Hutsuls Double Sided Leather Strop Paddle Kit - Get Razor-Sharp Edges, Ergonomic Handle, Quality Honing Leather, and Step-by-Step Guide

What can I say, I was looking to buy a more expensive strop at another site, and I am glad I didn't.This strop is a GREAT VALUE and it works perfectly for my needs, I usually give my knives one quick pass over a 1000 grit sharpening stone, run the blade softly over a used wine/whisky bottle cork cap to get rid of the burr created by the sharpening stone, and then run them over this paddle strop.This process gives my blades a nice polished finish (YMMV).The strop feels sturdy and the leather is glued perfectly to the wood, I really like the size, it accommodates most knives, from small folders and paring knives to large Japanese and Chef Knives.I find myself mostly using the smooth side without the polishing compound, I would say 60% of the time I use the smooth leather side without compound and 40% the obverse side (felt) with compound depending on the knife and type of steel.Make sure if you use the compound not to spread too much, or you will keep picking it up with your blades, a quick wipe (careful DO NOT CUT yourself) with a microfiber towel will fix that though. Also it helps if you leave the compound out in the sun a few minutes to soften it up a bit before applying the first time or re-applying it.I believe the compound included is .5 microns and is more than enough if you decide to use it, there are many more compounds out there if you decide the included compound is not fine enough for your needs, but I believe it is sufficient for most knives.Short version: BUY IT!, it is an excellent strop for most knives and a GREAT value for what you get for the price.

Well made, decent enough size for pocket knives to kitchen knives. Stropping takes you to the next level of sharpening and is so amazingly simple to do. If you enjoy sharpening and don't already have a strop, you won't go wrong with this one. It even comes with green compound.

Great price point not to over done good quality with an amazing price

1st let me say, I rarely leave reviews. They have become a weapon in the realm of online mistrust and lies. I received no compensation for this "review". But I did receive a wonderful handwritten letter from Andrew, the owner of the Hutsuls Co. ensuring me that if there was ANY issue with his product , that he would correct it immediately. Who writes letters anymore? Good on you Andrew!As for the strop itself, well, its really great. I was skeptical that a piece of leather could be so useful at sharpening metal blades, all kinds of metal blades, but low and behold, it was. The strop comes attached to a sturdy block of wood, making the delicate process of sharpening your blade a much easier process. It comes with a fine grit crayon that helps the blades achieve razor sharp status. I started with my semi-sharpened kitchen knives. I have a Japanese knife made in the style of traditional folded katanas and it was in serious need of some TLC, I was skeptical that a piece of leather would do the trick but after a bit of a learning curve- using a lesser quality knife- I was amazingly surprised at how sharp the blade was. It was scary! The strop won't necessarily make a chipoped or otehrwise damaged blade "like new" again, but if your blade is semi sharp the strop will elevate it to samurai status. This is not hyperbole, my kitchen knife is so sharp I'm partly afraid of it. There's a dozen or so strops available, I've even read you can use an old belt, but the strop from Hutsuls is a step above the rest. Its super easy to use, the wooden handle makes the process safer- no cuts on these hands. It's double sided, rough on one side and smooth on the other. The idea is to use the rough side for bringing the blade back to life and the smooth side makes it ready to shave with.You could but a strop from anyone, but knowing Andrew is there to provide support as well as a high quality product why go somewhere else? IF you but this item you just might get a really nice personalized response from the manufacturer. When was the last time ANY company did that for you?

The leather and compound were soft and compatible. The width of this size was correct for pocket knives. Very well made except the handle had an area that was filled in because the wood was misshapen during machining, or maybe a defect in the wood? I had to sand it for quite awhile to remove it! Of course the handle shape is uneven now.I may return it but am concerned the replacement leather may not be as good! Could be happier!I returned the first one (rated above) and the replacement workmanship is as it should be on the wood. The leather is the same very good quality as the first one. It works great after purchasing another green compound by Sharpal on Amazon.Outstanding really. So I changed my rating to 5 stars.