Quote Originally Posted by Ben325e View Post
here's a book I found on the subject: Design of Machine Elements - Google Book Search

it says that the canvas was impregnated with rubber to increase the coefficient of friction for pulley belts (p.500)

To find out which has a higher coefficient of friction for your particular belt, place the canvas and leather on a clean counter top. using a downward angle, try to push the leather or canvas. Which is easier to push? For me, Latigo leather trashes the canvas, but my canvas isn't pasted at all.
Yeah, the reference I found was something like that one, but an older version, and it seemed to have non-rubberized canvas, just straight canvas....


How about this for a test of co-efficient of friction: take your leather strop, pull it taught, and make a fist. Now run one of your knuckles up and down the strop lickety-split fast.

OK?

Now try the same thing with your cavas strop.....