dikman Report post Posted August 26, 2015 While reading a book from the library on basic leatherwork, the author talked about strops, and explained how to make one. Hmm, thinks I, maybe I should make one. So I did - a conveniently sized piece of melamine particleboard that was lying around and a piece of leather that I'd recovered from a handbag many years ago glued to it (not sure what type it is, I'm guessing possibly chrome-tanned, but doesn't matter). Now for the honing grit - he suggested carborundum grit/tallow, but the grit proved difficult to find. Then I remembered the stuff I had for my buffing wheels. The brown and red proved difficult to apply, so I ended up with a white one that seemed to rub on reasonably well (nothing like the scientific approach!). I then used a hot air gun to warm up the leather a bit and rubbed on some tallow/beeswax mix that I had (patch lube for my muzzleloaders), rubbed on a bit more white stuff and then a bit more heat. Yes, I know, I've probably done this backwards, but this was more in the way of an experiment anyway. I made myself a short-bladed knife, for leatherwork, from a power hacksaw blade the other day, and finished the sharpening on a hard black Arkansas stone (supposed to give a very smooth sharp edge). I wasn't overly happy with the way it cut leather, so I ran it over the strop a few times. What a difference! It sliced into some hard leather much more easily. I'd also just bought myself a (really) cheap set of "craft" knives - three handles and an assortment of blades. I'd really bought it to get a handle that I could clamp scalpel blades in, and I intend turning down a wooden handle and glueing the thin handle into it. Well, these blades, as they came, didn't like slicing into the hard leather, and took a lot of force to cut. So I ran a couple of the blades over the strop a few times and now they slice nicely through the leather. It's convinced me of the necessity for a strop! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidL Report post Posted August 26, 2015 I think some coloured compounds can't be used with certain steels. White is usually jewellers rouge, green is the more aggressive compound (still not as aggressive as sharpening stone). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dikman Report post Posted August 26, 2015 Yes, I read that in the sticky at the top of this heading. I'll definitely have to get some green stuff, but in the meantime whatever the white is it definitely does something to the edge. (I "inherited" the compounds with a heap of stuff I got from a deceased estate, so I have no idea what they are, but I do know they are very old. It worked on a scalpel blade, and they are generally made from high quality steel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mlapaglia Report post Posted August 26, 2015 (edited) A strop is essential. I made mine from a 5 gallon paint stirrer stick. Its i.5 inches wide so some old belt scraps were perfect. One side is 7" of rough out and the other side is grain out. The total length is 11 inches. The 5 gal stick is thick enough that it works great. I need to put more green on the grain side but it works great and is a good size for small tools like swivel knives my french edger. I made one with a full length 5 gallon paint stirred for bigger knives and tools. Michael Edited August 26, 2015 by mlapaglia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
