Thread: Strops

So I'm a student on a budget, and I have yet to buy a strop. Seeing as these items are rather pricey, what is the general consensus on making one?
I've seen some how-to's and they don't look terribly difficult to make. They are also made nice and cheap.
What do you think?
Brock

If your pretty handy with leather you can try. The idea is to get a nice supple and smooth piece of leather without any wrinkles or fat marks and then some hardware to hang it on and a handle if that's what you want. personally for about $30 or so you can get a basic new one or for alot less you can get a vintage in good shape off Eboy.

I’ve got a couple home grown specials. Last one was under $4 for leather scrap, $10 for the horse saddle “Dee” rings used for handles. All parts from Tandy Leather which is local to me. I stitch them by hand because I like the look and the price is right up my alley. As far as I can tell they function fine, my only reservation is that I have never had my hands on the real McCoy to know what genuine feels like.

Never had my hands on the "real mckoy" either since I made my own.

I wanted some loaded strops to this was still a great buy for me.

I went to a store that sold horse equipment (TSC, Rural King, Oerschelyns, some "CO-OPS" as they're called around here) and got a cinch strap for $18.

I made three strops out of that cinch strap. Didn't worry about making D-Ring loops or handles. On end of it could be manipulated into loop (You'll just have to look at it see it) and the other 2 had holes already punched in them like the end of a belt. I just ran some paracord (rope) through them so they'd hang on nails/hooks/doorknob/handles.

If the leather seems a little too rough or wrinkly get some 200grit sandpaper and go to town on it, Then oil it down and you're good to go. DON'T DO WHAT I DID AT FIRST and try to "soften" the leather by rolling it. That's what got all those wrinkles in that needed sanded out. After I sanded it though it was smoother than when it started. Seemed a little softer with "draw" than the other two as well.

P.S. Student on a budget as well. I just made a tumbler out of a orbital sander and tupperware tonight. It's going as we speak with rice instead of "walnut media" lol.

These are my home made strops.