Magnetic Strop?

I have some large, thin A4 magnetic sheets for hobby stuff and am curious about using one as the backing for a strop; I just purchased two 300/80mm strips of kangaroo tail leather which might work nicely. I'm hoping this might help to keep the razor flat on the strop itself, but the magnets arn't strong so they shouldn't provide too much pull.

Moreover if I get a metal backing then I can use it to swap and change different bits of hide for use with abrasives.

The whole point of stropping is to allow the razor to "glide" over the leather in order to refresh and realign the edge. Not really sure if a magnet would serve any real purpose in that :shrug:

Well, my hope was that with the strop between the magnet and the razor the razor won't be getting 'pulled' into it with any force, but it may help me to keep the spine/blade in contact. And if it doesn't then it's still useful for making a modular strop.

Sounds like you're suggesting a magnet might make a substitute for good stropping technique. But there ain't no substitute... :D

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Sounds like you're suggesting a magnet might make a substitute for good stropping technique. But there ain't no substitute...

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I have conventional bench and hanging strops on order to practice on, but I'm not going into this believing that all conventional methods and tools represent the perfect approach. My aim is to find or make (if I have to) the best tools and methods based on my needs. This, for me, is a hobby. Not simply a way to cut hair. I want to make use of my imagination, try new things, and attempt to be innovative. That's what makes it a fun hobby.

I think somebody beat you to it Straight Razor Stropping-Modular Paddle Strop - YouTube .

Bob

should be a fun project. let us know how it works out.

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I think somebody beat you to it

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It's a great product, and I had it recommended in another thread. Maybe that's what gave me the idea. I ended up buying the modular hanging strop (so I can replace the leather if a damage it) and a bench-top strop from somewhere else (sharpening supplies I think); this is going to be a bunch of bench-toppers which will purely be for testing different compounds, polishes, pastes and so on. The fact that I can make it very cheaply is good.

My kitchen counter-top is stainless so all I need is the leather/magnetic backing. I could make up ten or more of these for the price of a good pre-made hanging strop. Then I can try all the different things I want to: rouges, strop pastes, diamond pastes, crOx, etc. As well as trying slurry from my own hones.

Sounds like what you have in mind would work.

Bob

I have a paddle strop I use on the road that uses that same principle. I got it from Straight Razor Designs. The leather and felt have magnetized backing as does the paddle. It is a great concept and works very well. Funny thing I learned from using it is that I only actually use less than a foot of surface to strop. I don't use any more space on my hanging strop and it has twice as much material than I need.