Stropping Block | Split Leather

Blue-grey leather strop from Tärnsjö Tannery, mounted on a beautiful oak base treated with paraffin oil and beeswax for both protection and luster. The strop block has the same dimensions as Shapton sharpening stones and fits perfectly into a whetstone holder. It therefore acts as an extra stone that you can quickly and easily use to remove the final burr and enjoy a razor-sharp result.

Dimensions: 21 x 7 cm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight: 210 grams

A generously sized leather strop that gives knives the final razor-sharp finish. The strop is of the highest possible leather quality (vegetable-tanned from Tärnsjö) and we highly recommend this strop as a complement to basic sharpening.

1. Place the strop in front of you on a non-slip surface, or place it in a whetstone holder.

2. Place the knife at the start of the strop and draw the blade forward. Note: You should draw the blade away from the edge, as opposed to a cutting motion! Then flip the blade and repeat the motion. Do this a handful of times, until the edge feels really sharp.

Remember to use the same angle as the knife's primary edge is sharpened with. If you are unsure about the angle, a rule of thumb is that Japanese knives have an angle of approximately 15 degrees. Also try to achieve as smooth a stroke as possible.

If you really want to delve deep into your stropping, you can apply diamond paste to the strop. This gives a greater abrasive effect and gives the edge an almost unreal bite.