Razor strop

A razor strop or simply a strop (sometimes called a razor strap or strap) is a flexible strip of leather, canvas, denim fabric, balsa wood, or other soft material, used to straighten and polish the blade of a straight razor, a knife, or a woodworking tool such as a chisel.

In many cases stropping re-aligns parts of the blade edge that have been bent out of alignment.

In other cases, especially when abrasive polishing compound is used, stropping may remove a small amount of metal (functionally equivalent to lapping).

Kitchen knives may be straightened on a honing steel if less sharpness is acceptable.

Custom strops are made to hone irregularly-shaped tools, such as chisels or gouges, and nearly any piece of smooth leather or heavy fabric infused with abrasive compound may be used for stropping.