Looking for a strop, buy or make one?

If you're at all handy with simple tools it would be dead easy to make your own strop. Essentially a strop is just a piece of leather with a handle at one end and a ring or clasp at the other. If you want to get fancy you could put some species of fabric (canvas, denim, cotton twill, felt, etc) on the back of the leather to give you a different stropping surface.

Since I'm basically retarded I chose to buy instead of make. From http://www.straightrazordesigns.com/the-strop-shop I got a double strop, meaning it has two strops on the same ring, both leather. One I charge with stropping paste, the other I leave plain. It's quite well made, with vegetable tanned latigo leather and brass hardware. The stropping surfaces are 17"x3", and the handles are big enough to get a good purchase on. These folks make quite an array of strops -- various leathers, various fabrics, various sizes. Roogalator sez check 'em out.
 
Went down to a local woodcraft store to get leather and glue local homedepot bought 2 inch wide cedar board took ten minutes and a saw. Go to YouTube. Really simple you could also use an old beat up belt.
 
An old leather weight lifting belt works great too. The leather is pretty heavy.
 
My strops are unmounted. I just lay a piece of leather charged with compound on the work bench and go at it.

Someday I may make some mounted ones.

I use one with white polishing compound and one with red.

I test the edge before, after finishing with a stone, and after sharpening. Then I test between the different strops and after stropping.

I like to prove that the stropping does refine the edge.

Good Luck.
 
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