Strop backing question

[aread]

Hi everyone. This is my first bladeforum post.

I'm setting up a strop and the search gave me 992 hits on "strop".

My question: is there an advantage or disadvantage to mounting the leather on a very hard backing like glass or stone rather than wood.

I appologize if this has been asked and answered before.

Thanks,
Allen
Maryland

 

[BluntCut MetalWorks]

Search (use dquote): "strop backing" glass

 

[Obsessed with Edges]

Hi everyone. This is my first bladeforum post.

I'm setting up a strop and the search gave me 992 hits on "strop".

My question: is there an advantage or disadvantage to mounting the leather on a very hard backing like glass or stone rather than wood.

I appologize if this has been asked and answered before.

Thanks,
Allen
Maryland

Purely for stropping's sake, probably no real advantage seen on your edge. If the leather is very thin, the harder & smoother glass/stone backing might have some minimal effect, but probably not significant. A piece of smoothly-sanded hardwood or MDF would serve the same purpose. Mounting on glass might make it easier to remove the leather down the line, if need be (easier to remove the glue). But even that isn't usually a big deal with wood, either (sand it clean).

A large, thick slab of stone would obviously make a very stable base for a bench strop. Might be some value in that.

Edit:
I'll add, the glass or stone backing would be beneficial if 'stropping' with sandpaper (wet/dry type) on the hard backing. With leather, it's thickness and relative softness would have a much more direct effect on the edge, and the hardness of the backing underneath would be less of a factor.