Strop and Making Gifts...

[69_knives]

Just thought I'd share my original incarnation of a strop I made for myself and one of the ones I'm making for gifts to go with some knives.

The original I made with the rough side of the leather facing up and I haven't really decided that that is the best way although it does work fine. Using one of the new ones I made with the smooth side up they work well too.

Perhaps my 2' strop is a little overkill but it works well.

I rub neatsfoot compound into it and while it is still a bit of liquid oil on the surface, I rub in the buffing compound to make almost a slurry that spreads around easily. the rough side of the leather seems to hold the compound a little better so I think I like that one more.

 

[PegLegPeat]

What kind of buffing compound are you using there. Right now I have an old belt nailed to the ends of a 1.5 foot long 2x4, but I have been thinking about something more permanent like that.

Peat

 

[69_knives]

I have a bar of brown tripoli in the pic, but I also use green -stainless compound which is finer.

There are probably other paste type compounds that may be easier to use or apply but I just used what I had available.

http://ajh-knives.com/buffing-1.html

 

[ericspaw]

What kind of leather do you use and where do you source it? What kind of adhesive do you recommend?

I don't think the strop can be too long as it gives you incentive to make bigger knives. ;>).

Thanking you in advance;

Eric

 

[69_knives]

I don't think the strop can be too long as it gives you incentive to make bigger knives. ;>).

I knew I was onto something.

The leather I'm using is just plain old tooling leather from Tandy. I think it was 7/8 ounce but doesn't need to be that heavy.

The first one I made I used a store brand wood glue and it worked well, and these last ones I used two coats of LePage Contact Cement on the wood and leather. I suspect the contact cement may be better as it doesn't soak in significantly where the water based wood glue may.