Thread: Strops: Would any piece of leather do?

So I am looking at the prices of strops and am blown away at how pricey they can be. I live close to several leather businesses where I can buy scrap leather from for very cheap. Would any strop sized piece of leather do or do I need a special kind of leather?

Actually you can buy a ready made strop for not that much if you stay away from the fancy stuff.

The type of leather is not that important but what is, is to be able to get the proper dimension and a real quality piece without fat marks and wrinkles and imperfections and really uniform whether you go with ultra smooth or knappy type which some prefer.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Actually you can buy a ready made strop for not that much if you stay away from the fancy stuff.

The type of leather is not that important but what is, is to be able to get the proper dimension and a real quality piece without fat marks and wrinkles and imperfections and really uniform whether you go with ultra smooth or knappy type which some prefer.

Ebay? or....? The new ones seem to be pricey. These leather stores are selling scrap leather for 3.25 per lb.

This one is fairly inexpensive and Kenrup is a member here and is a real pro to deal with.

RupRazor - The Filly

Originally Posted by aroliver59

This one is fairly inexpensive and Kenrup is a member here and is a real pro to deal with.

RupRazor - The Filly

Wow $20 is a good deal, I may be ordering one soon!

The $20 strop is a better bet than a bundle of scrap. The scrap bundles are usually pieces that are deemed "unsuitable" and usually contain the edges of hides, brands, scars, uneven thickness, etc. While the scrap bundles are wonderful for some projects, the chances of any given bundle containing a strip suitable for a strop would be iffy at best.

Originally Posted by BYUTexan

Wow $20 is a good deal, I may be ordering one soon!

I picked up a filly last week. Shipping is free, and the rough side comes with paste for touch ups. I'm new to all this, and the filly was definitely the way to go.

As long as it is relatively smooth and free of any defects (folds, creases, etc) that might damage the edge, the answer is yes. I have used my belt several times in a pinch, and it works fine.