measure the effects of normal use etc. I love mine. I live in Monmouth County NJ, would love to mount my tanned leathers on that Carbon fiber plate
I had a broken leather bonded belt that was laying around. I now have a purpose of it again. Thank you Ricky! *thumbs up*
Hi Ryky, i love your videos and your products. I'd love to have a strop like that. I' m an musician from the netherlands and love to cook. I found you on youtube after a year of trying to sharpen my knifes and it really opened my eyes how to do it. I'm still practicing and learning from your videos. Please go on and share everything like you did! Thnx for all!
I'd love the strop! I'm a chemistry PhD student living in Austin, and I just started getting into your videos a couple months ago, so I haven't invested in much to get my sharpening on yet but it would be a great way to start!
Hey Ryky, what I do for work is design high pressure underground gas systems. I restore old knifes as a hobby and when I'm done I gift them to friends or family, But I work with a buddy that has similar hobbies as me except he does leather work too. My buddy is a commander with the Royal Rangers, so when he finishes a project he will gift it to other commanders or to the kids when they pass the test to carry a blade at the camp outs. we where just talking about him wanting to make a strop a few days ago. I think that this strop would make a good base for him to put some leather on. so if I get your strop I would be gifting it to him. Oh and thanks for the videos.
Thanks for another thought provoking video. I have some of your stropes but would enjoy your cardboard one. I would remove the cardboard and get some film. I am a retired doctor in Orange County California.
I'd like the strop. Currently a student with a part-time software gig who likes cooking and am getting into sharpening, so a strop would be a welcome addition to my (non-existent) collection.
I'm a chef in Germany who is eager to try new things to sharpen taking care of my knifes
I live in Göttingen Germany
I'm not going to lie, I would be absolutely stoked to win the strop, I currently don't have any good kitchen knives, but I have a couple of good hunting knives, I have no clue how to wet stone sharpen but want to learn, I'm just a college senior struggling to pay rent and get decent grades in Minneapolis at this point in life, good job on the videos can't wait to see the next one
The strop would be great, I work at a Japanese restaurant in Green Bay, Wi as a hibachi chef and a sushi chef. I usually use a paper towel to strop after a 6000 grit king and it works well, but I have never used real leather to strop.
I am really enjoying your channel. Lots of useful information. I am curious to see how a plain leather strop compares to a strop with compound. Any chance of seeing such a video in the future?
Murray Carter won the Chef knives to go sharpening competition with a king 1000/6000 stone and newspaper. Second place was won by a gentlemen who used several chosera stones, if I remember correctly, finishing at a 10,000 grit. So I think you’re opinion about polishing on a 6000 in order for newspaper to be most effective is *probably* accurate.
Something odd happened with the cardboard at 30 strokes. The test best shows how much the user plays a role in the process, getting inconsistent and illogical progress at times. Either that or the material/installation started disintegrating and aren't for repeated use instead of "one time use".
Of course I want it. I just ordered a few days ago a 3m microfilm set and didn't know where to put it on... I am in love with carbon fiber 🤣. I am a chef in Thessaloniki, Greece.
I would love that strop. I am currently a caregiver for my mother who is on Hospice, but in the past I have done a ton of stuff from IT to Restaurant Management. I live on a boat in New York, but am currently in Ohio with my mother.
I would love to have it. I'm a peer counselor for people with spinal cord injuries at a rehab hospital and I live in Whittier, CA.
Hey Ricky you should do a stroppng comparison with leather and balsa loaded with diamond pastes and emulsions.
Nice tests. I would like the cardboard strop. I'm a tech support agent for a medical research company. I like restoring tools in the garage.
Hi,
Thank you for these videos! Knives just became a new passion to me :) It's such a good pleasure to learn about this field.
I live in Belgium (south part, french language) and I work in web marketing and also as a manager for Estate projects.
Best regards from Europe !
Good old brown paper grocery bag also works well in a pinch, as does an unravelled and flattened toilet paper roll.
hi ryky my name is sam i´m from Canary Islands-Spain and i´m a cooking student currently going for my second year, i'm the only one in my school who sharpens his knives with whetstones in fact I bought the king 1000/6000 thanks to one of your videos, also i work in a catering, so i really want that carbon strop
I drive for a living i live in iowa. I already bought a strop from u though so give it to someone who really needs it. The rolled buffalo that i received from u works great by the way. Thanks again Ryky. This is coleplayz. (Changed name)
I would love to have it im a chef and because of your videos iv started to sharpen my knifes I used to send them off thanks to you I save moneyvand have a new hobby
Hello Ryky,
I would would like to give that strop base some love in Washington State. From a carpenter that sharpens all his own tools including circular saw blades, I have never thought of using carbon fiber sheet for a base (I like ;-)
You can put compound on cardboard and your result change quite a bit
Just found your channel and I love it. Thanks for making such informative and interesting videos!
