In the past, stones were used to sharpen knives. Nowadays…
…stropping compounds are more commonly used.
Based on our testing and research, we selected the products.
We then collected opinions of consumers of the recommended…
…products in order to provide the best information.
Our Top Picks 2021
| Image | Title | Price | Prime | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | SHARPAL 208H 4 OZ Polishing Compound Fine Green Buffing Compound Leather Strop Sharpening Stropping Compounds (2-Pack, Total 4 Oz.) | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | Leather Honing Strop 3 Inch by 8 Inch with 2 oz Green White Polishing Compound 2-Side Vegetable Tanned Leather Knife Stropping for Woodcarving Chisels Razor Chef's knife Polishing Sharpening | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | BeaverCraft LS6P1 Leather Paddle Honing Strop Kit with Sharpening Polishing Compound 14" x 2" Knife Stropping Paddle Block for Honing Woodworking | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | BeaverCraft P02 Polishing Compound Fine Green Buffing Compound 1.6 OZ Leather Strop Sharpening Polishing Compounds | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | Woodstock D2902 1 lb Extra Fine Buffing Compound, Green | PrimeEligible | Buy Now | |
 | Knife Sharpening Stone Set, Finew Premium 4 Side Grit 400/1000 3000/8000 Water Stones, Non-slip Bamboo Base, Flatting Stone, Angle Guide, Leather Strop, Polishing Compound and Honing Guide | PrimeEligible | Buy Now |
But before that, let’s hear from Alex experience!
A few words from Alex…
I love to collect knives, all types. From kitchen knives or pocket knives…
…and day by day, my knives are getting dull. So, I decided to buy a new one.
When I researched how to care knives well, I found a stropping method!
That’s really helping. Why I bought the new one while stropping compounds…
...can fix.
I have several stropping compounds of different types. My favorite…
…is double-sided stropping compounds! Although it is a little bit pricey…
…I assure you, you will love it!
Striking on leather alone is doable, but polishing agents produce…
…a far more effective result. When you strop, you’re actually polishing…
…the metal. Polishing substances can be used to achieve this.
It’s essentially sandpapering but with such a fine grain size that…
…any defects are removed. It will shine like a mirror if you do it long enough.
If I get 8 hours to cut a tree I’ll spend 7 hours to sharp my knife.”
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, 16TH U.S PRESIDENT
Sounds impressive?
Most Common Use: Double Sided Stropping Leather Polishing Compound
SHARPAL 204N Leather Strop: Best Vegetable-Tanned Skin Stropping Compounds
- ✅NATURAL LEATHER: This leather is genuine cowhide. We use vegetable tanned and fine ground process for smooth and flat leather surface.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Do you know what makes it special then we decide to…
…put this on the first pick? Okay, I will explain it.
The stop leather was perfectly prepared, and the…
…stropping compound is exactly what I expected.
Because the leather had been properly prepared…
…it held the compound perfectly. I’ve used other…
…strips where the leather didn’t keep the compound…
…in place well. I sharpened my Swiss army knife and…
…shaved the hair from the back of my hand.
Key features:
- A cost-effective solution
- Users of woodcarvers and razors may find it useful
- Double-sided leather for optimal use
- Suitable for everyday use
Still not sure yet?
Leather Honing Strop 3 Inch by 8 Inch with 2oz
Lavoda Leather Honing Strop 3 Inch by 8 Inch with 2 oz Green White Polishing Compound: Best For Beginners
- DOUBLE-SIDED LEATHER STROP: One side of the leather strop is smooth, the other side is suede. Usually is to use suede in conjunction with compounds and smooth for plain stropping, this is by no means universal. We have found the decision to be a combination of personal choice and type of edge being sharpened. Finally, it will help you to make extremely sharp and true mirror polish blade edges.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Crafted with a 3″x8″ full-length belt then compressed gently…
…in the final step to form the perfect surface for honing…
…and stropping blades, edges, or other implements…
…without excessive abrasion so that they stay sharp…
…well longer than regular strops.
I’ve been using an old leather belt without any compound…
…for years, and while my blades were always sharp, they were…
…never shaving sharp. However, since using this leather and…
…compound combination, I’ve been able to quickly restore those…
…same blades to razor-sharp status. I like using this leather to strop…
…my blades after I use them, and I’ve discovered that stropping is a…
…nice relaxing way to pass the time.
Here’s a hint:
To apply the compound to the leather, place it in the microwave for a…
…few seconds to warm it but not make it hot. The compound was then…
…easily spread onto the leather!
Key features:
- An affordable price
- Provides amateurs with descriptive instructions
- It can be used for a long time
- A versatile tool
Leather Paddle Honing Strop Kit
BeaverCraft LS6P1 Leather Paddle Honing Stropping Compounds Kit: Best Wood Handle
- Leather Strop Double-Sided: for beginners and professionals that like honing to keep woodcarving tools razor sharp. Use both sides of the strop to maintain a needed cutting edge.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
It’s simple to apply the polishing compound to the leather.
Stropping 20-30 times with the Green compound on each…
…side did the trick. My Wusthof-Trident knives are now razor…
…sharp, easily cutting a piece of paper.
This kit comes complete with everything you need to get started…
…on sharpening all of your tools like a pro right out of the box!
Alongside the stropping compounds are two leather strops made…
…from quality smooth-polished leather for maximum effectiveness…
…when finely reviving away that dull surface and polish towards the…
…perfect edge.
Key features:
- An ergonomic design with a long handle
- Two-sided strop for quick polishing
- Comfortable and easy to use
- Leather of the highest quality
- Excellent customer service
Next!
