Thread: Leather for strop making

I was searching and see that there are many people making their own strops.

I searched on Internet and found some leather straps, but I'm not sure if they can be used for strops, or if they need any treatment like sanding before use.

All of these leathers have these specs (according to seller):
Thickness: 3.0-3.5mm
Vegetable tanned full grain bridle / butt leather
There are colored (DYED THROUGH) and not colored
Seller is located in England

Here are some pics:




If they are ok for strops, I probably can make two strops, since I'm new if I damage one I can have another one ready

Go to your local horse tack store and have them cut you a 3.5 x 28" piece of harness leather or latigo. Ask for whatever they have that is smoothest. They'll know. Then punch a hole in one end for a tie and cut a handle on the other end. Total cost: $8.00 and it will work just fine.

Those look like nice pieces of hide and should work just fine

They will serve you well,but you need to bevel the edges than finish them, real easy,tandy sells the tools to do it for cheap.

I bought one of these leather straps and a linen cloth from ebay.

Here is the sellers I found and can be useful for others:
Linen:
Toners Blenders, Riley Blake items in Totally Patched store on eBay!
Oirental arts, washi origami items in Oriental-Direct store on eBay!
eBay My World - vilenda
pencil pleats, pencil pleat items in poppie 1956 store on eBay!

Leather:
leather belt, sheath items in leather sheath store on eBay!
Bags Accessories, Manduka towel items in silkmanor store on eBay!
Hardware, Special Offers items in cqr-products.sales store on eBay!

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

They will serve you well,but you need to bevel the edges than finish them, real easy,tandy sells the tools to do it for cheap.

How would I "bevel the edges" of the leather? and "finish them real easy"? could you please expand on that
because I've just bought some identical leather to make a new strop.

There is a leather working tool specifically for that.

WHen I bought my leather for a home made strop, I asked the vendor if he could bevel the edges for me and he was more than happy to do so as he had the tool for his own use. No charge!

That was fortunate? Did the edges look cut or branded or sanded?

Originally Posted by jonjo

That was fortunate? Did the edges look cut or branded or sanded?

The vendor was a leather worker who sold me some of his own stock. He made the final bevels look very smooth and finished just like those he would put on a belt.

Originally Posted by jonjo

How would I "bevel the edges" of the leather? and "finish them real easy"? could you please expand on that
because I've just bought some identical leather to make a new strop.

Here you go:



Better yet, go to a leather shop and get some advice from them. If my local shop is anything to go by, they will be more than happy to help.