Thread: Soilarch's $7 Strops

Meant to do this for awhile. I don't claim that these are on par with expensive "proper" strops, but they are all I've ever used. If you're reasonably handy and have a 1/2 hour this can save you some $$$

Find someplace that sells bridles, reigns, and just horse tack in general. (TSC, Rural King, Orcheln's are were I look) What you want is called a cinch strap. Synthetic ones are becoming popular nowadays. You want a leather one. It's about 1.75" wide and usually at 4-5' long. I've paid between $18-22 for the Weaver brand. It's the only leather cinch strap I've seen in the stores mentioned above.

You also need:
*A SHARP knife. (Cutting leather and dull knives don't mix)
*Some type of cordage, I use 550 paracord.
*Lexol, or Neatsfoot, or a really greasing nose. (In the store, Lexol or Neatfoot will be somewhere very near where you find the cinch strap.)
*Sandpaper 220,400,600...it's not cold fusion...use whatcha ya got.

Here's what we start with:


Take the cinch strap and find what I'll call the "finished end". This is what will make your one "finished" looking strop.


Here is the Butt end, with the little tag of leather you want to save!



Cut the cinch strap with your SHARP knife. (Trust me on this one guys, I didn't include band-aids in the material list.) You can cut it above the second hole, like I did, or the third.


This will be your "finished" strop before long.