- Joined
- May 21, 2011
- Messages
- 3,132
Hi guys,
So, for the last few years I've been sharpening my knives when they got somewhat dull. I kept reading about strops though, that they're good for maintaining a gently used edge and that they quickly give a blade that extra spice back, that extra bit of sharpness. No need for sharpening when you've lost that hair popping sharpness, just strop it... That's what I read everywhere.
So in short, I need a strop. I've seen them on the bay, other webshops but also in some brick-and-mortar shops. I do find them to be on the expensive side over here, and when I order it on the web it always involves shipping, extra costs, yadda yadda. Hence, I decided to make my own.
I'm not sure on where this thread is going to go, but anyways, here's an first post, we'll see how it goes.
I went to my local thrift shop looking for some used leather, and I found a broad -and quite nice- leather belt. I've got belts enough on my own, so this one had to go. A sacrifice to the strop gods.
Here's the belt, my 16 and the chosen block of scrap wood that I had found in the shack in my backyard.
Love that blade
First things first, let's unbuckle this thing (lol). The 16 push cut straight through this thick and broad belt without the slightest hesitance.
Nice heavy duty buckle though... I was kinda sad to cut it off.
After cutting off the other side where the holes are punctured through the leather, I was left with a piece of about 74cm, about 2.42 feet.
I cut that into three pieces of approximately the same size, again with the 16.
I roughed up the pieces of leather and the wood as well. Maybe this makes them bond better after glueing, I don't know. Atleast it made sense in my head.
I glued on the first piece, clamped it tight and let it rest for a few minutes...
...and then I attached the leather piece on the opposite side. Now I'll let it rest for a few hours, trim the edges and glue on the third part.
But uhm, guys, remember that buckle? I was looking at it, fondling with it. Guess what fit in the leather belt loop, and was attached rather firmly with paracord?
That's right, my Azwelke sheath for my BK14.
A rudimentary dangler design... It works on my belt though, but it's not a really good fit. I was thinking it might be possible to let someone weld the pin to the buckle? I know nothing about welding so it might not work anyhow... Anyway, I thought it definitely looked home-crafted, but still pretty cool to come up with anyway. I'm probably going to take the buckle off, and I hope to find another use for it in the future.
So, that's where we are now. I'll keep this thread alive until I've put on the third piece and until I have any results of the stropping. If I've got time, I'd like to reshape the other end of the strop in a more comfortable handle as well, but that would be something for the long term. Right now I just need something that works.
Any information on stropping compounds is definitely welcome, by the way. I do have some polishing liquid that I have to put on a piece of cloth to polish up blades. Would this work on one of the straps I've got on my strop? Or do I have to buy some of those green/white/red sticks to rub on to them?
Thanks guys,
Jerry
So, for the last few years I've been sharpening my knives when they got somewhat dull. I kept reading about strops though, that they're good for maintaining a gently used edge and that they quickly give a blade that extra spice back, that extra bit of sharpness. No need for sharpening when you've lost that hair popping sharpness, just strop it... That's what I read everywhere.
So in short, I need a strop. I've seen them on the bay, other webshops but also in some brick-and-mortar shops. I do find them to be on the expensive side over here, and when I order it on the web it always involves shipping, extra costs, yadda yadda. Hence, I decided to make my own.
I'm not sure on where this thread is going to go, but anyways, here's an first post, we'll see how it goes.
I went to my local thrift shop looking for some used leather, and I found a broad -and quite nice- leather belt. I've got belts enough on my own, so this one had to go. A sacrifice to the strop gods.
Here's the belt, my 16 and the chosen block of scrap wood that I had found in the shack in my backyard.
Love that blade
First things first, let's unbuckle this thing (lol). The 16 push cut straight through this thick and broad belt without the slightest hesitance.
Nice heavy duty buckle though... I was kinda sad to cut it off.
After cutting off the other side where the holes are punctured through the leather, I was left with a piece of about 74cm, about 2.42 feet.
I cut that into three pieces of approximately the same size, again with the 16.
I roughed up the pieces of leather and the wood as well. Maybe this makes them bond better after glueing, I don't know. Atleast it made sense in my head.
I glued on the first piece, clamped it tight and let it rest for a few minutes...
...and then I attached the leather piece on the opposite side. Now I'll let it rest for a few hours, trim the edges and glue on the third part.
But uhm, guys, remember that buckle? I was looking at it, fondling with it. Guess what fit in the leather belt loop, and was attached rather firmly with paracord?
That's right, my Azwelke sheath for my BK14.
A rudimentary dangler design... It works on my belt though, but it's not a really good fit. I was thinking it might be possible to let someone weld the pin to the buckle? I know nothing about welding so it might not work anyhow... Anyway, I thought it definitely looked home-crafted, but still pretty cool to come up with anyway. I'm probably going to take the buckle off, and I hope to find another use for it in the future.
So, that's where we are now. I'll keep this thread alive until I've put on the third piece and until I have any results of the stropping. If I've got time, I'd like to reshape the other end of the strop in a more comfortable handle as well, but that would be something for the long term. Right now I just need something that works.
Any information on stropping compounds is definitely welcome, by the way. I do have some polishing liquid that I have to put on a piece of cloth to polish up blades. Would this work on one of the straps I've got on my strop? Or do I have to buy some of those green/white/red sticks to rub on to them?
Thanks guys,
Jerry
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