Thread: Replace leather in Retractable razor strop

Update update more good news.

Got nearly everything apart now, pics show what it all looks like now.

First photo shows the opened up strop parts in order (so I can put it together again correctly)
In this photo you can see the strop is attached to the barrel with what looks like cotton thread looped over the post on the barrel and threaded into the leather to hold it in place. note the leather is also glued to the barrel to help secure the leather in place.



The next photo shows a closer view of the parts, note the spring is in fairly rough shape, so I will look for a suitable replacement. Not sure how that will go yet. The barrel where the leather attaches will get a clean up in readiness for the new leather strop





The next photo shows inside the main body of the unit. As you can see it is a relatively simple arrangement to put together. The spring goes on threaded post first and is appears held under it's own pressure and locks in place by sliding the bent end piece into the slotted screw end. This screw is also threaded on it's outside to allow the end cap to be tightened into place.
At this time it doesn't look too hard to do this rebuild. More to come later.

That spring may not be as bad off as you think. They should be floppy as they have a lot of turns to make before they bring in all the leather. They also require quite a few turns needed to pretension them. An old hardware store may be able to help you out with a replacement.
Have fun!
~Richard

Some more progress photos on this job. I have now cleaned up the inner barrel the strop retracts in and out on. Also found there were 3 tiny pins on the handle that could be removed so the old strop piece can be removed and a replacement one put in there. Maybe some Roo leather is available locally in the size I need, about 21" x 2".
For the pins I will try out a Jeweller store and see how I go.

Photos below show what I see.

Hey Ricky, not sure what direction you are going to go with this but Roo leather, if you cut it from the centre part of the hide will not stretch at all and would be, IMO, a perfect replacement.

I considered it myself on my retractable strop, but managed to fix up the original leather it came with to a useable point instead. But if that ever dies, it will be kangaroo leather for me.

Good luck.

James.

Thanks for the advice Jimbo.
I am sourcing some Kangaroo leather, (it was my first choice) at this time, don't know if I want to buy a full hide though. I may have to rely on somebody dealing with leather to cut the piece I want. The original piece was too badly cut up to salvage.
I am trying to avoid the Bay for this item.

Did you use the original pins to secure the strop to the handle, or replace with SR pins made to suit the job?

Supplier of Roo leather found.
In recent days I have been speaking with an Ebay seller of Kangaroo Hide pieces. His name is Geoff and his ebay business name is outthere09.
This all came about as I was looking for a replacement strop piece for my Retractable Strop. Geoff took the time to find out what I needed and a few days later he came back to me and said he can definitely supply what I want.
He can cut most items to order from strops, to wallet inserts, to almost full hides.
For anybody looking for a decent ebay seller of Roo hides, I believe you cant go past this one without at least stopping in to have a look.

Now just waiting for delivery of the leather strop replacement.