Thread: Table Strop Suggestions?

Originally Posted by Gasman

What im getting from this thread, is that a paddle or bench strop is leather laying on a hard surface. So no give in the strop. But, shouldnt there be some give? A piece of leather strop mounted on a wood block with rubber feet or bubber strip under it to keep it from sliding would work? Or should it be stretched in a way to hold it up off the base a little so its suspended above base just a little? I think that is what im seeing on Toms strop.

I ha e a piece of leather and was thinking of making one of these myself. I will be watch.

I have a paddle strop that has grooves cut parallel to the stropping surface that are supposed to offer the effect of stropping on a hanging strop. I also have a bench strop in which the bridle leather is glued right to the hardwood base. To be honest, I can’t tell that there is much difference in the feel of the razor on the strop.

I have three hanging strops as well and tend to use them most often, but the bench strop sure made stropping easier for me when I was starting out and I found the muscle memory for flipping the razor did transfer to the hanging strops.

I also read somewhere that stropping on a bench strop is less likely to round the edge than stropping on a hanging strop, especially for newbies who haven’t quite figured out how to tension correctly.

The bench strops that I use are 20"x4". Latigo leather contact cemented to MDF so that they sit about one inch off the table. Cheap and effective.

Originally Posted by criswilson10

The bench strops that I use are 20"x4". Latigo leather contact cemented to MDF so that they sit about one inch off the table. Cheap and effective.

What is MDF?

I think what you are envisioning is what is called a loom strop. The strop is designed so that it can bow like a hanging strop, but it can either be held like a paddle strop, or placed on a table like a bench strop. You can adjust the tension on the leather to control the amount of bowing.

Search the Internet for "loom strop". I know that Mastro Livi used to sell one that was highly regarded, but I am not certain he still makes them.

Medium density fiberboard....

Originally Posted by Gasman

What is MDF?

Thanks for all the replies gentleman!
I was super busy last night and couldn't get on SRP.

Now I remember thank you ... loom strop. I see the dinky little ones on fleabay, I had one at some point, but can imagine a proper sized one.

I read a great thread yesterday explaining why a suspended/hanging strop is better, why it does a better job with that "curve or bow" to it. Creating a micro-bevel after using the hones. Papabull was the one who posted the excellent explanation, I'll see if I can link that thread, it was from some years back.

Man! Tom that strop you have looks professional! And the wall mount is so cool!
If you want to quit your day job and travel the world installing those... that IS an option. Just saying you got options!

I'm gonna put the table loom strop on the list, there's gotta be an Ingenious Geezer way to make one of those with household materials.. I imagine it would be something like:
Old leather coat, 3 paper clips, 2 pieces of wood, some glue, a pair of pliers, and a blowtorch. Wham Bamm! A table loom strop to boot!

Thanks to all the suggestions and to Harold who PM with an offer of a strop! He is a generous man to say the least!

Don't forget the Ductape!
I started making a bench strop and posted a couple pics last night in the "Working on" thread. Plan on using it when honing. So I dont have to get off my lazy backside to strop.

I made them and sold them for a few years but I just could not compete with cheap Chinese stuff so I gave up

The Vegi Tanned leather is easy to source, most good hardwood stores have any wood you want

I use #3M Spray Adhesive when I built them but any good Contact Cement will work, the silicone feet are available at any Hardware store the screw in style stay forever

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9um6_LbfNpQ

I find them to excell for Pastes and for Kamisori stropping, but they work well for all stropping


Not For Sale any Longer

I'm a little late to the party here. The bench strops that have been mounted directly to a board with feet work well for knives in my opinion, but not with razors, since the angle of the knife can vary on the fixed leather surface whereas the fixed angle of the razor cannot. Thus, the best bench strops for razors would be those that have underlying give to them. The Lipshaw strop with felt or foam takes things in this direction as does the paddle strop with parallel cutouts in the wood beneath the leather. But really, only the loom strop as mentioned has the "give" mimicking the hanging strop. Tiny it is, but lots of European barbers use all the same. However, it normally involves being held with the off-hand which defeats the purpose here.

In France, I have seen examples of a bench strop that are also analogous to a hanging strop. There vary in size but involve a piece leather stretched across hollowed-out piece of wood underneath. Here's the only shot of one I could find:



It's very small, better to be used hand-held, but the same design can be enlarged to accommodate a 2"- or 2-1/2"-wide piece. Placed on a table or a bench, it would require only a little pressure from the thumb and forefinger of the off-hand to stabilize it, or a slot could be cut to place it in for one-handed use only.

Hey nice! That looks like one that could work, just make it bigger.

Maybe a 4"x4" by 2 feet long or so? Cut out an arc of wood from the top just like that one you have in the picture, and stretch leather across..

Next I'd try to think of an easy way to tighten it when it stretches/loosens.

Essentially one piece of wood, leather, and some hardware.

So vegi tanned is the way to go? I think I read that there's a difference in pull between bridle leather and others. Less pull was easier for me, but with experience maybe that preference would change.

I'd like to have a pasted paddle strop and a loom strop I think. Seems a lot of guys use that combo?

Thanks guys! Much appreciated