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Modular bench strop

Guys, I have been tossing around the idea of making my own modular bench strop. I want to make something nice that I can quickly switch out various leathers, etc...

Anyway, my questions are regarding materials...

1. Can anyone tell me a good place to get the magnet sheets? It would need to be something strong to hold the leather in place.

2. Can anyone recommend an adhesive to attach the magnets to the leather and wood?

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

*edit* Also, I think I posted this in the hones forum by accident. Sorry about that... feel free to move.
 
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Would I put the same magnet surface on both the wood and leather? I feel silly for asking this, but will the magnet stick to itself?

*edit* When I started thinking about making this, I realized I don't know much about magnets. It seems like I recall that two magnets can repel each other instead of sticking?
 
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Slash McCoy

I freehand dog rockets
Yes, the magnets will stick together, but only if they are turned so the N pole of one is adjacent to the S pole of the other, and vice versa. However, why not use a steel rectangular tube, or a piece of sheet steel glued to a wood base? Oh, and check Office Depot for the magnet sheets.
 

Have you used these for this purpose? I don't think the magnet would be very strong. It's more of a sheet for making a sign to stick to a car door or something. Maybe making small magnets/ business cards. Very thin and weak magnetism. Also, if the OP wants to apply the magnet to both the strop and the medium, it won't work because of the polarity. It'll not stick to itself. That's my thinking, which could be way off; hence my reason for asking if you've used this successfully.
 
I'm pretty sure the way that the guys that are making modular paddle strops do it is to put a magnet on the back of the leather piece and on top of the paddle. So that is what I had intended to do with my bench block. I just need a strong magnet sheet and some good adhesive to apply it.
 

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
There was a thread earlier on this, but IIRC the strop body has a thin sheet of pressed steel glued to it and the magnets are on the back of the substrate. The magnet is easier to work with than the steel, so it made sense tto limit the steel to the one side of the strip body. Stropping requires very little pressure so as long as the magnet is large enough the holding power should suffice. I use contact cemet to weld felt to wood...works very well so far.
 

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
Ill dig around too...I think magnets would bring it up. Hand american sells the magnetic backed strop materials. Just thinking that you could stick the magnetic strops to a DMT8"
 
Ok, I found that other thread. Some people were saying to put the steel on the components instead of the wood, but I think I like it the other way better, so that it is easier to craft new pieces. So, I'm thinking wood with thin steel on top, then magnet sheets on the bottom of each component piece.
 

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
Ok, I found that other thread. Some people were saying to put the steel on the components instead of the wood, but I think I like it the other way better, so that it is easier to craft new pieces. So, I'm thinking wood with thin steel on top, then magnet sheets on the bottom of each component piece.

I believe it is patented, so I like how you are just "thinking" about how you would do it ;) There is also a youtube video of Lynn from SRP using the modular strop with a wool component, and he was mentioning how the seemingly weak sheet magnet works great...it was one of the wet shaving conventions.

I think I have a piece of super rock hard felt lying around. It might be less than 3" wide maybe 2-3/4", but if you want it for research and development shoot me a PM. I personally didn't find the wool really doing anything better than a nice piece of leather or a nice piece of balsa.
 
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Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
I have no intention of selling them. I just wanted to make one for my own use.

I don't know if you are familiar with indoor cycling rollers, but a company makes something called Free Motion rollers. A lot of us started to make a homebrew version, and one of the DIY guys caught some flak from posting a how to make vid on YouTube. I was joking, well, half joking with that statement...cause even making your own equipment using patented "technology" supposedly is breaking the law *shrug. In any event , let me know if you want the rockhard wool piece :)
 
cause even making your own equipment using patented "technology" supposedly is breaking the law *shrug. In any event , let me know if you want the rockhard wool piece :)

I have never heard of such a thing before. I'm going to make one... if they want to come after me they are more than welcome. lol

I'm going to make it 3" so I think that felt would be too small, but thanks for the offer... I really appreciate it.
 
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