Competition V

[TnutsShave]

Ok ok...you've convinced me to throw my modest hat into the ring. Need a couple more days, but I should come in just under the wire.

Begin Conversation {

"Honey, what are you doing?"
"I'm making strops for a competition"

#rolls eyes and walks off
} End Conversation

[ladykate]

Lets say the end of the month. We need more entries, chaps!

That is both bad and good. I have a couple of days to do something - but now I have to do something. Will have an entry unless I screw it up.

[ladykate]

hokay... here is what I came up with.

It is a three position station with a stropping leather, a .5 micron balsa paddle and a marble plate for lapping film. It fits in the bottom of a medium drawer. Has felt pads to prevent scratching SWMBO's counter top. Oak base with pine block. I think it counts as stropping entry... you strop on it... maybe... ;-} Advantages are that it can be stored, you don't have anything touching anything so you won't get the leather or the balsa sharing greebles with the counter, it is heavy enough to hold up to pretty hefty work and it provides its own base that has ample clearance for even Gigantor hands.

Edit: I just noticed that the second and third pictures have a light reflection on the edge of the base that makes it look spotty. The first picture shows the base edge better.

[Seraphim]

hokay... here is what I came up with.

It is a three position station with a stropping leather, a .5 micron balsa paddle and a marble plate for lapping film. It fits in the bottom of a medium drawer. Has felt pads to prevent scratching SWMBO's counter top. Oak base with pine block. I think it counts as stropping entry... you strop on it... maybe... ;-}

Excuse my French...

But that is F&^$$# awesome!

One of the things that has always bothered me about double sided, or four sided paddle strops is the difficulty in using it without somehow contaminating the opposite side.

You have come up with a simple, elegant solution that also looks great.

Bravo!

[zirrow]

hokay... here is what I came up with.

It is a three position station with a stropping leather, a .5 micron balsa paddle and a marble plate for lapping film. It fits in the bottom of a medium drawer. Has felt pads to prevent scratching SWMBO's counter top. Oak base with pine block. I think it counts as stropping entry... you strop on it... maybe... ;-} Advantages are that it can be stored, you don't have anything touching anything so you won't get the leather or the balsa sharing greebles with the counter, it is heavy enough to hold up to pretty hefty work and it provides its own base that has ample clearance for even Gigantor hands.

You could easily make a few bucks selling these, if you were so inclined... <hint><hint>

[TnutsShave]

Well shoot...That's pretty sweet LadyKate.

Back to the drawing board.

[otto76]

LadyKate, that is seriously awesome! I want one. And I love that you put the marble plate on it for the lapping film. Super creative entry.

[Doc226]

I like it. Only problem with the lapping film slab (besides lack of mojo) is water running into the leather and crox. I love the idea but would change out the lapping film side for another pasted side.

[zirrow]

I like it. Only problem with the lapping film slab (besides lack of mojo) is water running into the leather and crox. I love the idea but would change out the lapping film side for another pasted side.

well now you've just ruined it Doc - thanks

[ladykate]

I like it. Only problem with the lapping film slab (besides lack of mojo) is water running into the leather and crox. I love the idea but would change out the lapping film side for another pasted side.

I was considering making a second side with balsa - pretty simple to do once everything else is in place - but went for the lapping film piece. I wanted an 'all-purpose' tool so it could go from bevel set to shave ready. I haven't used it for lapping film yet. Did strop on it to make sure it did what I said.

As far as water from the film - I'm not sure it would be an issue since I'm using water based diamond paste and spritzing is pretty light and combined with the angles, I doubt it would be a problem... but ... I haven't used it ;-}. The solution if it is a worry is to use the sticky back film available from bestsharpeningstones. Good stuff. No water needed.

