How to Use a Diamond Leather Strop: Remove the Burr and Unlock Final Sharpness

24. Dezember 2025

You’ve sharpened on stones and you’ve raised a burr—great. The last step is where many beginners lose performance: deburring and final refinement. If a tiny wire edge is still hanging on, the knife can feel sharp for a moment and then “go dull” quickly.

This guide shows how to use the Cheefarcuut Diamond Leather Strop to remove the remaining burr/wire edge and bring the apex to its cleanest, most stable sharpness.

Video Tutorial

Follow along with the video, then use the step-by-step checklist below.

Full link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er-sAz4mnBM

What the Strop Does (and What It Doesn’t)

Purpose: Use the diamond leather strop after sharpening stones to refine the edge and remove any remaining burr or wire edge.
How it works: The leather supports the apex while the diamond abrasive lightly refines and cleans up weakened metal at the very edge. It can also help straighten extremely small rolls—but technique matters.
What it’s not: Stropping can’t fix a truly un-apexed edge. If you never reached the apex on stones, stropping won’t magically create it.

Setup (Stable Surface = Better Results)

Place the strop on a flat, stable surface so it won’t slide.
Make sure the strop surface is clean and free of grit or metal chips that could scratch the edge.

Tip: If your strop is double-sided (for example, two different surfaces), start with the “more abrasive” side first, then finish on the smoother side—always using the same technique described below.

Angle: Use the Same (or Slightly Lower) Than Your Last Stone

Start with the same angle you used on your last sharpening stone. If needed, you can go slightly lower (typically by about 1–2°) to keep the apex riding the strop without digging in.

Too high + pressure = risk of cutting the leather or rounding the edge.
Too low = you may miss the apex and polish behind the edge instead of refining it.

Practical rule: Keep the spine at a consistent height and focus on repeatability. Consistency matters more than chasing a perfect number.

Edge-Trailing Strokes Only (Spine Leads, Edge Follows)

Always strop with edge-trailing strokes:

The spine leads and the edge trails.
This prevents the edge from cutting into the leather and helps remove the burr more predictably.

The motion

Set the knife at your chosen angle.
Pull in one smooth stroke from heel to tip.
Keep full contact along the edge as you travel.

Important: Don’t lift your hand at the end of the stroke (a common beginner mistake). Lifting can change the angle and round the apex.

Pressure and Stroke Count: Less Is More

Use very light pressure. The edge should glide on the surface—not dig in. Let the diamonds and leather do the work.

Use an even number of strokes per side.
A good starting point is 5–10 strokes per side, alternating sides every stroke (or every 2 strokes) to keep the apex centered.

Tip: If you’re coming off a coarse stone or you suspect a stubborn wire edge, you may need a few more very-light alternating strokes—but avoid “endless stropping.” More strokes is not always better.

How to Know the Burr Is Gone

1) Gentle burr check (safe method)

With the knife stationary and safe, use a very gentle fingertip check from spine toward edge (never sliding along the edge). If a burr remains, you’ll feel a tiny catch on one side.

2) Cutting tests (more reliable)

Paper test: a refined, deburred edge slices cleanly without snagging.
Food test: tomatoes or onions reveal burr/wire edge quickly. If it bites and glides smoothly, the burr is likely gone.

Stop stropping once the burr is no longer detectable and cutting feels clean and effortless.

Common Beginner Mistakes (and Fixes)

“My knife feels sharp, but it loses sharpness fast.”

Likely a leftover wire edge. Use lighter pressure and alternate sides more strictly.
Reduce stroke count and focus on consistency.

“The strop got cut or the edge feels worse.”

Your angle is too high or pressure is too heavy. Lower the angle slightly and lighten up.
Confirm you are using edge-trailing only.

“I’m polishing, but not getting sharper.”

You may be too low on angle and missing the apex. Return to the same angle as your last stone.
Also confirm you fully apexed on stones before stropping.

Final Takeaway

The diamond leather strop is your “finishing tool.” After stones, it helps remove the last traces of burr/wire edge and refines the apex so the knife cuts cleaner and stays sharp longer. Keep it simple: