Hey all, this is only for those who are cost conscious, as I am forced to be while trying to get my business off the ground. I highly recommend getting a strop that's made properly to begin with if you can afford it. But for the rest of us poor blokes here's what I did in an emergency.

PROBLEM:
The belt I've been using for stropping finally gave way. I've been putting off buying one due to budget issues but this required action.

I can't really afford to wait for one to arrive by mail since I'm trying to bid/win some important work and need to look my best every day for the next couple weeks.

A few of the Antique stores around here have some well used 1960's strops they want more for than tony's beautiful new strops so that wasn't an option.

SOLUTION:
I stopped off at the local shoe/leatherworks repair shop where he cut me 2 strips 3"X30" pulling (sp?) leather for 9 bucks. That was the minimum quantity he could sell and it put it in a length that gave me enough leather to design and cut a handle of sorts on the bottom. I punched 2 holes in the top , put a grommet in each and secured it with shoe lace. I conditioned it with some lexol leather conditioner and tomorrow I'll take a pic and post it.

For a grand total of 9.60 USD and some elbow grease I have 2 strops. Leather conditioner is something I keep so I didn't factor that into the cost. Once again, I firmly suggest getting something properly made when you can afford it but I was under both a budget and time crunch (I needed it today).

I don't have the canvas on it but I've come to believe that's primarily a friction thing utilized to warm the steel before the real stropping (could be wrong). I can do that with hot tap water and a towel dab If I feel the need.