Totally agree with Mark's post. they needn't be expensive either. I've made paddle strops from MDF and a leather skirt from a charity shop (cost £2 / $4), I 've also used a Chamois leather from the car shop £1.50 / $3.00 - all with good success. If you are using strops for honing with paste shelling out £30 - £40 a time will work out expensive, as Mark said, they will have to be used exclusivelly for a single grade of paste. My strops may not be pretty, but they certainly do the job, have not left me without money for beer and it's fun making them too.....

Don't throw money away, when there's no need....

Best wishes,

Mark (2).......!!! :-))