Strop: Leather choice. Did i screw up?

[sovernstrength]

Hi, all.

Today a family member of mine visited a hardware store. I told the family member to pick me up 2 pieces of leather for a strop (.250" thick). I hadn't known what type of leather the hardware store had so I figured I'd take the chance and try to make a strop.

Well I ended up making 2 strops. One for my father. The strop is to be used with compound (white, green, brown) that I have from a strop that I bought a year ago. The leather has 2 sides. A tanned side (very smooth) and a courser, but fine "hairy" like side. So I chose to use the courser side because the smooth side just seemed like it would never hold any compound.

After making the strops, I applied compound and tried to strop. The results are uncertain, yet. But my problem is, I think i chose the wrong leather type. The compound (brick form) does not want to adhere to the leather. The leather changes no color when applying compound. Please review my photos and let me know if you think the leather is worthy of stropping with compound.

Thank you.

Note: Please follow the link to see the photos: https://www.dropbox.com/home/Public/untitled folder

The IMG code is not working on my post. To the admins: a stupid way to include photos. Providing an upload limit would be a more convenient way to include images without using a lot of server space.

 

[Bobby3326]

Hi, all.

Today a family member of mine visited a hardware store. I told the family member to pick me up 2 pieces of leather for a strop (.250" thick). I hadn't known what type of leather the hardware store had so I figured I'd take the chance and try to make a strop.

Well I ended up making 2 strops. One for my father. The strop is to be used with compound (white, green, brown) that I have from a strop that I bought a year ago. The leather has 2 sides. A tanned side (very smooth) and a courser, but fine "hairy" like side. So I chose to use the courser side because the smooth side just seemed like it would never hold any compound.

After making the strops, I applied compound and tried to strop. The results are uncertain, yet. But my problem is, I think i chose the wrong leather type. The compound (brick form) does not want to adhere to the leather. The leather changes no color when applying compound. Please review my photos and let me know if you think the leather is worthy of stropping with compound.

Thank you.

Note: Please follow the link to see the photos: https://www.dropbox.com/home/Public/untitled folder

The IMG code is not working on my post. To the admins: a stupid way to include photos. Providing an upload limit would be a more convenient way to include images without using a lot of server space.

Heat the leather up with a heat gun or hold it over an electric stove...doing so will cause the stick compound to melt a lil making it easier to apply on the leather. Rub it in like your coloring with a crayon.

 

[Kai Winters]

I've also lightly sanded the leather then heated it on stove then added the compound rubbing it into the leather with my fingers. This worked well for me.

 

[Skimo]

Clamp the leather down smooth side up, scribble hard all over. Wipe it off to an even coat.

 

[willis]

Stitchawl has a bunch of good strop info on this forum.I have a few made from veg tanned leather that was prepped by casing then working and compressing using a huge deep well socket to roll along the leather using a lot of down force and a glass plate.Something about moving the minerals present in the leather and hardening it so the surface don't deform causing it to effectively increase the angle and dull the edge.Cordovan horsey hide is the leather the best strops use and it's very expensive.This is for bare leather strops,abrasive compounds used to dress the strop probably work as good on cheaper veg tanned leather if it is not too thick.But lots of folks get great results with notebook backing and even the palm of a suitably rugged hand(not office hands).I got an insert for my KME that uses kangaroo leather but have not used it since the set up is only used by me for making thick edges thinner,but If Ron sells and endorses it is good stuff.


Y

 

[mycough]

I think you should have just bought a really fine grit stone instead....... just joshing Man, good luck with the strop construction. Try one out of blue Jean denim, I love them with some.5 mic cbn, great quick final step or touch up on my kitchen knives. Russ

 

[Tony18]

I used cardboard for the longest time & it worked pretty good, I put a drop of household oil on my compound to soften the tip & then just covered the cardboard with it.

 

[gadgetgeek]

Depending on the base of your compound they need different treatment. try heat.

Just use photobucket or something. I'm not crawling someone's dropbox. Spark has done this for a reason, this is a massive forum, one of the few that operates as cheap as it does, its a far bigger deal than you think.

 

[GarosGoods]

We use 7 - 9 oz leather on all of our strops (2.8mm - 3.6mm). When I first started selling my strops I used the hairy side however that side is uneven. I now use the smooth side and we lightly sand the surface to create a surface capable of accepting compound. Here is a picture of one of my strops.

 

[mycough]

We use 7 - 9 oz leather on all of our strops (2.8mm - 3.6mm). When I first started selling my strops I used the hairy side however that side is uneven. I now use the smooth side and we lightly sand the surface to create a surface capable of accepting compound. Here is a picture of one of my strops.

Glad to see you joined the club. Nice prices, stuff looks good. Good luck with you company.
Russ

 

[GarosGoods]

Thanks

 

[M. McCord]

Clamp the leather down smooth side up, scribble hard all over. Wipe it off to an even coat.

Alternatively, you can 'shave' off some of the polish compound. Then grind it into a powder. Mix with a drop or two of mineral oil and rub into the leather.