Leather Honing Strop for Knife Sharpening with Polishing Compound 3 Inch by 8 Inch Double Sided Stropping Leather Knife Strop and Stropping Compound for Woodcarving Knife Polishing Sharpening

When I first began the process of learning how to sharpen my own knives, I wondered, "should I get a leather strop? Do they really help?" If you're wondering about those same questions, the answers are "yes" and "yes, quite a bit." Stropping is the best way to finish the sharpening process, and will give you a sharper, more consistent edge than any other medium. If fact, I'd suggest buying at least two or three strops so that each of the types of stropping compound you're using has a dedicated, pre-loaded strop--it's not worth the trouble of trying to clean a strop so as to use it for different colors colors/grits.But that shouldn't be too much of a financial burden because strops are inexpensive, and that's why I bought this one: is was the best price for the approximate size on Amazon. And it works great. There's no reason to spend more, unless you want a larger piece of leather, or want one that comes already mounted on a board. But the size of this one is plenty big for knives, and it's just the right size to mount on a 2x4, so save yourself the money and just mount it yourself on a piece of scrap wood. As for the compounds, the sticks arent large, but it takes so little to load up a strop that I won't need to buy more for years. Overall, an excellent strop for an excellent price.

works great

This meets expectations

I BOUGHT 2=3X12 & 2=3X8, I HAVE A LARGE COLLECTION OF FIXES & FOLDING KNIVES. BLADE SIZESFROM 14 " TO 1", & I ALSO LIKE TO WOOD CARVE. I SHAPPEN MY KNIVES ON JAPANESE CERAMIC STONES & OR USE TSPROF SYSTEM! THE LEATHER IS THICK, NO SCARS OR DEFECTS. THEY WERE FLAT NO CURLS, SO I OPENED IT UP PUT SOME GO-GO JUICE ON THE LEATHER & STROPPED MY ESSE 5 TO HAIR SHARP!!! FOR THE $$$ I WOULD BY AGAIN. I DID NOT USE THE COMPOUND THAT CAME WITH IT,IT SEEMED OK, WAS NOT DRIED OUT OR CHALKY. I USED MY OWN COMPOUND.....!!HAVE FUN.....!!! STAY SHARP.....!!!

The instructions that come in the package are inspired. The author is patient, unassuming, and wise. The instructions gently led me down the path towards using the suede side of the strap with the green compound for my kitchen cutlery and carry knives.The results were amazing: my decade-old, 6-inch Wusthof chef's knife went from slicing about 5 inches into paper to slicing through all 12 inches of the paper, as if it were factory sharpened. Not just that -- Instead of veering left or right, it cut perfectly straight down through all 12 inches of paper.I am a beginner, with three years of sharpening on a diamond/stone under my belt. A month ago, I gouged my thumb while using a dull bread knife to dice a tough-skinned french bread loaf for croutons. In response, I bought a couple of new knives and started using angle guides religiously to respect the blade angles when sharpening. The results were good -- all my old knives were sharp. But not factory sharp / shaving sharp like the new knives. With this strop, I'm pretty darned close.I followed the instructions to a tee: if the knife is dull, then sharpen it with a coarse or medium sharpening stone. If the knife is already sharp, then hone it on a fine-grade stone. Then use the strop. Unless it's a barber's razor, use the suede side and the green compound. Keep the angle as low as you can, like 10 degrees or lower. Always strop towards the back of the blade, just like a barber in the movies.Only thing to add to the instructions: keep a small stack of printer paper, cut in half, near your knives. Never sharpen or hone a knife without first making five slices through a piece of paper, about 1/4" apart. This takes about 10 seconds for a pairing knife, maybe 20 seconds for a long chef's knife. Sharpen, five slices. Hone, then five more slices. Strop, then five more slices. If you're doing it right, then the knife will cut deeper and deeper into the paper at each stage.If your angle is wrong during sharpening, you'll make the knife even more dull than it was when you began! It takes time to build up the muscle memory required to keep the correct angle constant through each pull across the sharpening surface. A beginner will never get better without objective evidence of effectiveness.Here are links to my tri-hone sharpening system and the angle guides that I find really helpful:Smith's 50008 8-Inch Diamond Tri-Hone Bench Stonehttps://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001I6JGL4Wedgek Angle Guides (Blue, 1)https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N4QMO7U

It works to finish off a knife, but I'm not sure it is really essential.

I ordered two of the the large size leather rectangle, which states that it is 3 inches wide, 12 inches Long and 1/8 inch thick. The width and length are exact, and very precisely cut. But, at least with the pieces I received, the leather measures 5/16" thick, much thicker than the 1/8" (or 2/16"). This might be the thickest single-layer leather I have ever seen. To be fair, I am measuring the thickness with a measuring tape and not with a micrometer or calipers. I suspect the manufacturer receives variable leather thicknesses, so they undersell the thickness, guaranteeing a minimum thickness of 1/8".Also, the leather is extremely consistent and lays flat. I'll be gluing them to a board to make a two-sided strop.Another note - the "rough" side is still relatively smooth. It appears to have been cleaned up/trimmed to make it an even surface. This is GREAT and is exactly what I was hoping for. One side of my strop will use the smooth outer layer of the leather, while the other side will use the rougher inner layer.A nice surprise was that the leather came packed flat, so it had no curled edges at all. I haven't tested the polishing compound yet, but both bars (white=coarse, green=fine) came unbroken in a small plastic case.I am including some photos that illustrate the thickness and quality.

The strop is easy to use and seems of good quality (from my limited experience). Seems really short and small but did a good job on my knives.

Excelente producto logra un pulido a espejo y un filó óptimo para trabajar, afiló cuchillas y formones y mis acabados han mejorado notoriamente, muy recomendable y muy satisfecho con el producto.

Good quality thick leather, However it's too stiff upon arrival and it's almost stiff as a cardboard and has no give to it, definitely cannot be rolled up as shown in picture. You need to massage the leather by fold it back and forth to open up the grain and make it softer. Then it's a good strop.

Does what it says

gust when I order a set off stones before one had a crack in it can you send free one

It was as described and delivered on time