Thread: Made my own strop

I am a newbie to the straight razor cult, but I have been doing leather work and making cowboy leather for years. I decided that I would try to make my onw strop. My first experiment was with a 2.5 inch 10 oz leather strap that I have been using to hone an old razor. I decided to sew on a d ring end (I am going to put a hook on the wall) and to sew a handle on the other end. I looks rough because I have been using chrome oxide on the strop and there is no finish on the leather (always looks rough when it's unfinished). It has all been stiched on my harness sticher and is as strong as could be. I don't like any rivets or other metal around the blade so everything is sewn. I will make a few more and finish them so that they look a little better. I'd appreciate some feedback, but please bbe gentle.

Thanks

Cowboy Bill

Ok...I couldn't help myself...I had to make a nicer looking dyed strop. This one still needs a finish coat, but you get the idea.

Cowboy Bill

nice job looks like a couple of good pieces of leather to start on, stitching looks solid.

It sure ain't the prettiest I've seen, but it sure looks serviceable!

Better'n anything I could ever make.

I like the Crayon on the first one. Good to get your kids involved in the shaving hobby!

Nice job on both!

RT

I put the finish on the mahogany strop today and I'll give it a good coat of neatsfoot oil tommorow. More pics to come. I also made another strop today with a little nicer handle. The D rings are 2 inch horse tack d rings. I think these strops are strong enough that you could support your own weight on them. Like everthing I make from leather...they are way stronger than they need to be.

Hey, nice work! I am trying to make a strop too, but have no experience working with leather so am (to put it mildly) struggling a bit.
I bought a strip of pretty thick (3-4mm) veg tanned leather from a saddler but the surface is pretty hard and shiny and has what I would call 'figure' or a slight pattern on it.
I also have an old strop that is too badly damaged to use. The surface is dead smooth but also soft and slightly oily. So the question is, how do I get my hard shiny leather to be a good strop???
From limited information on the net I have taken to the leather with a pumice stone both dry, and after rubbing in lather. It seems to be (very slowly) getting smoother, but I am not sure that this is the best way to go about things. I would really appreciate any advice.