Strop prep question

[hiwa]

I am well experienced at sharpening, but still open to other ideas and suggestions. I will make some new strops with leather I boughtat the tannery. Should I try gluing it down with the rough side up instead of smooth like I have in the past ?? Also, should I treat it with mineral oil before applying compound ? Thanks for your help.


Pete

 

[stitchawl]

Do NOT apply mineral oil. Lanolin or just the smallest drop of pure neatsfoot oil, and I mean next to NONE. Put a few drops on a cloth and rub it into the leather. ONLY a few drops. Otherwise, you might as well have used a magazine cover rather than leather. If you are using the leather without any compound, don't use anything at all on it for best results. True, it will only last about 30-40 years without treatment if kept indoors, and would certainly last longer if treated, it will perform better without treatment. If you are using an abrasive compound on the leather, you can treat it with peanut butter for all it matters...

Regarding rough vs smooth sides, use the rough side for convex edges and the smooth for beveled edges. The harder the surface, the more accurate the angle. Convex edges don't need such accuracy. Beveled edges do. Make a couple of strops. One for each compound grit works well.

Stitchawl

 

[hiwa]

Thanks Stitchawl. I am making more than one strop,so I will make both rough and smooth (hard) ones and try them.

Pete

 

[stitchawl]

Thanks Stitchawl. I am making more than one strop,so I will make both rough and smooth (hard) ones and try them.

Pete

If you have the leather available, and it's vegetable tanned, here's a great way to make a fantastic smooth leather strop;

Take 2 tablespoons of windshield washer liquid and mix with about half a quart of water. Dip your strop leather in this for about 5 seconds, then remove it and wrap it in plastic wrap overnight. In the morning, remove it from the plastic wrap and let it dry for about an hour or two. It should have the consistency of modeling clay! Now, using the heaviest rolling pin (or smooth steel pipe) you can find, and with all your body weight on top of it, roll the leather flat, compressing it as much as possible. Roll back and forth for a couple of minutes. Then let the leather dry for a day or two so it's completely dry. THEN mount it on your wood base and use it without ANY compound as your 'final stage' strop. I think you'll be pleased with the results!

Stitchawl

 

[hiwa]

I'll try it for sure. But, I am not sure if it is veg tanned. It is smooth one side, rougher on the other. I found it in the scrap cutoff bin.

Pete

 

[stitchawl]

I'll try it for sure. But, I am not sure if it is veg tanned. It is smooth one side, rougher on the other. I found it in the scrap cutoff bin.

Pete

Vegetable tanned leather (also known as tooling leather) is the very best to use without any abrasive compound as the leather has its own abrasives (silicates) in it, and the process I described above brings more of them to the surface of the leather. But if you're going to be using stropping compound, the tanning really isn't important as it's the compound doing the work. You don't even need leather. You could spread it on a flat wooden 2x4 and get the same (if not better) results. Many woodworkers spread compound on a flat paint stirring stick and use that for their chisels! Just be sure that what ever leather you use, if it's for beveled edges you want a harder smooth surface, and for convex edges you want a softer surface.

Stitchawl

 

[hiwa]

Thanks Stitch. I totally understand you. Actually, I have rubbed my Lee Valley green chromium-oxide ( That store's popular here) , on wooden sticks and tried it with my hg edges. I am a cabinetmaker also. I find stropping always gives me that extra sharp edge that I want.