Stropping block

[dustin29]

When making a stropping block do you cement the leather on grain side or flesh side up?

[ericluther]

I got two with my first batch of tools and they were glued to the grain side flesh side up.

[dustin29]

I got two with my first batch of tools and they were glued to the grain side flesh side up.

Thanks Eric, I saw a tutorial online and she had it flesh side up also. I wast just making sure.

[Regis]

I've seen posts here supporting both ways. I believe the closer to perfectly flat the better. If you use flesh up, with thicker leather, it will tend to round-over your edge if you press down at all. You'll see people gluing a business card to very flat surface like glass. That leaves no chance to round-over as longs as you keep your angle even. I use a very hard and very flat board, with 3 sections; 1200 grit, 2 oz veg tanned leather grain up, and card stock all glued down. The leather and card stock have rouge on them. This works really good for me.

Regis

[dustin29]

I've seen posts here supporting both ways. I believe the closer to perfectly flat the better. If you use flesh up, with thicker leather, it will tend to round-over your edge if you press down at all. You'll see people gluing a business card to very flat surface like glass. That leaves no chance to round-over as longs as you keep your angle even. I use a very hard and very flat board, with 3 sections; 1200 grit, 2 oz veg tanned leather grain up, and card stock all glued down. The leather and card stock have rouge on them. This works really good for me.

Regis

So if I use some 6-7 oz veg tan leather that I have, should I put the grain side up?

[Regis]

So if I use some 6-7 oz veg tan leather that I have, should I put the grain side up?

From my experience (only few years) yes. Still need to be carefull not to bare down when you strop so it doen't round up the edge. When you strop, watch closely. If the leather rises in front of your blade as you draw back, you are pressing too hard. Took me a long time to get/keep sharp blade. Now, I strop very often and without much pressure....just keeping polish in edge.

If you put flesh up, it holds a lot more rouge but, I don't know if that is important.

Regis

[UKRay]

I make about twenty strops a month and always stick the flesh side to the wood. I get a better bond and it leaves a flatter working surface to polish the blade. Just my opinion and worth what you paid for it.

Ray

[dustin29]

From my experience (only few years) yes. Still need to be carefull not to bare down when you strop so it doen't round up the edge. When you strop, watch closely. If the leather rises in front of your blade as you draw back, you are pressing too hard. Took me a long time to get/keep sharp blade. Now, I strop very often and without much pressure....just keeping polish in edge.

If you put flesh up, it holds a lot more rouge but, I don't know if that is important.

Regis

Thats a huge help to me Regis, I was baring down way too hard before and I think that must be the reason I couldnt keep a sharp edge. I even bought a Barry King knife, but it still dulled up fast. Thanks a bunch.