Thread: Inexpensive/Quick Paddle Strops

Great job! The final paddles look really sturdy considering they're made from a $0.60 yardstick.

How do you plan to paste the strops? Will they all be abrasive or are you going to have one smooth for finishing?

I will keep at least one with just leather, but maybe glue some canvas strap to the back. This could then become a travel strop. Also, I'm curious if a paddle strop would actually work better than a hanging strop as a routine daily-use strop. (Some folks have suggested this.)

I will put CrOx on one for sure. I may spring for the TI diamond paste some day for the others or maybe just try the Pate A Rassoir paste, etc.

The 60-cent yard stick idea seems to be working fine. I know others have used paint stirring sticks, stair-stanchions, fence pickets, trim pieces, and planed hardwood. These thick yard sticks are very light, but feel very tight and substantial. Still, time will tell. I deliberately kept to the 1.5 inch width because I felt anything wider would warp over time unless it was heavily finished or stabilized..

v.good matt,

i still have pretty much all of the ti paste that bruce sent me a while ago when i wanted to play with it. send me your address and i'll mail it to you pronto.

Originally Posted by gugi

v.good matt,
i still have pretty much all of the ti paste that bruce sent me a while ago when i wanted to play with it. send me your address and i'll mail it to you pronto.

Thanks gugi. PM sent.

Just FYI, I was just looking at the Tandy sale flyer. The Natural Cowhide Strips are on sale for $15.99 through January for the 1.5 x 72 inch. The regular price is $22.99.

Latigo is a couple dollars more expensive. I avoided the latigo becuse the strips I saw in the store had bumpy sections on the surface so that about a third of the strip was not useable for strops.

Here is the January sale listing:
Tandy Leather Factory - January Leathercraft Sale-USA-pg 14