First stroke
To start, keep the tang between index finger and thumb, and keep
them stretched. Place the blade flat on the strop. Strop 5-10 times
on the canvas or hemp, 10-20 times on the leather after that. Pull
edge-trailing diagonaly over the firmly stretched strop, as is
shown on the right and in the scheme earlier. Take care that the
complete edge has touched the strop in the course of the stroke. Do
not press that hard that the edge bends away from the surface.