[masraum]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Yeah, just how long they stay sharp is what you pay for.

The draw through thing is for your wife and cheap blades.

I use wood chisels quite a bit along with wood planes. I've tried every method and I found that patience and the stropping will do an incredible job. The strop is so good that I'm reluctant to use the steel.

My experience with a steel is that if the blade metal is fairly soft and gets rolled over, you can improve the situation with a steel. Also, most steels that are ridged or textured, will give a blade fine serrations which then allows a dull blade to saw through food. I haven't used a steel in a long time. You don't need/want to use a steel right after you've sharpened a blade (unlike) stropping. And it's so easy and useful to strop...