Thread: Hemp

No not smoking it. This would be the wrong forum. Hemp webbing as the fabric component on strops. I was surfing and looking for linen webbing to replace the felt on one of my strops. I don't want to buy a whole strop just to get it. There was a few different types go natural fiber webbing. I have seen flax linen and cotton used on strops but never hemp. It makes sense as it has much of the qualities that both cotton and linen do. Has anyone already traveled this road?

I haven't heard of hemp used in a strop but I would think it would work. Can you find hemp fabric? I have never looked for it. Jusrt might have to look into it!. Like wow Man!

Slawman

I have made and used hemp strops. The first time I tried it I almost gave up because it slightly scratched up a bevel. Later I did more prep on the hemp strop surface and from that point on I was very happy with it. Last year Bluesman7 told me about his more extensive prep and I think that makes it even better.

I do consider the hemp strop to be a little more aggressive than other fabrics but as far as I have been able to tell under microscopy it causes no damage.

I am most curious as to what the prep is that you and Victor have used and what weave you were using. I found two different weaves, a canvas weave with the typical vertical and horizontal runs, the second being a herring bone weave.

I used a herringbone weave. I first used it as is and that had some remnants that were too rough. Ever seen a shoe shine done with a cloth held in two hands with each hand holding one end? The was the motion I did over a piece of 2" diameter steel pipe. That was all the prep that I did and it worked fine.

Bluesman7's prep was much more extensive. I'm not certain if he considered his approach to be proprietary. I doubt that, but I don't want to disclose it without his permission.

I used the herring bone weave from Hemp Basics. When I first made the strop I pronounced it unusable because it shed nasty fibers that got in my nose. It was almost like dealing with fiberglass. A while later, after reading about conditioning hemp rope, I pulled it out and did the following. I had already sewed on D rings, so that would be step one. I boiled the strop for 20 minutes and then hung it with a few pounds of weight to dry. Then I ran the hemp over a 90 degree corner to beak down some of the fibers. I then burned off the hairs with a flame. Then worked in the tiniest amount of mineral oil. It is my favorite of all the secondary strop materials that I have tried.

I was having similar thoughts as far as your method goes. I was thinking I would have to do some prep with the fabric. Hopefully Victor will chime in here at too.

Excellent. I have placed an order and will follow up sometime down the road.
I am hoping that I too get some good results.
Help finding the right path is always appreciated.

Originally Posted by Slawman

I haven't heard of hemp used in a strop but I would think it would work. Can you find hemp fabric? I have never looked for it. Jusrt might have to look into it!. Like wow Man!

Slawman

The hemp is more readily available and in wider pieces than flax linen. I did find some flax linen in Europe but the shipping was a little crazy. There are a few spots to get hemp webbing in bulk, and it is crazy cheap, but 55 yards is too much for me. This is after all an experiment not a business venture.

Look for artist grade hemp fabric. My daughter is an artist and she swears by it. She primes it with gesso and before that its silky smooth. it depends on the weave count.