Thread: Making a pasted strop

I've had this idea kicking around in my head for a while. I'd like to make a pasted paddle strop.

Step 1: Buy the cheapest hanging strop of eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Professional-Leat...QQcmdZViewItem


Step 2: Rip it apart.
Step 2: Glue it to a flat board.
Step 3: Apply paste.

My only reservation is as follows: Does the quality of the leather matter in making a pasted paddle strop? It seems to me that the leather should just hold the paste and provided a bit of forgiving squish (otherwise you might just as well use pasted glass).

It is an experiment I'd like to try, if it is worth trying. Please let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Mark

I think the quality maters to some degree obviously you don't want any major defects that will cause problems as you are stropping. Also different tanning methods have different abrasive and draw qualities, as well as how effective the paste sticks to the leather. Even the different sides of the leather to me matter, I paste the smooth side of the board strop I made. To me it keeps from rolling the micro edge over.

I have pasted a few strops with a few different pastes and I would say that the quality of the leather is a factor. One strop I tried was very stiff and hard surfaced. The paste just stuck to the surface and was almost useless as a sharpener. I think that as long as the leather is unblemished and good enough for normal stropping then it should be fine to paste.