What is a strap? How the strap helps you find the joy of sharp knives!

Why and how you should use a strap when sharpening knives

At Storbua, we know that nothing is more satisfying than the feeling of a sharp knife cutting effortlessly through room-temperature ice. Whether you're a knifemaker, woodcarver, professional chef, or just a cook out of necessity, a sharp knife is essential. But did you know that sharpening a knife isn't enough? And even if you get a sharper knife with a whetstone, you're sabotaging your results without even knowing it. A strap can be your best friend when it comes to achieving a new level of sharpness, and keeping your knives sharper longer between sharpenings.

Here we'll explain what a strap is , why you should use a strap when sharpening your knife, and how to do it right. You'll be a strap expert in no time, and your knives will thank you!

What is a strap?

A strap is, in all its simplicity, a piece of leather that is used to fine-tune the cutting edge of a knife, by dragging the knife's edge along the leather in the opposite direction of the cut.

Why use a knife strap?

When you have sharpened your knife, it is usually quite sharp, but there are often small remnants of sharpened steel and microscopic irregularities left on the edge. These small remnants are called raw edge, and occur when you sharpen away steel, and some of it is left on the edge. This needs to be removed and this is where the strap comes into play.

The strap removes the steel residue (the rough edge) and smooths out the outer part of the small irregularities, so that you get a completely clean and razor-sharp cutting edge. Strapping is in practice a few strokes of the knife's edge over the leather on one side and then the other, so that the leather can grip the rough edge and remove it or polish it away. Note that these strokes usually happen alternately, i.e. every other time on each side of the blade, and against the cutting direction so that the knife does not cut into the leather. The strap or leather is what tears away the rough edge and reveals the sharp edge underneath, and any abrasive you have loaded the leather with does the polishing job. If the strap is loaded with grinding paste or diamond spray, the strapping will be even more effective, removing the rough edge faster and polishing the edge further.

In short: Strapping is essential for getting a really sharp knife and ensures that you get the most out of the sharpening and also gives your knives an extra long life before they need to be sharpened again.

Isn't it enough to sharpen a knife? Why a strap as well?

We know what you're thinking: "I have a whetstone, why do I need a strap?" Well, let us give you some good reasons:

• Provides true sharpness by removing burrs: Burrs are your enemy when it comes to achieving maximum sharpness and lasting sharpness. They must be removed. As you sharpen with increasingly finer whetstones, the burrs become smaller, but they are still there. Only the strap can completely remove them.
• Extends time between sharpenings : Sharpening stones are great, but if you don't remove the rough edge before use, it can block the edge from doing its job, and also tear away parts of the edge, making it take less time for the knife to become dull. Removing the rough edge exposes the strong apex underneath, the actual knife edge.
• Smoothes the edge : After sharpening, there will always be grinding marks on the cutting edge. Stripping removes or smooths them out, leaving a super smooth, sharp edge.
• Increases knife life: Every time you sharpen, you remove a small part of your knife. By using a strap regularly, you can maintain your knife's sharpness without having to sharpen it as often.
• Perfect for knife makers and chefs alike : Whether you're making your own knives or using them to create amazing meals, a sharp knife is essential. A strap helps keep your knives in tip-top condition with minimal maintenance. Check out our selection of knife blades for your next knife projects.

How to use a strap

Now that you're fully convinced of the benefits of using a strap, let's go over how to use it. Not convinced yet? Send us a message and we'll give you more information!

1. Prepare your knife : Make sure your knife is freshly sharpened or already sharp before you begin. Strapping works best on knives that are freshly sharpened. Feel free to grind up to as fine a grit as you have, or as high as you can handle. You can stop at 400 grit, or even less than that. You don't need to go all the way to 12,000 as some people suggest.
2. Find the right angle : Hold the knife at about a 10-15 degree angle to the strap. This varies slightly depending on the type of knife, but use the exact same angle you used when sharpening the knife. This will allow the leather to do its job best without damaging the edge.
3. Don't press too hard!: As you pull the knife along the leather, you will feel the urge to press down a little. This is not necessary. Just use just enough pressure to make sure the leather is in contact with the entire lower part of the blade and that the angle is correct. Using too much pressure increases the likelihood of an accident and dulls the knife. Focus on the angle, not the pressure.
4. Pull the knife from one end to the other : Start with the heel of the knife (the part closest to the handle) and gently pull the knife towards you along the entire strap, from heel to tip. Make sure to get a smooth, firm stroke across the entire edge from heel to tip, focusing on maintaining the same angle as when sharpening.
5. Preferably, switch sides for each stroke: After a stroke on one side, switch to the other side of the knife and repeat the process. Then switch back to the first side. Repeat 10 times on each side before testing the result. The idea is to bend the raw edge back and forth until it falls off, giving both sides of the edge equal love (and polishing).
6. Don't press too hard! : I'll stress that again! You don't need to use a lot of force – as I said, it's more important to be careful. Stropping is about the final finish on the edge, which is very thin and sharp at this point. If you use the wrong angle or press too hard, the spin will be lost and you may have to go back to the finest whetstone to get it as sharp as possible.

Common mistakes to avoid

Using a strap is easy, but there are a few mistakes that many people make. Here's what to watch out for:

• Wrong angle : Too steep an angle can cause you to damage the edge instead of improving it.
• Too much pressure : It's not a coarse grindstone, so don't press too hard! Stropping is all about light, definite strokes.
• Using a strap without polishing paste : Well, it's not really a mistake, but it makes strapping much more effective if you use a polishing paste or a diamond spray on your strap.

How often should you strap your knives?

Always after sharpening. Every time the knife has touched a whetstone. And you should also strap your knife before or after use if you use it hard, but for chef knives you can get away with strapping them once or twice a week, depending on how much you cut and what you cut. But it's important to note that this only applies if your strap has polishing paste or diamond spray on it, because the knife doesn't have a raw edge that needs to be removed after use like after sharpening, but you want to polish the edge back up and keep it super sharp. This is called maintenance between sharpenings, and is one of the secrets to keeping your knife super sharp until it needs to be sharpened again.

Our recommendations for straps and accessories

At Storbua, we love good tools, and that includes straps and other knife sharpening equipment! Check out our selection of sharpening and polishing equipment for the best in straps, whetstones, and other accessories to keep your knives sharp.

If you need to sharpen your knives before stropping, we recommend our super popular SwiftEdge knife sharpening system with diamond whetstones . This system gives you a precise angle and ensures that sharpening is easy and efficient, with the Pro set you also get a strap that follows the same angle as the whetstones, so you don't have to worry about keeping the right angle!

---

Strapping is an essential step for anyone who takes knife care seriously. Whether you make your own knives or just want your chef's knives to stay in tip-top shape, a strap will help you experience the joy of sharp knives, extend the life of your tools, and give you sharper results every time.

So what are you waiting for? Check out our straps and sharpening accessories at Storbua.no , and start giving your knives the treatment they deserve!