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I may...emphasis on the "may" want to try and make a strop

Sluggo

Sluggo

So, I have used a hanging strop...but I would like to try to make (maybe) a four sided strop.

That is where my idea runs out of steam...and where I could use your help. Does anyone have designs of four sided strops?
 
Tony Miller

Tony Miller

Speaking of horse butts…
I would likely go to a home center and look for some king of wooden railing component that has the dimemsions you like and start there. That way the bulk of the woodwork is already done and you only need to cut it to length and fasten the leather. Some of the turned spindle will have square sections for the leather and a rounded area that could pass for a handle.

The most important thing is to apply the glue evenly so you get the leather to lay flat and not have ridges left from the beads of glue, an issue I found with a few commercial paddle when I got started.

It may actually be easier to just make a pair of flat paddles as there will be more choices in precut wood you can use as is.

Hope this gets you started.

Thanks,
Tony
 
Sluggo

Sluggo

Well, I am going to try it. I got two slabs ( I mean SLABS) of leather from a local store...at $4.99 each I can't go wrong.

I have cut them down to 3" x 12". I know they are not evenly cut, but I do not have a straight edge...but they are pretty close.

I am going to make a two sided strop to start with. One with the smooth side up, and the other for the rough side up (kind of like a Filly) that I will paste with some Dovo white.

So here they are after they have been cut, and treated with a little oil...next the hand rubbing.
 
Sluggo

Sluggo

For sure! I am going shopping tonight to find a piece of pre-cut wood, and then I will shape the handle. I am going to use a spray adhesive to avoid glue beads, and then I am going to roll it with a rolling pin...

this is such a DIY!!!
 
Tony Miller

Tony Miller

Speaking of horse butts…
Sluggo,
Sounds like you have this well thought out. After the rolling pin clamp it under something or weight it down long enough for the glue to really set....a few hours or overnight.

You could skip the shaped handle and use tham like a bench hone. lay them on a piece of that rubber no slip stuff that looks like a waffle. They use it for tool box liners or router pads to go on a workbench.

Tony
 
Sluggo

Sluggo

I like how I am getting strop advice from Tony...it is sort of like getting art tips from Da Vinci:lol:

Anyways, I have been hard at work hand rubbing the leather with Neatsfoot oil (it is the piece on the right). It is pretty flexible and getting supple.

The piece on the left is the piece I was going to paste ***Question, I can paste leather right?***

The handle kind of stinks...I live in an apartment and I dont have any tools other than hand tools (a few of them) but it will work for now.

Now the grand total so far:
Leather = $4.59 for a huge slab...enough for two more 3" x12" strips
Neatsfoot Oil = $6.99
1" x 3.5" x 24" piece of poplar = $2.52
Hand rubbing = free

What do you guys think?
 
Last edited:
heirkb

heirkb

Sluggo said:
I like how I am getting strop advice from Tony...it is sort of getting art tips from Da Vinci:lol:

Anyways, I have been hard at work hand rubbing the leather with Neatsfoot oil (it is the piece on the right). It is pretty flexible and getting supple.

The piece on the left is the piece I was going to paste ***Question, I can paste leather right?***

The handle kind of stinks...I live in an apartment and I dont have any tools other than hand tools (a few of them) but it will work for now.

Now the grand total so far:
Leather = $4.59 for a huge slab...enough for two more 3" x12" strips
Neatsfoot Oil = $6.99
1" x 3.5" x 24" piece of poplar = $2.52
Hand rubbing = free

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Looking pretty good so far:thumbup1:. I'd sand the handle a bit if you want it to look nicer.
Where'd you buy the leather?
 
professorchaos

professorchaos

Sluggo said:
I like how I am getting strop advice from Tony...it is sort of getting art tips from Da Vinci:lol:


The piece on the left is the piece I was going to paste ***Question, I can paste leather right?***
Click to expand...

:yesnod:

Yes you can apply paste to leather. In terms of how aggressively the abrasive cuts on when applied to leather, it seems to sit between balsa and pressed wool. In other words, just right.
 
Sluggo

Sluggo

heirkb said:
Looking pretty good so far:thumbup1:. I'd sand the handle a bit if you want it to look nicer.
Where'd you buy the leather?
Click to expand...

