Post your strop! (Pics)

I use 3 or 4 different strops when finishing but have about 10+ strops that I use for various needs.


I'll get a pic up in the morning.
 
IMG_0047.jpg


OK, I will play. I have a cache of oak bench wood slats that are very sun baked and seasoned. I cut the handle rough with a band saw and then sanded it down on my vintage craftsman belt sander and the rest by hand. Yes, I also use Hand American compressed leather. I used Gorilla glue to fasten the two together. They will never come apart. I have diamond paste on the one on the left, and green chromium oxide on the right. If you look closely, you can see my mistake. I clamped the leather to the wood paddle and put a piece of card board between the leather and the 2x4 I clamped it to. I thought I was being smart to keep the leather smooth. I am such a doofus, the leather ended up taking on the cardboard undulation. Oh well, If I was a pro, it would be a throw away, but I get good results with it. I enjoyed making them, and the next phase will be better of course. I also have my Spyerco ceramics, a DMT coarse, and that knife now belongs to Trent Rock. I did a giveaway, and he was the winner. Oh, since I am terrible free hand, I cut my ramp at 12 degrees and hold my blade horizontal for a somewhat accurate free hand bevel. LOL
 
cj65 said:
IMG_0047.jpg


OK, I will play. I have a cache of oak bench wood slats that are very sun baked and seasoned. I cut the handle rough with a band saw and then sanded it down on my vintage craftsman belt sander and the rest by hand. Yes, I also use Hand American compressed leather. I used Gorilla glue to fasten the two together. They will never come apart. I have diamond paste on the one on the left, and green chromium oxide on the right. If you look closely, you can see my mistake. I clamped the leather to the wood paddle and put a piece of card board between the leather and the 2x4 I clamped it to. I thought I was being smart to keep the leather smooth. I am such a doofus, the leather ended up taking on the cardboard undulation. Oh well, If I was a pro, it would be a throw away, but I get good results with it. I enjoyed making them, and the next phase will be better of course. I also have my Spyerco ceramics, a DMT coarse, and that knife now belongs to Trent Rock. I did a giveaway, and he was the winner. Oh, since I am terrible free hand, I cut my ramp at 12 degrees and hold my blade horizontal for a somewhat accurate free hand bevel. LOL
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Your strop is so clean :O
 
I just built my first strop with supplies from Woodcraft and HomeDepot. For $15 I got a piece of handamerican stropping leather 6"x1'-0 from Woodcraft. At HD I bought a piece of oak 1/4"x2 1/2"x2'-0 for $2.47. With the said supplies I made a 6" long strop, with enough materials to make 3 more or 2 larger strops. I just stropped my ESEE Izula and wow what an edge that Handamerican leather will put on an knife dry without any compound.
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The strop I made is 2 1/4" x 14" on a scrap piece of plywood. I made sure it was nice and flat. Since I work with leather, the 8-10oz cowhide was also a scrap piece.
I loaded it with "the green stuff" from Lee Valley...put a fresh coat on for the picture:D
The back I added some "anti-skid" type rubber like you have on the back of a mouse pad.
Both the leather and the rubber are glued to the wood with contact cement.

Strop001.jpg


Strop003.jpg


Strop002.jpg
 
The smooth side (AKA the surface of the skin) is where all the silicates are at, I'm sure it did something but nothing like it would have if you used the correct side.
 
Well I have enough materials left over to make another. Can never have too many tools.:thumbup:
 
chococrazy said:
Your strop is so clean :O
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I have cleaned it off 2x now. I squirt lighter fluid on it and clean it all off, back to leather. This was a recharge. I have to confess, I have not used them in awhile. I am just changing knives. I will have an edgefest soon.
 
Roger999 said:
My state of the art strops.






cardboard-boxes.jpg


I just glue a piece of cardboard to a 2X4 and rub on CrO......
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I get equipment and supplies delivered in very heavy duty cardboard boxes form time to time. Although it isn't as elegant as a leather strop, they work fine as is, no compound needed.

The boxes my gutter supplier uses are so coarse that they will actually abrade the material from the blade and leave the cardboard gray streaked from metal!

Price and convenience sure hit the sweet spot, too.

Robert
 
There is nothing wrong with using cardboard, it is what gets the job done. This is what makes MT&E such a great sub forum. So much info, so little time. LOL
 
I think I heard also that you can stack a bunch of cardboard together laminating them to make it real thick, cross cut it with a band saw or table saw to produce a nice flat cross sectional surface and use this cut surface as the strop. This makes for a more ridgid flat surface. At least that is how I understood it. I am not sure if the dried glue would get in the way or not.
 
knifenut1013 said:
The smooth side (AKA the surface of the skin) is where all the silicates are at, I'm sure it did something but nothing like it would have if you used the correct side.
Click to expand...

Another question. If the smooth side is the side with the silicates wouldn't the rough side produce a smoother finish? Smooth side coarse, rough side fine?
 
cool thread,

I'm not not at home at the moment, will post some pics later of my strops.
I have drawn some lines on the side of the wood representing commonly used angles (15 / 20).
this gives me the visual cue and keeps me focused on the right corner.
 
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