Fine Green Buffing Compound
BeaverCraft P02 Stropping Compounds Fine Green Buffing Compound: Most Affordable
- Polishing Compound: we made sure to provide our customers with premium quality polishing compound. Tight quality control + good material = pleasure to use. Get your tools nice and smooth!
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
BeaverCraft P02 Polishing Compound Fine Green Buffing Compound…
…is the best sheet polishing compound on the market.
It offers a cushiony feel that doesn’t rub off and makes…
…any surface looks great. Get your tools nice, soft, smooth…
…and polished with this quality product!
This green chrome oxide is far superior to the crayon included…
…in the BeaverCraft leather strop kit. This one is much bigger…
…less crumbly, and applies much more easily and smoothly.
I haven’t compared it to more expensive polishes, but when…
…combined with the BeaverCraft leather strop kit, it allows me…
…to effectively strop my folding pocket knives to razor sharpness.
Key features:
- Using a premium stropping compounds
- It is the right size and weighs very little
- Affordable and easy to use
Another option…
Woodstock D2902 1 lb Extra Fine Green Stropping Compounds: The Strongest Bar
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
You’ve just met your new best friend- a big block of…
…extra fine polish. This is used to finish chisels, plane…
…blades, and other tools on a homemade leather strop.
It’s great for getting that terrifyingly sharp edge needed…
…for easy cross-grain paring or getting those really thin…
…curls from your hand planes. It’s also a nice way to finish…
…a knife-edge!
Key features:
- The bar is as hard as a crayon
- Huge bar
- It works great either way
- Very fine abrasive
Next!
SHARPAL 208H 4 OZ Stropping Compounds Fine Green Buffing Compound: Most Effective Stropping Compounds
- Strict quality control: We strive to provide each customer with the best polishing compound. We use the most advanced production technology and strict quality control.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
I’ve tried a lot of rouges and polishes, and this is one of…
…my favorites. I primarily work in silver. While I like Mother’s…
…Mag and red rouge, this compound makes my jewelry shiny…
…as Mother’s Mag but without the mess. I wholeheartedly recommend it!
Either way…
Premium Leather Strop with Polishing Compound
Knife Sharpening Stone Set, Finew Premium 4 Side Grit: Most Complete Stropping Compounds Kit
- The 4 kind grit is accurate, choose the appropriate grit stone according to your knife blade.
Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on [relevant Amazon Site(s), as applicable] at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
The one-stop to keep your knives sharp and ready for use with this…
…Knife Sharpening Stone Set. With four grits of whetstones in the set…
…you’ll be able to find the right stone for your blade’s needs…
…whether it’s a finer or coarser surface needed. The stones are non-hardened…
…so there is no need for oil during sharpening as water is enough.
The stones were fantastic. This set was purchased to sharpen hand plane blades…
…and chisels. The included chisel/plane blade honing guide was of poor quality and…
…required some file work to ensure the blades fit squarely. Overall, I’m very happy…
…with this sharpening set.
Key features:
- These stones are great
- Nicely packaged
- Easy to use knife sharpening stones
Stropping Compound Colors
The colors of the compounds you’ll use on your strop denote their “grit” (or “mesh”)…
…which influences how much metal they remove with each stroke.
- Black: a coarse grit for starting with a dull blade and bringing it up to what most people would consider “sharp enough.” Many people consider black to be the only stropping phase for field knives.
- Green: a fine grit for finishing or touching up an already sharp blade for a hair-popping edge. Green is all you’ll ever need unless you damage the edge if you use it often and never let your knife become less than razor sharp.
- White: an extremely thin grit for polishing the edge of a straight razor or knife when extreme sharpness is desired.
Grit compounds with a coarser grit are more aggressive and remove more metal….
As a result, they work faster but generate less sharply polished edges….
Finer grit compounds remove less metal and take longer to work…
…but they produce the best results. If you’re using a hard-use survival knife…
…and aren’t taking care to keep the blade sharp by stropping it regularly…
…as you use it, you’ll probably do 90% of the stropping using the black compound.
One compound color corresponds to one strop surface. If you paint a strip…
…of leather black, you won’t be able to paint it white later.
If you only have one strop, you’ll use it exclusively for black. Going from black…
…to green to white is overkill for a survival knife, but if you master decent…
…stropping technique, you’ll find yourself doing it just to see how far you can go.
And, finally…
To Sum Up
A strop’s purpose is to polish the edge and remove…
…any burrs left by sharpening stones. Leather is the most…
…common material for strops, while other materials are also used.
Conclusion
The strop can be used plain or untreated, which will…
…sharpen an already sharp edge by removing the last traces…
…of a wire edge that you would not even notice.
Different grain sizes are common in compounds and pastes…
…although this isn’t usually determined by color. Black…
…for example, might be coarse or fine depending on…
…the manufacturer. As a result, always read…
…the product description thoroughly and look at user reviews.
Our latest articles
- Counselor Quote Mugs: Inspire and Celebrate the Heart of GuidanceAuto Draft
- Chicken and Sausage Gumbo for 50: A Delicious Gathering Meal
- Chicken and Sausage Gumbo for 100: A Hearty Feast
💻 Putting Compound On Leather Strop | Honing Compound For Leather | Stropping Compound Grit
Was this helpful?
Hi there! I’m a food enthusiast and journalist, and I have a real passion for food that goes beyond the kitchen. I love my dream job and I’m lucky enough to be able to share my knowledge with readers of several large media outlets. My specialty is writing engaging food-related content, and I take pride in being able to connect with my audience. I’m known for my creativity in the kitchen, and I’m confident that I can be the perfect guide for anyone looking to take their culinary journey to the next level.
