Sharpening and Stropping 

Thanks Gav great video and very informative I already have a couple of stops but I like that four sided strop so I will be ordering one of those soon. We all come from somewhere and that's what makes America great I'm just glad you are here and even happier that we met on youtube. Happy holidays and will talk to you soon.

Dude, you are a true artisan... Love your work, and you are inspiring me to try this myself..

Thank you. This is the best info I've seen so far on maintaining an edge. I do have a sharpmaker but I don't want to use it on everything. Learning that I can turn most of my edc' to convex w sand paper is a plus.

Very interesting. I havent seen this technique before. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoy your vids btw....

Robert is a great guy to deal with and his product is top notch! highly recommended. Thanks for the vid

Clear and to the point! Awesome! Love the fact that you don't do the "it's an art" face but just get down to business without pretensions!

This video is a keeper! thanks for making it for us newbies.

Very helpful, thanks.. And I like the handle on that one

Very useful. Very great stuff. Thank you so much!

I can recommend Stropman too. Very easy to deal with and i had it in Australia very fast. Good product.

Awesome video, brother! I have heard of people using sand paper to sharpen knives, but I didn't know you could get them THAT sharp with them! This makes me wonder.. Why do people buy stones? The sand paper seems to work just as well, and it's cheaper.

Very cool video my friend I'm gonna buy a strop soon.

Nice video man! And that knife was really sweet, loved the handlescales!

@gavkoo Yeah, I guess you're right :) And I imagine you could wrap the paper around a pole or something round, and sharpen re-curved blades easier.

Use a diamond rod for sharpening, and strop with the edge or corner of the strop. Then you can get all those nooks and crannies. I recommend the Red-Head diamond rod. It's nice, and it's portable.

Nice video! I'm a huge fan.

Awesome thanks so much for the vid. I've been overwhelmed with all the sharpening info out there. My only question is if I have or buy a knife that is not a convex edge will this method still work? Thanks

Love the 4 stroke got it for Christmas

I second this. I have these grits, though do not know where to buy more of it when I run out.

@1337Leva Home country is different for everyone. Just because someone is born somewhere, doesn't necessarily mean that to them, it is their home. The classic cliché phrase 'Home is where the heart is' is actually quite a good phrase. Certainly holds sway for many. Seems your home is where you were born though! I very much appreciate that. I think England will always be my 'home'.

mr.gavko, as always vary enjoyable video,love your accent to along with your knifes,you seem to be always hands on with all your stuff,please keep up the grate vids,and take care.

i like putting my custom edge with my waterstone, and strop to maintain, love the waterstone, takes a while as i dont have a full kit yet, but its very relaxing and give amazing results, im selling my sharpmaker to a friend as im getting the spyderco profile set instead

Sweet, thanks for sharing man.

@gavkoo Thank you sir, i have a small chip on my Persistence, i will attempt my first convex!

I just convexed my first two knives the first came out crazy sharp the second a kershaw leek got sharp but not as much as the first, great video thanks again I hope I dont cut myself lol. also stroped the knifes with my strop man strop Awesome

Hav u done a video on the compounds for stropping

What about the sandpaper and mouse pad for sharpening v edges? Also I just checked out your website your knives are absolutely incredible, by far some of the sweetest knives Ive ever seen. Thanks for the info my strop man strop is on its way

Great vid just wondering if you have to use a compund on the strop is there any substitutes?

huh, i kinda found out this technique on my own and have been i've messing around with wet sanding paper on my own mousepad for a little while now, ive been trying different things on my spyderco tenacious because its kinda my beater knife

Very nice! I definitely enjoy the strop I got from you, man :)

Excellent.

thanks gav! i'll use denim sounds more durable! you had me a little annoyed with the joke i thought you were serious! love the vids and thanks again!

FIRST! Thanks brother for making this video. Very helpful!

Heyy there nice vidoe umm i was just wondering on what grit sand paper would be best to get a factory edge to a convex

Sorry for all of the ignorant questions I have just one more what is the best way to reprofile to a convex edge? AGAIN THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PATIENCE

@Xjr5rjX Most auto shops will have it because its typically used for paint jobs. Thats where i picked my 1500 and 2000 up

if i have a small small chip/roll in my blade, should i just go straight to 600 to take it out? then proceed to the leather?

Huh never seen strops like that before. I just strop using a leather belt.

A fraction? For what those things go for, you mean a fraction of a fraction of a fraction (unless you buy yourself a really nice strop and premium polishing compounds, but you'd still be ahead).

Where do you buy sandpaper like this? I want to sharpen my knife.

i did the same thing on the sand paper but when i finished it didnt cut printing paper can you give me a tip ?

gav you need to start a small company in making knives and sheaths !

Question: I have a spyderco with factory edged and has never been sharpened. And it needs it. Can use your method of 'back and forth' on the sandpaper like you did for your custom knife?

Great vid. Is that regular sandpaper or Emory cloth? Thanks.

cheers for the video time to learn how to convex ur knife still super sharp lol

your strop looks like a road tire

Good video

will stropping work with serrated blades?

Do you have to use a compound on your strop.

pretty funny i just thought you really meant it for a sec, I love when people make jokes about me being vegetarian. but yeah thanks for the advice i've been collecting knives for a while and want to get them as crazy sharp as yours.

what grit was the third sand paper??

Great vid thank you... What compounds do you use?

Thanks for the video gavko. Anyone living in europe that can recomend a compound to use on the strop and where to buy? I m having trouble finding what I need in sweden and it seems like I m trowing money on stuff that isnt working.

what color stropping compound should i get?

Really cool vid bro. I do think that havng and using a knife done by someone is better that having super-extra perfect mass production knife. Its probably a great feeling when you cut something with knife that somebody put his time and soul into. I hope to buy someday a knife from one of the artist like You :) This is even more cool if you sharp a knife in this way, not on these sharp systems, really cool bro. I'm glad there are people like you, coz there are uniques knife by that.

Try using cigarette papers to check how sharp your blade is!! Thats is a big challenge and thank you very very much for the video.

hello there gav! so i have a basic two sided sharpening stone and I can just BARELY get them as sharp as your knives . and i'm vegetarian so i don't want to get leather stuff :/ and someone said newspaper was an ok strop. is this true? and also what COULD work as a strop that isn't leather?

I want to try Ken Shwartz Kangaroo leather on glass strop with the cbn emulsion , which is 160,000 grit. They say it's the best and softest leather and thin as any strop leather should be. But being that it's on glass makes it very flat.

nice video man, what grit was the last paper you used?? the one that was cut

154cm vs. s30v ?

Damn Gavkoo!! Your the F#cking knife King!! =-D I have some catching up to do here on RU-vid meaning so many knife videos to watch x-D Take care bro!

Thanks Gav, Great stuff as always ;-) What was the grit of the last paper before going on to the strop ?

Really? Why not go to a free range farm, where the animals were treated well during their life, and when they are... well, to put it gently to you, processed into meat, you can take the left-over leather, and go to some place that will clean it up and tan it or whatever. Then you can staple it on to a plank, and have a strop that did not mistreat animals. I will warn you though, it might be quite expensive. Newspaper is so-so when it comes to being a strop.

Gav why do you prefer wd-40 over water?

Got it

Check out the Block's sharpeners (Blocksharpener.net)

Epic