New strops and a pimped strop or two

[QuarkVI]

Got my new TM Horsehide and Ambrose Beginner's this week so took a couple of photos of them alongside my well worn Poorman's (click on photos if you want to see bigger versions)

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6186/6060920579_33287fd4cb.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66104659@N08/6060920579/)

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6187/6061472818_da5b903d5d.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66104659@N08/6061472818/)

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6060921189_0a217303e4.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66104659@N08/6060921189/)

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6061473410_a5a208c2b1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66104659@N08/6061473410/)


Well now what am I to do on a Saturday besides carry on working on my workbench and other odds and ends getting my sharpening station up and running and a few dedicated bits for my planned restoration jobs. (Unfortunately the butcher had no shin bones today ! Was going to start prepping my own bone scales after finding out masecraft had a minimum order for overseas orders).

So pimped my Poorman's and Ambrose as follows....

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6075/6060921777_f08f1943da.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66104659@N08/6060921777/)

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6060922029_045ecee236.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/66104659@N08/6060922029/)

Those are just two M6x70mm stainless bolts used for the cross pieces, a snap swivel and some short bolts I had lying about. All the bolts have had their ends peened to prevent "unravelling".

The hammer in the last pic has a story behind it: My dad made that for me as a wee fella from a piece of sheet steel and a couple of bearings, heat shrink for the handle and I was the happiest camper. Spent many hours beating stones to a pulp with it :blushing:
So spent the evening grinding and sanding back the ends to a mirror polish as it will now become a dedicated peening hammer for my restorations.

As for how the strops strop...
I am still too chicken to use my TM will wait a couple of months yet of nick free stropping. I have become very attached to my Poormans as with the months of use and hand rubbing it now has a lovely patina and is an old friend. The Ambrose is up tomorrow morning but I now it will take a few months before any strop really settles in.
The width of the TM is like an aircraft carrier compared to what I am used to - very glad I didn't get a 3" as that would just be daft to my eye. The quality, feel and smell is just brilliant and I have already told my son that one day it will be his.

Considering shaving my legs so that I have excuses for a couple of more hones and strops :biggrin1:


_________________________________
Robin

[Legion]

I think those pimps to the two strops are a great idea. They will help to keep them flatter as they break in and the leather stretches out. Nice job.

[Kentos]

Very nice...you have horse and cow...like me you still need a Roo to round everything out..:). My Poorman's looks identical to yours, with the small wrinkles in the leather...you might see a difference in your edge when you go to the Ambrose and TM. I think the wrinkles come from noobs like us pulling the crap out of the strop. I now keep my strops barely tight when stropping and have even better edges now.

[QuarkVI]

Poorman's looks identical to yours, with the small wrinkles in the leather...you might see a difference in your edge when you go to the Ambrose and TM. I think the wrinkles come from noobs like us pulling the crap out of the strop.

Except for those I have sliced off already ! :-)

[LarryAndro]

Well, that Poor Man strop kit came from me. A child, sent out into the cold, hard world to fend for itself. Glad to see it grew up into an elegantly pimped strop! :)

[QuarkVI]

Fortunately my photography sucks else you would've seen the abuse your poor child has had to suffer in the pursuit of the perfect shave :-)

[grump]

I like the look and function. Nice job!