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Strop leather help

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Strop leather help

#1

Strop leather help

Gabe Doyle

>This subject has probably been covered before, but I couldn't find what I was looking for in the archives, so...

I made a strop several years ago - peice of maple with a strip of leather glued on that I rubbed on the green paste that Woodcraft sells. Seems to work well for touching up edges, but I've been told that I'm missing the best part. Aparently, you're supposed to have another strop that's just plain leather with nothing on it to smooth out the microscopic grooves left by the abrasive. I'm told that that's where the real magic happens.

Anyway, there's a leather and saddle shop in town, but before I go, are there specifics that I should be looking for? I hear that the leather should be "thin" and "untreated", but that's the extent of my knowledge.

Thanks in advance,

Gabe

Re: Strop leather help

#2

Re: Strop leather help

Dennis

>At my local saddle shop i get what they have in the scrap bin for couple bucks, i look for the smooth,then lightly glue to chunk of wood.

Then i charge the leather with "Brasso", just put it on and let it dry.

Have seen over the years just about everything used both type of leather and what they did or didnt charge it with. YMMV

Dennis,who is going to see 44deg in south florida tonight

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Re: Strop leather help

#3

Belt from thrift shop

waltc

>

Re: Strop leather help

#4

Re: Strop leather help *LINK*

Steve Lillie

>Lee Valley sells a 6-piece pack of "vegetable tanned leather" strops -- might be a time-saving alternative to hunting it down locally.


Leather Strop Pack

Re: Strop leather help

#5

Re: Strop leather help

Joel

>"Thin" makes no sense to me. a thick long 12" or more strop is just easier to use. No need to glue it down either.

Any type of leather works - an old belt, your hand (not kidding), but the best old strops were made of horse butt, which is a really dense leather and works better than any other leather I have used - but it is overkill unless you are complusive. We have a supplier and we get loads of great comments on how good the horse butt is (there are several types of horse butt also) but for years I used a random piece of leather and got pretty good results too. So if you have a cheap source of leather try that - but if you are going to pay for a pre-made strop get horse butt.

oh - nearly forgot most strops on the market are sold with rough surfaces meant to catch compound. As you want to use this leather plain you want to make sure whatever you get it has at least one smooth surface.

Re: Strop leather help

#6

Re: Strop leather help

Steve Putre

>Guys:

When I wanted a strop last year, I bought a weightlifting belt off Ebay. It cost me $10, is long and wide with a smooth side, and you can hang it next to your bench by its buckle.

I considered cutting it in half to make two strops, but in the end I just spread the compond on one half and kept the other half clean for final stropping.

-S

Re: Strop leather help

#7

Re: Strop leather help

Jerry Draper

>Gabe, you definitely want veg. tanned leather, not chrome tanned (shoe/boot uppers). Weight lifting belts are perfect. Most shoe repair shops have veg. tanned strips that they use to resole shoes.

Re: Strop leather help

#8

Re: Strop leather help

joel

>Certainly for storage vegtable tanned leather is the way to go but for a strop why does it matter?

👍 This page answered my questions

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