Thread: Kangaroo travel strop

Got given a handful of them fro a mate in Canada who "borrowed" them from his work. The smallest I can find near me is 1/4".

Yes, that's the smallest I can find too. Thanks mate. I might have to look at getting a few bits and bobs from OS and see if I can hunt a variety of smaller ones up to send in the same package.
Once again, great strop idea (No, I'm not goin to pinch it. It's a Legion original )


Mick

I have changed my mind about the travel tube now. I was going to have it matching with my travel brush and soap, but I just found this antique leather box. It fits perfectly, and will suit the "antique" style gentlemen's travelling box I plan on making myself in the future.

Nice 'pouch' mate.

Well done, Legion. Looks fantastic. Can I ask what that Tube/container was? Was it originally for a brush?

Cheers,

Originally Posted by Frankenstein

Well done, Legion. Looks fantastic. Can I ask what that Tube/container was? Was it originally for a brush?

Cheers,

Yes, the chrome tube in the first pictures is from an old travel set. It had two, one for a brush and one for a soap stick.

I made a few little tweaks which I think have improved the design. The Joey strop, Mk2

Firstly, the end caps are gone and it is now all one piece. This makes it a bit more stable and it rolls a tiny bit smaller.

Secondly, the 3/16 brass bars have been removed and replaced by brass tubing of the same diameter. This is an improvement for two reasons. One, the thong threads though them, so the pull is distributed across the width of the strop, not just the center. Two, with the old design there was a chance that, as the leather stretched with age, the bars might get loose and fall out (I think you might be right about that Mick). This cant happen with the tubing because the thong holds it into place.

When you want to roll the strop, pull the knots to one side and roll. When you want to strop, center the knots, hang her up and strop away. Nice and simple!

I have not found a container I like for them yet, but I used my strop half a dozen times today (I had some honing duties to perform) and it worked like a champ.

Great idea on using brass tube mate. Sounds like it might be a solution to a potential problem. I only suggested it may be a problem as I made a 'roo hide note book case and added an open ended penknife pouch to it to sharpen me pencil. I noticed it went from a very tight fit to one that is just adequate. I was surprised that it loosened up as much as it did. I expected some, but not that much. The note book case was made from leather that I had trimmed away as unsuitable for strops though. So that would have had a bit to do with the issue as well.


Mick

I've been watching this thread since it started, and all I can say is that I want one.

I don't spend much time in the strop forum at all. Mostly I read the hone forums. I also have no real need for a new strop, not really, but I must say that the travell roo strop has got me thinking. Right now I've got a big Neil Miller strop for my home, and I love it. But for traveling I've got a TI travel strop. It's not bad, but I wish I could travel with a reasonably-sized three-inch hanging strop.

My questions are as strop-ignorant as they are simple:
Are you using roo hide because it it's thinner than other strop leather?
I've always read that rolling strops would stretch or crease the leather. Is the Roo leather especially resistant to these problem due to its thin nature?

p.s. the Brass tube modification is brilliant. A genuine improvement.

Mark.
Although not the OP's product, I've been using my Roo strop(one of MickR's) for its ability to be rolled up. It is thin and seems to be easily rolled up without much problems at all. I have not yet noticed any defects on it from this use.
It really is a fine performer as well. The thinness is a bit weird at first, but the Roo is fine for stropping.