I was wondering if you have tried denim as a strop? As a vegan I'm looking for a leather alternative. Of course I now know I can use cardboard -- cool -- but something more permanent would be great. I've seen others use denim but I would love your opinion. :) Thanks.
I should add that I'm looking to sharpen wood working tools so that might be a consideration since the surface of denim is fairly rough and I've seen people load the denim very heavily with stropping compound. Oh, forgot to add 'question'. ;)
I'm in Texas and am interested in the strop. I work for a bank and sharpening really helps me to destress.
I would love to receive that strop. I recently purchased the Nexus chef's knife from Cutlery and More based on your review of that knife and plan to purchase the Dragon Fire chef's knife and paring knife, also based on your reviews. That Dalstrong chef's knife also looks pretty sweet. I'm a unit secretary at a hospital in Springfield, MO. I love knives.
Hey Ryky...Steve from Milwaukee. i work as an independent financial planner. I'd love to have a chance to try out your cardboard strop! Thanks for the awesome vids!
Hello; just subbed your channel. I have a few stones for my straight razors, and i wanted to try and use them on my German knifes. One small request, is it possible to make a vid that walks you through the theory and basics of knife sharpening, showing you talking about technique and what to feel for when progressing through the stones. I saw a few of your videos using a specific knife on a specific stone, but I couldn’t under what the overall game plan was. It would be useful to know where to start, what to look for when you are ready to move to next stone and then so on. Thanks!
Is this the same machine from
Project farm? How is the project farm results so much sharper/better
Couldn’t stop smirking about the cardboard lol
I would love the strop. I would add a nice piece of leather and use it for my straight razors. I am an IT Supervisor here in Farmington NM, and run a 3D printing Etsy business catering to the wet shaving community.
Hello! I would really like that strop, it would be my first! I am a grade 11 student who works part time as a cashier. I live in Calgary, AB, Canada. I have been watching your videos for some time, thank you for inspiring me to keep my knives sharp.
I'd be pleased to own this! :D
Well I'm a student from Germany and plan going into IT.
I also am a fairly new hobby-cook and interested in sharpening knives or more knives on themselves.
Have a nice day!
That cardboard strop is sure to become a collector's item! I live in New Mexico near the border. I cook for hotel restaurant. I salivate watching your videos and seeing all your knives. The the ones at the restaurant are laughably bad and really dull. Luckily I got a Victorinox knife when you posted about a sale. I make sure nobody touches it but me.
That would be fantastic. I live in Louisville KY and 8 am a beer delivery driver. Have a great weekend
i could really* use the base!
im a stay at home parent, although my guy just started kindergarten, so thats likely to change soon. :)
my budget is tight, but ive been eyeballing your strops for a good while. with the base i could swing a piece of leather from you and complete the package!
im originally from New Albany Indiana, but currently reside in Cannelton Indiana.
appreciate the chance!!!
I want that cardboard strop. Im from New York and Im an Executive Sous Chef of a restaurant. Love your vids Ryky!
I'd love the base, been looking at things to use as a base for a piece of veggie tanned buffalo leather I purchased. I work dispatch at a furniture company. I live in Queensland Australia.
Hello from Greenland, Love your Video's. this most be one of the stupidest question I will ask. Can you do sharpening to Hunter's knife bowie knife and survival knife? or do you do only kitchen knife's? sorry for my bad english. :)
Please do a video on boning vs filler knives. I don't know what the difference is and I need to buy a fillet knife. Are they the same, just stiffer or more flexible. Or totally different? Thanks
Is there any place where I could purchase the rolled buffalo leather? Preferably online? As the graph showed, it is a clear winner against all of the other materials you used, however, is the price difference a big gap between them? Also what other material could I use to make a panel like the one you're giving away which is made of carbon fiber? Would some wood do the trick for stropping? It was a neat setup with the rubber feet and the double sided tape which caught my attention. Im still new to all this and I only have a KING 1000/6000 whetstone, to my understanding, having a strop would give the knife that last touch to make it as sharp as possible.
Not sure if i missed in the video but does one need to load the cardboard with compound?
Hey Riky, any thoughts on the coticule belgium stones?
Can you strop on jeans? I'm curious to see how well it works
Just buy a buffing wheel one cotton and one leather. The end.