Yeah, I should spend some time on that...I was also thinking about wrapping it in something...but I am not sure yet.

I got the leather from Tandy Leather. They have a local store in Milwaukee, and they are selling the veg. cow hides for $4.59 a slab (normally it is sold by the sq ft.)

I ended up buying two.
 
Tony Miller

Tony Miller

Speaking of horse butts…
Not sure if the oiling first will affect how the glue will bond it to the wood. I would have oiled it after gluing myself, if I oiled it at all.

Tony
 
Sluggo

Sluggo

Tony Miller said:
Not sure if the oiling first will affect how the glue will bond it to the wood. I would have oiled it after gluing myself, if I oiled it at all.

Tony
Click to expand...

I agree. The leather was super stiff, and I was trying to get the feel of latigo. It had no draw at all, it was like stropping on glass. It will be interesting to see if the glue sticks.
 
Sluggo

Sluggo

I ended up wrapping one piece of leather in canvas, and applied the other with the contact cement.

It is no work of art, but I made it myself. Not too bad I think.
 
heirkb

heirkb

Funny that before I even saw your reply, I went to Tandy Leather 30 minutes away from my house and got the same leather in the same 5 dollar cuts.
I got some other scraps too which I now realize would have actually been way better for making strops. There was some leather they had that was...stoned oil or something like that and I tried stropping on a scrap of it today. It had a nice light draw and a velvety feel. Pretty nice stuff, but they only sell it in huge pieces as I'm sure you know.

Your strops lookin good. Not a beauty contest winning strop, but if it works, then it's all good. I bought soo much leather today that I'm gonna make tons of paddle strops and try out which works best for me.
 
natchez

natchez

I do a fair bit of leather work and I use Barge cement to fix leather moccasins and sandals to composite soles. I have also made a small strop for my leather knives and Barge worked fine with a pine wood base. The strop I made is about three years old and I have had no separation problems. Barge is available at any Tandy leather shop, or by mail. It is a permanent but flexible adhesive, so it works extremely well for soles on shoes which receive pressure in various directions.

Neatsfoot oil should be applied lightly and allowed to soak into the leather for a good while. It is what folks use for outdoor tack like saddles. It will soften hard leather and keep it reasonably supple.

If you wanted a latigo effect, why didn't you just get a couple of latigo strips? Is latigo preferable for razor strops? If so, why? The vegetable tanned leather pictured above is what we usually use for leather knife strops.

Looks like your projects are coming out fine. Good luck with them. If you need leather advice, you can PM me.

Best, Richard
 
heirkb

heirkb

natchez said:
I do a fair bit of leather work and I use Barge cement to fix leather moccasins and sandals to composite soles. I have also made a small strop for my leather knives and Barge worked fine with a pine wood base. The strop I made is about three years old and I have had no separation problems. Barge is available at any Tandy leather shop, or by mail. It is a permanent but flexible adhesive, so it works extremely well for soles on shoes which receive pressure in various directions.

Neatsfoot oil should be applied lightly and allowed to soak into the leather for a good while. It is what folks use for outdoor tack like saddles. It will soften hard leather and keep it reasonably supple.

If you wanted a latigo effect, why didn't you just get a couple of latigo strips? Is latigo preferable for razor strops? If so, why? The vegetable tanned leather pictured above is what we usually use for leather knife strops.

Looks like your projects are coming out fine. Good luck with them. If you need leather advice, you can PM me.

Best, Richard
Click to expand...

Darn. Wish I had seen this before I had gone to Tandy today. Also wish I had the sense to buy many more Dee Rings and pieces of leather...oh well. Next time perhaps
 
Sluggo

Sluggo

natchez said:
If you wanted a latigo effect, why didn't you just get a couple of latigo strips? Is latigo preferable for razor strops? If so, why? The vegetable tanned leather pictured above is what we usually use for leather knife strops.

Looks like your projects are coming out fine. Good luck with them. If you need leather advice, you can PM me.

Best, Richard
Click to expand...

Thanks Richard! At Tandy, Latigo is only sold in 2.5" strips for belts, or slabs...either way they are at least $40.
 
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