Easy, safe, homemade double strop

[David T. MacNeill]

I just finished my first strop and thought I’d share the design. It’s easy to make with precut parts, no power tools or cutting required. I wanted two separate surfaces, one for Dialux Vert compound and one with Dialux Blanc. I wanted it wide and stable so I could strop larger knives with my stabilizing hand far away from the action.

I started with a pre-cut 24” x 3.5” x 0.5” piece of poplar from Lowes. Then I ordered a pair of 3” x 10” strop leather kits from Upon Leather on Amazon. They come with precut double-stick strips.

Smooth the wood a little with 800 grit sandpaper, then carve/sand the corners rounded to match the corners of the leather. Carefully line up and attach the leather strips, then hit the whole thing with a thin layer of mineral oil and you are done.

 

[jc57]

They sure could have left off that embossing - screws up some otherwise useful stropping surface. I also would prefer the leather going to the edge of the wood to allow for better clearance for tangs, kicks, guards, etc.

 

[David T. MacNeill]

You are likely right on all counts. I figured that if the embossed logo proved to be a problem I would just sand down the leather surface. And the wood shoulders could be jigsawed off, if I had a jigsaw and wasn’t terrified of using one.

I can swing a katana all day long, but power tools? No way. 8~)