Thread: Homemade Paddle Strops

Here's a couple pics of two paddle strops I'm working on. The paddles themselves were made by my friend "deighaingeal" He did an awesome job, and most importantly, has the "right" tools to do it. I'm no woodworker, that's for sure. Anything I try to do with wood, looks like a 4 year old did it...My Thanks to him for a job well done...They're Maple btw....

The leather I just got at Tandy yesterday. If you haven't been to Tandy, and have one in your area. I highly recommend them. They have every type of leather imagineable and tool for leather working, even Kangaroo and Snakeskin..Plus, the smell of the shop is intoxicating. The leather strip is cowhide, 50" x 3" and thick about 1/8 or 4mm. Cost, about 30 usd with tax.

I let the wood cure for while in my enviorment as recommended, and poly'd the handles and sides. I left the main part bare for better adhesion.
I'll use spary adhesive to glue the leather to the wood. I'll post some pics when there done...

Rich

Hey Rich,
That looks super nice buddy. I would love to see the finished product...but so far, so good...You've peeked my interest

Actually they are from as 25 year old walnut I downed 2 years ago not a maple.
I don't know how I missed this thread.
I hope they work out for ya.

-G

Originally Posted by deighaingeal

Actually they are from as 25 year old walnut I downed 2 years ago not a maple.
I don't know how I missed this thread.
I hope they work out for ya.

-G

Thank you, I meant "Walnut"....

Zib, by no means am I trying to this thread, but I just thought that others could post their creations here also...

Mine by no means is as nice as your's...

Today I was doing nothing thinking to myself, "self, let's make a paddle strop"...

There is a guy here at the camp that does leather work and I knew that he was coming through the gate... When he did, I was ready...

I handed him about 4 oz's of pipe tobacco and said, "you got any leather?", knowing he did, he said "what kind"...

I told him that I wanted to make a strop and he handed me about 4' of 9 oz leather strip. I took about 14" and told him I'd have more tobacco for him when he went out in the evening...

Anyway, I headed to the shop and looked around and found an old pallet... Ripped one of the slats off, had one of the guys rip it to 2" x 18" (roughly, who uses tape measures...)

Everything is basically done by hand, coping saw, rasp, sanding block and sand paper... My craftsmanship is NOT the best... So here is the prize "jewel" it will either work or it won't...

I'll cover the other side with cloth when I get home...

Wood: Free
Leather: 8 oz pipe tobacco
Time: Free

Originally Posted by NoseWarmer

Mine by no means is as nice as your's...

I don't know what you mean. I think it looks just fine. The most important thing is how does it work?

-G

Originally Posted by deighaingeal

I don't know what you mean. I think it looks just fine. The most important thing is how does it work?

-G

I don't know, I don't have a straight with me... I was thinking about letting the guys at the Iowa meet try it out and break it in for me...

What I ment was my wood craftyness is not the best...

It's pretty rustic looking... nail holes and all...

Nicely done guys! I did a mock up today for the handle of a balsa paddle. I used the leather handle on my strop as a pattern and some 1/2" poplar. It feels pretty good in the hand, so I will do it for real this week.

Originally Posted by woodchuck

Nicely done guys! I did a mock up today for the handle of a balsa paddle. I used the leather handle on my strop as a pattern and some 1/2" poplar. It feels pretty good in the hand, so I will do it for real this week.

Do you have a Picture?

Since this thread seems to be getting hijacked I will throw my homemade paddle in here. I made it from an old stake, .75 inches on all 4 sides, that I had used to level out the back yard and an old belt. First cut the ends off the stake to get rid of bad wood and the sharpened end. Then sanded it down smooth. Cut it to down to a length of 16 inches total. Then stained and polyurethane it. Then cut the belt into .75 in wide and 12 inch length strips. Then used contact cement to attach it to the wood.




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