Homemade Strop

Hello men, I was wondering about strop matierial for the linen part of a strop. I did not know it but just today after taking my son to his driving test I saw that we have a Tandy store here in Kennewick. I went in and found some nice leather in thier scrap ben and am going to make a better strop than the one I have in the morning. I want to make a linen strop also and have carharts and blue jeans to give thier lives for my project and was hoping for advice on which would work best. I have looked and seen in the posts about blue jeans and have not seen much on the carhart idea and just thought I would ask before hacking them up. Thanks for any comments
Glenn

You might also consider using an automobile seatbelt which means a trip to the junkyard............

If you have a fabric store by you, like "Joann's, you may find something heavy you can use as a fabric component. The seatbelt is a good idea....

Tandy is great, isn't it...I've been there myself. I got nice piece of leather 3"w x 50" L I made a couple of paddles....Good stuff...

Here is my try at the leather part of it.

Just finished the denim, now I all thats left is to use em and try not to hack them up

Looks good my friend. Now to enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Absolutely great effort on your strops and the neat part is that you will be more appreciative of these strops than you would of a store-bought strop. Pat yourself on the back and strop carefully. :)

Those look great. I did the same thing basicly with my homemade strops. A nice cowhide that I have finally broken in and a denim that I was lucky enough to have my MIL who is a seamstress put together for me since I don't know my way around a sewing machine. They work great and I hope yours do the job for you.

Those look really good and should give you many years of service. Nice work.

There's nothing like using something you made with your own hands, and seeing it work well

Fun experiment! Check out your local firehouse as well for some firehose material. I found a length in the road one day but haven't gotten around to playing with it yet. Denim is cotton and I haven't found it to be very good for stropping. I have not stropped on my Carhartt jacket but that might work. That material is tough! Keep experimenting and let us know. Oh, I also bought some Irish Linen online which can be cut into strops. It's fairly easy to come by.

I've been shaving off a homemade leather strop since 08.

I hate to resurrect an old thread but I felt like it would be better that than create a new one since it seemed there were already a few. I have been doing basic leather work, (read played around a few times at a project or two). I have some leather at the house but I was wondering a few things about the homemade stropes. Did the blue jeans work out okay? I have a few pair that are end of life and wouldn't mind lending themselves to this kind of project. Also what did you look for in leather? Did you treat the leather or just use it as it comes? I believe I have some 6 ounce leather and maybe some 4 ounce leather From the strop I have I assume the 6 would be better or should I look for something heavier? Is the Latigo better? I want to say the shop here had some latigo belt blanks not too long ago that would have made somewhat nice stropes.

You can use instead of the Canvas/Linnen some keepersband. i use this for some years on my old home made strop and when i made a new one last week i use te same. Great stuff en cheap.
Attachment 221999

Denim works the problem is it frays easily and if you sew it, you have two welts on the ends or at least the threads on one side.

The one in the thread looks like he glued the piece together in the back. They sell liquid glue called Fabri-tac or other brands that are thin fast setting glue or a heat sensitive double stick thin tape type. Iron on one side peel off a thin parchment paper backing and then lay the other material over and iron on. It is surprisingly very strong, much stronger than would be required for a strop. Great for making the connection that will loop around a D Ring. Iron on works better than liquid glue.

A better material for a strop is Canvas, the interlocking weave can simply be cut and left bare. It will fray a bit, but if you cut the threads, not pull. The fraying will stop and work just fine. I like the Polyester canvas better than cotton canvas. I believe it is the best material for a Chromium Oxide strop.

Here is an old post showing how I cut the ends to attach on a D ring, the material is Poly Canvas sailcloth, about $10 a yard and often on sale at half off, at fabric stores.

Where did you find those large D rings? Are they 2 1/2 or 3 inches? Nice job. I will also look for some used fire hose!

Used fire hose has the problem of embedded grit making it just as likely to damage your edge. You can buy tubular webbing from places like saddlery supplies that work well

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Originally Posted by kalerolf

You can use instead of the Canvas/Linnen some keepersband. i use this for some years on my old home made strop and when i made a new one last week i use te same. Great stuff en cheap.
Attachment 221999

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Kalerolf what exactly is keepersband and what is it made of and where was it sourced. Looks good

D rings, I get from Tandy they come in a 10 pack.

I have seen them at some Ace Hardware stores, a bit more, I think about a buck each. They are 2in D rings. Work great for a 3 in strop, just hook your thumb to tension and a leather or para cord lanyard to hook on the other end.

i dont now how they this describes this in Englisch i say google is your friend on this? Sorry

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Originally Posted by Howard

Fun experiment! Check out your local firehouse as well for some firehose material. I found a length in the road one day but haven't gotten around to playing with it yet. Denim is cotton and I haven't found it to be very good for stropping. I have not stropped on my Carhartt jacket but that might work. That material is tough! Keep experimenting and let us know. Oh, I also bought some Irish Linen online which can be cut into strops. It's fairly easy to come by.

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That is such a great idea! I was recently on a project where I threw out like 100' of almost new hose!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by kalerolf

i dont now how they this describes this in Englisch i say google is your friend on this? Sorry

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Seem Google ain't no friend of mine. Any chance of a link?

I am curious about the "keepersband " also. Can't seem to find any info on Google.

nice looking strop. I gotta make a trip to my local Tandy. Not so local though :( About an hour drive at least.