School Me on Paddle Strops

[Guyon]

I've got two lovely pieces of 3"x12" strop leather from Lee Valley, and I want to make a double paddle strop for touching up convex edges.

A few questions:

1) Regarding the leather: All rough side up? All smooth side up? Or one side of each? (I have a smaller paddle strop that has one of each.)

2) Paste or no paste? If paste, which color/kind and on which side (smooth/rough)?

2) Best glue for adhering leather to wooden paddle?

 

[al3xd4gr34t]

I used this thread to make my strops.

 

[Jason B.]

Take a look at the thread in my sig, it will answer the glue question too.

As for compound, use quality products and you will get proper results. Handamerican 1 micron diamond and 1 micron boron carbide make a great combo especially with carbon steels.

You can use leather bare but its really only going to work with the very final step in finishing. It will also be slightly more difficult to do correctly on a convex edge, the smallest mistake and you will over polish the edge. If you really want to try bare leather stropping get some horse leather its a night and day difference.

 

[stitchawl]

I've got two lovely pieces of 3"x12" strop leather from Lee Valley, and I want to make a double paddle strop for touching up convex edges.

I'd recommend AGAINST a double paddle strop. If you put it down, you will contaminate at least one of the sides. If you put it down on the compound side first, then on the bare side, any compound that came off and is on the table top is now on your bare strop, increasing its grit size. Make two separate strops, or at least add a hook to the top of the paddle and always hang it rather than setting it down on the table.

A few questions:

1) Regarding the leather: All rough side up? All smooth side up? Or one side of each? (I have a smaller paddle strop that has one of each.)

For convex only, use the rough side up. It will do a better job for you.

2) Paste or no paste? If paste, which color/kind and on which side (smooth/rough)?

Yes... and no...
Without compound is your best bet for the final stropping. Using any compound raises the grit size of the abrasive action. And again, for your convex (only) stropping, rough side up will work best.

2) Best glue for adhering leather to wooden paddle?

The very best glue for leather work is called 'Barge Cement,' but any good contact cement will work. Spread a very thin layer on both pieces, let it dry for 15-20 minutes until no longer tacky, then press together. It's a good idea to either roll on it with some sort of rolling pin, or tap it with a rubber mallet to be sure of permanent adhesion.


Stitchawl

 

[ikuyadas]

My instant field strop with green compound(rough side only).

I usually hook paracord to right foot finger and pull another end with left hand.
Smooth side is also available for finishing.

 

[StretchNM]

Guyon, here is how I make my convex "sharpening" and "stropping" strops:

And here with each stropped flipped over:

I use standard yellow glue to glue 8-9oz leather to MDF (usually). The wood pieces are about 3" x 11" x 3/4". The yellow glue allows you to clamp one end and stretch the leather a little when gluing down. Once positioned where you want it, use a wood caul over the leather pieces to distribute clamping pressure and protect the leather. I would use Barge or other contact cement if gluing leather to leather, but generally not for leather to wood. However, I have used contact cement before (one of those strops is glued with contact cement) and it has held up fine.

Once the glue is dried and leather excess trimmed away to fit the wood, the I tape wet/dry sandpaper at the top ends.

For stropping, I use only the smooth side of the leather. Now, the green strop in the picture has been made smooth side up on one side and rough side up on the other, but I find I never use the rough side. The other strop has a white compound on it, but I almost never use that one either. I use chromium oxide (green) stropping compound.

It is true what someone said about picking up tiny pieces of whatever when laying a double-sided strop down, but a quick swipe with your hand or a tissue and I've never had a problem. This isn't rocket science, as you know, and laboratory-type sterility and cleanliness just isn;t necessary.