Thread: Concern with my paddle strop.

When I first got into the Straight Razor thing I made my own paddle strop out of leather and noticed I did not get full contact with the blade so I took the leather off and replaced it with balsa. Balsa is easy to refurbish with a sanding block or sand paper on a flat surface. I think if I did it today I would use hard felt for the paddle strop. For me leather would be my last choice for a paddle.

bj

I used this paddle strop again today. Using only the smooth leather side, (as the flesh side is coated with CrOx) it again was apparent how humped up it is in the middle down the length of the strop it is. Even switching to using an X-pattern I'm losing so much area of the leather surface. And even using the X-pattern really dosen't work all that well unless I "rock the blade from side to side as I'm sliding the blade down the length of the strop. As I stated earlier I don't wish to sand the surface. But is there anything else that I can do? Since its a 3 inch width I would sure like to be able to use all of the surface area.

Thanks, Jim

Maybe you've got a defective paddle. I just received two SRD paddles myself and one of them is being sent back for an exchange tomorrow because, like yours, it has a hump. Actually in my case it has a lump. It's a spot the size of a quater in the middle of the paddle and you can tell it's that the wood was not properly sanded / cut flat before gluing the leather. I love my paddles, always have, and the SRD is the best I've seen in a long time but maybe they need to do a little better on QC as I have heard others express concerns with their paddles.

Originally Posted by DistortedPenguin

Maybe you've got a defective paddle. I just received two SRD paddles myself and one of them is being sent back for an exchange tomorrow because, like yours, it has a hump. Actually in my case it has a lump. It's a spot the size of a quater in the middle of the paddle and you can tell it's that the wood was not properly sanded / cut flat before gluing the leather. I love my paddles, always have, and the SRD is the best I've seen in a long time but maybe they need to do a little better on QC as I have heard others express concerns with their paddles.

Do you think it would be possible to remove the leather and re-sand the wood surface and then glue the leather back on. Has anyone ever tried this?

Originally Posted by jimk

Do you think it would be possible to remove the leather and re-sand the wood surface and then glue the leather back on. Has anyone ever tried this?

I haven't tried it but sure it can be done. If the paddle is a somewhat recent purchase I would still contact SRD and ask them for help or the possibility of an exchange.

i would contact srd and see what they say and or recomend, bassed on all my dealings and everyone elses recomendations i think they would help sort you out, its just good business to do that.

Originally Posted by UtahRootBeer

i would contact srd and see what they say and or recomend, bassed on all my dealings and everyone elses recomendations i think they would help sort you out, its just good business to do that.

He's right, they have always been good dealing with customer concerns.

Yes contact the shipper/ vendor.

It is possible that it was not glued as well
as it might. If I was making one I would
support it from below cover both sides with
foil or plastic wrap and stack some books
and bricks on it after gluing.

This should work on a paddle strop built
on a solid chunk of wood but not one built
in the style of a loom strop with an air gap
in the middle. I would be tempted to dry
this if you have the strop I am looking
at on the web.

Leather is interesting stuff. I had a wide strop
that developed a bow partly because it
was not supported by a canvas back strop and
partly because I applied way too much strop
dressing one time.

I took it to the kitchen and saddle soaped the
heck out of both sides two days in a row. Then
I hung it out to dry for a couple days, applied a thin bit of
mink oil then a thin bit of strop dressing from
my 40 year old first buy jar and it was good as new.
It was a bit stiff at first but it came back nicely.

I ended up repairing this myself. Removing the leather, cleaning the old glue off and checking with a Starrett flat edge. The wood surface itself had a raised portion about 2 inchs wide and ran down the center of the paddle length wise the full portion where the leather is glued on. I flattened this section out and checked with the machinist flat edge as I went. Re-glued the leather back on this evening. Came out better than new.

I'd like to say thanks to all of you who gave me input on this matter.

Originally Posted by jimk

I ended up repairing this myself. Removing the leather, cleaning the old glue off and checking with a Starrett flat edge. The wood surface itself had a raised portion about 2 inchs wide and ran down the center of the paddle length wise the full portion where the leather is glued on. I flattened this section out and checked with the machinist flat edge as I went. Re-glued the leather back on this evening. Came out better than new.

I'd like to say thanks to all of you who gave me input on this matter.

I figured it was the wood and not the leather as I mentioned I had a similar problem with the same paddle. Glad to hear you got it fixed.