Is Latigo any good for making a strop

[Ferryman]

Mine is not dated but belonged to my late father in law

[sbrownn]

The really high end straps are made with shell cordovan leather.

[Hardrada]

I got a side of latigo and was wondering about this too. I'm feeling kinda 'ouch' because my strop requires a piece of leather 22" x 3.5" and the side of 7 oz latigo was $310 CAD, but if latigo is the best I can muster I guess I'm gonna go that route. I also have some W&C English bridle—would that work better?

Edited June 19, 2020 by Hardrada

[battlemunky]

@Hardrada, newspaper will work so there really is no "wrong", just different levels of fancy. I use a pasted strop for my straight razors and my leather tools, and have yet to damage either, so its just the flesh side of some veg-tan with green paste on it. I've glued the hair side to a piece of oak even, making a paddle strop. I prefer a paddle strop to a strap strop just because it is easier to maintain form on a paddle and that helps keep from rolling the edge, especially for straight razor stropping. For leather tools/knives/other hardier blades I don't think it matters too much unless the blade gets ridiculously thin like a straight razor's does.

[Hardrada]

Stoopid question before I make the strop: which side on top? Grain side or flesh side?

[Northmount]

16 hours ago, Hardrada said:

Stoopid question before I make the strop: which side on top? Grain side or flesh side?

I've seen both.  The flesh side may hold more rouge or stropping compound than the grain side.

Tom

[Hardrada]

Thanks, Tom!

[battlemunky]

@Hardrada, if you are using it for leather tools and hardier blades the flesh side with rouge is perfect. If you are going to use it for straight razor stropping you'll need an untreated/unpasted grain side for everyday shaving but the pasted side for when you hone a fresh bevel and you want a stage prior to shaving. The saying in straight shaving goes that honing is for the razor and stropping is for the face.

[Hardrada]

I see. That's good info, as I might eventually buy a straight razor (using Schick twin blades currently).

I want my strop mainly for this guy:

 

The strop from Tandy is just too small and I'm afraid I'm gonna slice a wrist artery or something.

Interestingly, the Tandy strop has two sides, one with grain side up and one with flesh side up. Being a noob I applied jeweller's rouge to the smooth (flesh up) side and left the other one compoundless for plain stropping.

[battlemunky]

With a hardier blade it really isn't as huge of a concern @Hardrada so don't sweat pasting the grain side. Besides, it'll wear off.

You got a link for that round knife by any chance? Me likey.