You can literally strap on anything including a seatbelt the fabric or material just needs to be Taut
Hello Ricky, I would love to have that fine cardboard strop. What do I do for a living? well I am a full time pre-med student at the university of Puerto Rico, and I've been looking at your series for a while now, I can say I've been inspired to start a series of (maybe sushi) cooking videos as a hobby. Literally yesterday (sept 8) I received my first knife from Amazon (its an Abaniwudi damascus 60 something layers) and since im on a budget I ordered the 20$ soaking stone that you "recommended"in one of your videos (i know, not the best, but I think I can pull it of). If i could only win that strop (base) I could apply a leather to it and be ready to go. P.S. I really enjoy your videos a lot!! :)
Question Ryky: Which of your Etsy Store strop leathers (buffalo, equine, cordovan) yields the best edge when loaded with the DMT spray? Assume the steel can benefit from this level of abrasive and the stropping follows a proper progressive whetstone polishing. Is one leather surface significantly better than the others or is it “too close to call” in which case ‘cheaper’ wins? Looking for an opinionated performance comparison in terms of speed, resulting sharpness and strop life without regards to the initial price. Does your leather choice change if loaded with the 3 micron DMT stropping paste instead?
I would like to have that awesome strop! just started a new job and I need to get my knives sharpened and stropped to make food for our new friends here in IL!
I would love to add this to my signed collection of older model wood strops(if you remember signing them for me). I live south of Kansas City Missouri and I work for the Department of the Treasury. Have a great day and hope I win! Cheers
Great vid. Appreciate you making a proper cardboard strop.
Live near Sunnyvale, CA and used to be a chemical engineer... now I just stare at spreadsheets (point point, click click, type type)
If I win, can you please autograph it?
I would love to have tath strop. I came from Germany and work currently in a soup kitchen as an internship and make additionally my degree for the university extern from the school, anyway, love your videos. Keep it real!
I'm probably a little late. But I would love to have a carbon fiber base. I'm a Mechanic in Ohio, I started sharpening my pocket knives but loved doing it so now I sharpen my wifes kitchen knives all the time lol.
Would love to win the strop. I am an IT specialist in the Netherlands.
I als would love to see the same test with knives sharpened on a higher grid. And if compound on the newspaper or cardboard would help.
I live in Austria and I am currently going to university. I would really like this strop!!
Hi Ryky! Enjoyed the video. I have one of your strops which I use weekly. I would enjoy having the cardboard strop, I would apply the 3M film. I am a retired audio, video, and theatrical lighting professional. Cheers!
Friendly reminder that you forgot to put where you live.
What about using something like cotton loaded up with stopping compound
Definately should include compoun on leather as well
I would like to humbly enter the give away. I am an airplane mechanic living in Montreal Canada. I am enthusiastic about bringing my knife to ultimate sharpness although my knowledge is very limited since I just started. I appreciate the experienced information you are providing as I also like precision hence my profession. Thank you.
I’d love that carbon fiber base to add 3m to. I’m a bicycle mechanic, in Washington.
I'd love to have that strop base! I'm a bass player and music teacher from Poland. :)
Hi Ryky, I am interested in your cardboard strop. I am an English Professor and live in Moreno Valley, CA. I also enjoy cooking.
Hi Ryky! I live in Dublin, CA, and I work as a head chef while studying mathematics as a full time college student. I love watching all your videos and would love a chance to win the strop!
I would really love the strop, I'm living in Manggis Street I No. 5, 57144, Laweyan, Surakarta, Middle Java, Indonesia. I'm a highschool student, and I love your videos!
Have you used the Miyabi Koh 4000 knives and if so, what are your thoughts? Thanks!
i would love to have the strop it would be good to add to my stuff as it is a small collection finally got the chefs in the kitchen to get water stones and i can teach them how to us it I'm a pizza maker from Florida and my teacher is from New York so making pizza best i can with out the proper water
I have one question. Is it possible to use the residue/wet powder from your whetstone as strop compound? I mean do you get a similar result from it? Thanks in advance.
I would love it.
I'm a software developer from Chicago Illinois.
You missed EVA, which has proven to be as good as leather (to support compounds).
What is EVA
I was wondering if you can do a tormek review I know their kind of expensive but those electric wheel sharpeners would be nice to use
hey there fella when are we going to see the bridges also have you got the new shapton seven stones yet and what you think of them ?
Ricky, what you think about balsa wood as stropping material?
That would be nice to have. I am a trained chef in RI currently working on starting a business relating to the food industry. I'm very well versed in sharpening, but don't own any nice flats to put lapping paper on. Thanks, great video
Friendly reminder that you forgot to put where you live.
Timothy Bondarev, Oh yes i suppose I should have specified I am in Providence RI, Cranston Technically.
I want it. I live in Louisiana and I do Not destructive examination in the Exxon Mobil chemical plant. Also I have been free hand sharpening for 12 years now and am paying trying to get into doing it professionally.
Non*
What's your opinion on ceramic knives?
I really would like to have it.
I’m a IT security specialist with an extremely large sharpening interest :).
I’m from Stockholm, Sweden btw.
I’m in!! Love your strops
Kansas City! Respiratory Therapist
Would love that cardboard strop Rycky! I'm a highschool teacher of English in The Netherlands. Sharpening knives is something I can't yet do for a living but it's getting quite good.
I really appreciate these videos with the DIY comparison.