- Joined
- Mar 9, 2010
- Messages
- 117
like the type you make strops with.
-
The BladeForums.com 2024 Traditional Knife is available! Price is $250 ea (shipped within CONUS).
Order here: https://www.bladeforums.com/help/2024-traditional/
Can you get plain leather at wal mart?
- Thread starter iambored388
- Start date
I just bought a bag of leather scraps from Hobby Lobby for $5.99. You can also go to Woodcraft or Tandys Leather if you have them near you.
I just made 3 strops and only came out of pocket $13 (leather, 1X4, glue, and buffing compound). I honestly wasn't expecting too much from a big bag of scrap leather form Hobby Lobby (Tandys would be a different story). It was thicker and stiffer than I thought.
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2009
- Messages
- 13,540
I've looked for leather pieces at my local Walmart (repeatedly), in the craft/sewing section. Never seen it yet, at least in sizes large enough for making strops. I think the only leather I saw was the lace type (as in shoe laces).
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2009
- Messages
- 13,540
If the leather from Hobby Lobby was thicker/stiffer, that's actually a good thing for strops as far as I'm concerned. I'd looked at their web site at some of their leather, and assumed it was probably too thin (considering the price). I may have to check them out...
They have "tooling leather" also but I don't know how thick that is. Yeah I didn't think that they would have decent leather scraps. I thought they would be soft and thin but I was wrong. I am no leather expert but the leather pieces are as thick and maybe a bit stiffer than my Crossbreed Supertuck holster.
The only problem is if you wanted to say make a strop that is long say greater than 10" since they are scraps. I made two 4"x8" strops and a 10" strop. I should have enough leather for several more.
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2009
- Messages
- 366
Leather at walmart no..
Go to a Tandy store and pick up a scrap of 8/9oz veg tan for a couple of bucks. Other options for scrap leather piece go to a saddle shop, a shoe repair shop or go to the good will and look for a smooth sided used leather belt.
A good score would be a leather weight lifters belt. You can also stop buy a free iron gym and ask if the have any damaged leather belts. If you get one give it a good cleaning with saddle soap to remove the salts from it. (saddle soap allow to dry treat "feed" leather with neets foot oil.) Cut to shape glue down on board treat with green compound.
Go to a Tandy store and pick up a scrap of 8/9oz veg tan for a couple of bucks. Other options for scrap leather piece go to a saddle shop, a shoe repair shop or go to the good will and look for a smooth sided used leather belt.
A good score would be a leather weight lifters belt. You can also stop buy a free iron gym and ask if the have any damaged leather belts. If you get one give it a good cleaning with saddle soap to remove the salts from it. (saddle soap allow to dry treat "feed" leather with neets foot oil.) Cut to shape glue down on board treat with green compound.
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2009
- Messages
- 13,540
Those look good. And the leather does actually look better than I'd assumed for the price. I'd be curious to see if the black piece in your photos performs any differently as a strop (if it holds the compound as well, or if it's slicker or 'grippier' than the plain leather). Might not be an issue at all, I don't know.
Think I might head over to Hobby Lobby today and check it out...
I'm new to all this so I can't compare them to anything but so far so good
I am sure there are better leather out there but Hobby Lobby is close to me and $5.99 isn't bad at all.- Joined
- Jul 1, 2009
- Messages
- 506
I'm new to all this so I can't compare them to anything but so far so good
You leather looks thick and firm, almost like cowhide. It isn't if you look at the very end it folds like that I've never seen cowhide fold in ripples like that. So it's probably cow hide, which is nearly as good. The chrome tanned belt would work best with a good amount of compound on it as chrome tanned leather are put through different tanning processes, and usually have a thick coating on them.
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2009
- Messages
- 13,540
I'm new to all this so I can't compare them to anything but so far so good
I couldn't resist. Went to Hobby Lobby this afternoon and picked up the 3 lb. bag for $5.99. Not bad at all for the money, there are some very usable-looking pieces in there. Lots of possibles for a bunch of strops in the 8" range (and 2" - 4" widths), and even 2 or 3 pieces to allow for a longer strop, up to 9" or 10".
I couldn't help but scratch my head and/or LAUGH at one particular piece, though. It has what looks exactly like a healed surgical scar, about 6" or 7" long, complete with stitch marks(!). I'm not kidding...
Hobby Lobby's an interesting place. They've also got a lot of pre-cut 'craft wood' pieces which would be perfect (in various available sizes) for mounting the leather to make the strop. I even saw a pre-cut wooden 'paddle' in pine, and it was LARGE (maybe 16" to 18" of actual paddle length by about 4" wide). Only downside would be finding a piece of leather large enough to fit it. And I have no doubt you could find the glue/contact cement in the same store to stick 'em together. Might even find some metal polish to use for compound in there. I even picked up something called a 'candle plate'. It's a 9" x 13" piece of flat glass, with beveled edges, on little rubber feet. About 1/8" thick at the edge, and a little thicker above the beveled edge (maybe 3/16"). It'll make a nice, flat lapping/sanding surface, when used with a piece of sandpaper, for flattening stones or whatever. I'll probably remove the little rubber feet and back it with a piece of 3/4" MDF for some extra backbone. And for only $4.99. One stop shopping for a knife sharpening nut!
Last edited:
I couldn't help but LAUGH at one particular piece, though. It has what looks exactly like a healed surgical scar, about 6" or 7" long, complete with stitch marks(!). I'm not kidding...
Lots of leather has stitch marks, scars, brands, etc. Usually these get cut off the leather before you purchase them. But if you buy sides, shoulders, bellys, etc. in the lower price ranges, you'll see a LOT of scaring.
Might even find some metal polish to use for compound in there. One stop shopping for a knife sharpening nut!
Just do a bit of research before you buy your metal polish. Brands such as "Flitz" and "Simichrome" do not use ANY abrasives. They use chemical action to polish the metals. People who use them on their strops are getting abrasive action from the strop, not from the polish. On the other hand, they are getting some very nicely polished blades!
Stitchawl