Custom Footy-Roo

A little while ago a fellow Aussie member PM'd me to ask if I would make him a strop. He already had a really nice strop but it had a plain barbers end and he was looking to get a second one with a handle. All the hanging strops I have made up until now have had the barbers end because, well, that's what I use. I thought about it for a little while and decided I should rise to the handle challenge.

Initially I thought I would just use D rings or leather to make the handle. I eventually decided that, since the future owner is such a discerning gentleman, I should make a bit more of an effort for him, and I came up with this design. The handle is hand carved out of maple. It has a clear varnish, and it is about 4" long. It is attached with 3/16 brass rod, which I think looks quite nice and gives an even pull right across the bottom of the strop.

The other cool thing about this strop is the leather I used. It has two stropping surfaces. On side one is the grade A vegetable tanned kangaroo leather which I have used on my last few strops. It is my favorite leather to strop on and it has a super smooth draw. On side two is something new I have discovered. This leather is made by the tannery to be used by the guys who hand make footballs. Yes, there are craftsmen out there hand sewing vintage looking footballs. I should really stay off the internet. There is a whole world of things out there I didn't know I wanted... Now I have to have a custom football.

Anyway, this leather feels so nice. Supple and sort of slightly velvety, and it has a bit more draw than the kangaroo. It is my new favorite cow leather, by far. Nice dark brown colour, too. And of course the heavier cow leather gives weight and support to the thinner kangaroo leather. I think I might call this strop design "The Footy-Roo"? Maybe not.

The strop is 2.5" wide, 21" long without the handle and swivel, and is held together with six Chicago screws in case it needs to be disassembled one day.

All in all I am really pleased with the way it turned out. It was a fair bit more work, but it is fun trying out new things and making stuff a bit individual and unique.

Very nice, although not sure about the name. Add another 3 inches on it and you can go with "The 2 Foot Roo"

Fletch said:

Very nice, although not sure about the name. Add another 3 inches on it and you can go with "The 2 Foot Roo"

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Zing!

Oh, I should probably point out, Australian football leather is different from American. Australian footballs are not designed to be thrown, so the leather is smoother and not so bumpy for grip.

Beautiful stop there, simply lovely. I do think a red gum handle would be more culturally consistent and prettier, it is one of my favorite woods.

You should also point out that footy players can dribble the ball and kick goals at a full run, goals from really long distances. Nothing to do with the leather, but everything to do with athleticism.

VERY Nice work mate.

That's a classy strop & some real skills you have, nice going!

Gorgeous work there!

Really nice,always wanted to try working with leather but never have.
Knowing nothing about strops,what do's draw mean?

Very nice work

spindlecone said:

Really nice,always wanted to try working with leather but never have.
Knowing nothing about strops,what do's draw mean?

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It's sort of like how much drag or friction the razor has as it travels over the surface. Different types of leather and tanning change the draw. Some people prefer more, some less. And people feel that different draws have different stropping effects.

This is one of the reasons I use two types of leather in my strops. You can choose, or use both. Two strops in one.

Beautiful work and fantastic idea for the handle!

I was the one who asked David for a strop. It's been more than a week now so it would be fair to provide some feedback. The handle was the main thing I was after. I love my Kanayama strop but I end up getting a cramp after a while (I'm getting old). I had a Roo strop before, very thin leather, good leather, but it was cupping easily.

Now, David's work!

It was excellent work, the strop is very well attached at each ends. The clip is perfect to be hooked on something. The handle is very unique, somehow comfortable. Not slippery or anything like it.

The leather is very good quality, I use both sides. The footy side first and the Roo side for a finish, it's smoother. I used the same straight for a week to understand how it felt. I will be brutally honest, I think the Kanayama offers a better or smoother finish than Kangaroo. David strop work well and did maintain the edge easy for that week. That was excellent work! Love it!

I think it comes down to what someone prefer as a finisher, Kangaroo, Buffalo, Latigo, Cowhide, etc...

Thank you Luc. I'm really glad you like it.

If I start making something I try my best to make it as well as I can. But you know how it is, we are always the most critical of our own work, and although I am very happy with the way these strops look and work, it is not until we get validation from people like yourself that we start to relax. Especially since I knew your other strop was a Kanayama.

Yeah, I like the way the handles are working on these. I tried a couple of different shapes and finishes. These ones seemed like a nice, elegantly simple idea that works well, and the estapol gives a great grip for a glossy surface. I want one on my strop now.