A more fun construction would be to make a square one. That would not have the 'hiding' effect of a triangle so spritzing might be a problem - hence the contact film would be best. A square (4 different surfaces) would be ugly if you used the whole outside and then put uprights that surrounded the block. An elegant solution would be to make a square axle that was aligned well with the block - that would be just a tad trickier... but still doable. Could make the stands from metal, too... that would make it more streamlined. A rod with a stop on it and four holes in the core would be cool. Damn... now I'm obsessing about version 2. No... no... have to finish the Feather test... too many irons in the fire... Have to make money for beans... wife wants attention... too little time, too many experiments...

edit: BTW, Doc, I just received my Kanayama - I'm still holding it and cooing to it. Will make a video soon... might be for adults. Sweet item. You convinced me that I needed one. I'm telling the wife to blame you.

[Doc226]

edit: BTW, Doc, I just received my Kanayama - I'm still holding it and cooing to it. Will make a video soon... might be for adults. Sweet item. You convinced me that I needed one. I'm telling the wife to blame you.

It really is a fantastic idea. Please update once you use with the film.

Enjoy the Kanayama it is a wonderful strop. Wait until the steel meets the leather. Instant love.

[TnutsShave]

The mental image of the strop cuddling is just epic.

[ladykate]

The mental image of the strop cuddling is just epic.

I showed this to the wife. She is wondering if she should be jealous. BTW: The triangle pattern keeps spray from contaminating the other sides... unless you pour water on it... messy...

[BakerAndBadger]

I can feel the bromance in the air.

Great idea Ladykate, looks the business.

[Krodor]

edit: BTW, Doc, I just received my Kanayama - I'm still holding it and cooing to it. Will make a video soon... might be for adults. Sweet item.

Enjoy the Kanayama it is a wonderful strop. Wait until the steel meets the leather. Instant love.

Should we be expecting the arrival of cute little baby leather razors, or sharp strops in 9 months? Ok, back on topic.

Cool stuff! I like the sizes of all these entries: X-large! Seems like mfrs. should take notice.

[ladykate]

Should we be expecting the arrival of cute little baby leather razors, or sharp strops in 9 months? Ok, back on topic.

Kind of a combination - like the Pewterschmidt puppies from Family Guy

Cool stuff! I like the sizes of all these entries: X-large! Seems like mfrs. should take notice.

I agree... I like bigger and it doesn't add that much to the cost. 3" wide means you have one less variable to work with. However, even smaller still works and has its place... I make travel strops made from paint sticks (looks better than it sounds) that fit in a briefcase - they are fine for on-the-road. I occasionally give one to a friend when I loan a straight to get someone hooked on them. The one below has a balsa back but I usually put CrO2 and denim on the back (sturdier). I wrap it in baking paper or put it in a large baggie to keep it clean.

edit: FWIW - I was in Las Vegas a couple months ago and I bought out a couple of shops so I had too much weight. I pulled several things out of my checked luggage including a safety hat and my 3x14 paddle strop (looks like the paint stick strop only... bigger). I hand carried those on and the TSA folks all gathered around and looked at it and asked what it was for. That got a brief wet shaving conversation started and a woman TSA agent said that she recognized it because her boyfriend had one. They passed it through.

[rickboone1]

hokay... here is what I came up with.

It is a three position station with a stropping leather, a .5 micron balsa paddle and a marble plate for lapping film. It fits in the bottom of a medium drawer. Has felt pads to prevent scratching SWMBO's counter top. Oak base with pine block. I think it counts as stropping entry... you strop on it... maybe... ;-} Advantages are that it can be stored, you don't have anything touching anything so you won't get the leather or the balsa sharing greebles with the counter, it is heavy enough to hold up to pretty hefty work and it provides its own base that has ample clearance for even Gigantor hands.

Edit: I just noticed that the second and third pictures have a light reflection on the edge of the base that makes it look spotty. The first picture shows the base edge better.

holy crap i want one of these.

[TnutsShave]

holy crap i want one of these.

Roger that....

[dreaded_rust]

holy crap i want one of these.

+1

[AllenG]

Here's the travel strop box I just put together.
Wasn't much to it.
Bought the box off of the net and had a piece of leather cut for the bottom.
There is a 1/16 sheet of balsa between the leather and the box.



I flipped the latch over so it would be well below the stropping surface.


Holds my travel razors well.