Home made strop

L

Locust

Joined
Sep 30, 2008
Messages
539
If I want to make my own strop is there a particular type of leather that is needed? Also does one need a compound or will it work well enough with just the leather?
 
Just leather WILL work, but back in my straight razor days I would use a stropping compound similar to rouge but it was green. I would use a smooth, dense leather as compared to a suede texture
 
I got the leather for my strop from the local shoe repair shop. He has dozens of scrap pieces on a leather cord in there. think it cost me 3.50 for a 2x12 piece, then I glued it onto a wooden block and added some white compound. That gets the knife hair splitting sharp, after I run it through the sharpmaker.
 
nc527 said:
I got the leather for my strop from the local shoe repair shop. He has dozens of scrap pieces on a leather cord in there. think it cost me 3.50 for a 2x12 piece, then I glued it onto a wooden block and added some white compound. That gets the knife hair splitting sharp, after I run it through the sharpmaker.
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Just wondering, what kind of glue do people use?

I just set an unattached peice of leather on top of a wood block, because I'm affraid glueing would make it too stiff, or bummpy. Also I can use both sides of the leather/ one for black compound, and green on the other.
 
BryFry said:
Just wondering, what kind of glue do people use?

I just set an unattached peice of leather on top of a wood block, because I'm affraid glueing would make it too stiff, or bummpy. Also I can use both sides of the leather/ one for black compound, and green on the other.
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Take a look at the link I gave above. Usually you use the smooth side of the leather.
 
I've been using the rough side of some leather with black compound, then flip it to the smooth side and finish with green. Is this a bad idea? ( using the rough side I mean )
Because it seams to be working so far?

Is it realy better to always use the smoother side of leather, or is this more of a preferance?
 
Thanks for the links Knifenut 1013. Based on them it seems that top grain would be better than suede correct?

Thanks for the shoe repair idea nc527. Hopefully some place nearby will have long strips. I'm planning on making something I can roll up and put in a pack rather than affixing it to a wooden block.
 
Fry,It is better to use the smooth side of the leather.
Locust,Keeping a strop in a back pack is fine but when you use it you'll still need to put it on a solid surface.As stropping a knife is different than stropping a razor.DM
 
I use the same epoxy That I use knifemaking, dev-con 2 ton epoxy. I would use somthing like that if you do affix it to a block, because its clear, unlike jbweld and other metal epoxys. Also, when you glue it, put glue on the leather, and make sure no epoxy gets on your stropping side, because if it does it wont sharpen correctly. To be sure, I constantly wipe the smooth side with a damp paper towel. use a couple pieces of ply wood, and 3 c clamps to hold it together. I use white compound, and it gets my knves hair splitting sharp.
 
nc527 said:
I use the same epoxy That I use knifemaking, dev-con 2 ton epoxy. I would use somthing like that if you do affix it to a block, because its clear, unlike jbweld and other metal epoxys. Also, when you glue it, put glue on the leather, and make sure no epoxy gets on your stropping side, because if it does it wont sharpen correctly. To be sure, I constantly wipe the smooth side with a damp paper towel. use a couple pieces of ply wood, and 3 c clamps to hold it together. I use white compound, and it gets my knves hair splitting sharp.
Click to expand...

contact glue also works great (Barge leather contact glue), or rubber cement.
 
Gorilla glue has earned my respect. It is more than adequate for leather to wood adhesive.
 
To make gorilla gflue flow smoothly. Just place container in a cup of hot water and let it set a monute or so.

ST~
 
The reason I don't use a strong glue is because when the leather wears out I can remove and replace with little trouble. I also find no extra benefit to a stronger bond, its only holding leather.
 
knifenut1013 said:
The reason I don't use a strong glue is because when the leather wears out I can remove and replace with little trouble. I also find no extra benefit to a stronger bond, its only holding leather.
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+1 for a weaker glue. In fact I even use double sided 3M carpet tape instead of glue all together. Works a treat! When it's time to replace the leather, I use the old for a template.
 
knifenut1013 said:
The reason I don't use a strong glue is because when the leather wears out I can remove and replace with little trouble. I also find no extra benefit to a stronger bond, its only holding leather.
Click to expand...

How do you wear out a strop? I can understand 'ruining' a strop, but otherwise it treated properly, should last just about forever. I have my Greatgrandfather's strop that he used daily. It just looks like a nice piece of fine leather. My father taught me to apply a pea-sized gob of 'Thier's Issard' strop dressing and work it in - once a year as strop care.

How often do you wear out your strops?


Stitchawl
 
Because the tips are so pointy after sharpening I always end up scratching the surface of the strop. I don't have this problem with my bull leather but its also much harder than regular strop leather. I guess I could correct my own problem by being more careful but as they say, its hard to teach a old dog new tricks ;)

I do a LOT of stropping so about once a year (depending on how much I have fudged the strop) I'll replace or refinish the leather.
 
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