A member here PIFed me an incredible gift - a Tony Miller strop. When he sent it, it had a small nick in it that he had repaired with super glue and light sanding. I knew I eventually wanted to replace that part and Tony has replacement leather pieces - no worries there. I also knew I was going to add my own nicks to it so I restrained myself and it's a good damned thing I did.
There is something wrong with my style so I have been slowing down and paying attention more. I think I'm not nicking it anymore but who can tell with all the nicks there so it's time to try to sand it as so many people here have suggested.
I must warn those with heart problems or weak stomachs. These pictures are graphic!
This is the end towards the handle and you can see where the "inside" edge has taken a beating. I even managed to "top" the leather and I have no idea how I did that one. Probably when I was trying to look like a guy in a movie rather than paying attention.
Here's the strop after 180 and 320 grit on my random orbit sander. Why those grits? The 180 was as course as I wanted to go and the 320 was the finest they has at Lowedepot.
Yes that's the same strop, the same part. You can see some discoloration where I "topped" the leather but it's smooth now and that's good enough for me. There's some hair/dirt on there too causing other cut-looking parts but this is a smooth as a baby's bottom. Total time sanding was less than 5 minutes including finding an extension cord.
I'd also read after one does this to use a tallow-based soap on it so I lathered up some P.160 since I used it already this morning and gave it a nice lather:
It's drying on a flat surface and tomorrow morning I'll give it a good rubbing before I put it all together and use it. Hopefully I'm done cutting it and I can put that new leather piece on and display it like the work of art it is!
There is something wrong with my style so I have been slowing down and paying attention more. I think I'm not nicking it anymore but who can tell with all the nicks there so it's time to try to sand it as so many people here have suggested.
I must warn those with heart problems or weak stomachs. These pictures are graphic!
This is the end towards the handle and you can see where the "inside" edge has taken a beating. I even managed to "top" the leather and I have no idea how I did that one. Probably when I was trying to look like a guy in a movie rather than paying attention.
Here's the strop after 180 and 320 grit on my random orbit sander. Why those grits? The 180 was as course as I wanted to go and the 320 was the finest they has at Lowedepot.
Yes that's the same strop, the same part. You can see some discoloration where I "topped" the leather but it's smooth now and that's good enough for me. There's some hair/dirt on there too causing other cut-looking parts but this is a smooth as a baby's bottom. Total time sanding was less than 5 minutes including finding an extension cord.
I'd also read after one does this to use a tallow-based soap on it so I lathered up some P.160 since I used it already this morning and gave it a nice lather:
It's drying on a flat surface and tomorrow morning I'll give it a good rubbing before I put it all together and use it. Hopefully I'm done cutting it and I can put that new leather piece on and display it like the work of art it is!
