If you’ve ever obsessed over the sharpness of your Japanese kitchen knife (and let’s be honest, who hasn’t?), then stropping is something you need in your routine. It’s one of those small, almost meditative steps that makes a huge difference in keeping your blades in peak condition.
What is a knife strop?
A strop is usually a strip of leather often mounted on wood, used to realign and polish the very edge of your knife after sharpening.
Think of it as the final touch that takes a blade from sharp to scary sharp. You can use it plain or with a polishing compound to give it extra bite.
How does it work?
When you sharpen a knife on a whetstone, even if you finish on a fine grit, the edge can still have microscopic burrs and roughness, want to see a Japanese knife edge under a microscope and see what you're working with? Check out how sharp Japanese knives actually are!.
Stropping smooths those out and aligns the edge, kind of like combing down unruly hair.
You gently drag the knife backwards across the strop with the edge trailing, not cutting into the leather on both sides, keeping your angle consistent.
Why should I strop regularly?
For Japanese knives especially, which are made from harder steels and often have finer, more delicate edges, stropping helps maintain sharpness without needing to reach for a stone every time.
It removes tiny bits of oxidation and keeps the edge aligned, meaning your knife stays sharper, longer. It also slows down the rate of wear, so you sharpen less often, which is better for the life of the blade.
In short, stropping is an easy habit that takes just a minute or two but can make a huge difference. If you’re investing in good knives, stropping is how you protect that investment - and keep every slice feeling as good as the first.
What should I buy?
Depending on your knife size, we typically recommend a small strop if you just have short knives (around 150mm or shorter) or if you'd like a bit more surface area for larger knives then the large leather strop is ideal.
Long term Japanese knife care tips
Don't forget to also check our care tips for looking after and sharpening your knives and also how to look after carbon steel too!
