Project Information
So I needed a strop for my sharpening study. I like vintage ones with tons of character but all of mine are contaminated with 80 years of who knows what. I like simple projects like this where you can just go wherever you want.
I started with the leather. I've got a lot of scraps from my leatherworking. I want one rough, suede-like side and one shiny saddle leather side. I picked out some cool pieces and sized them 3-1/8×12 inches. That should accommodate anything I have.
Just cut them generally square. I'm going to use some heavyass figured Lyptus.
Planed the difficult figure all the way around. I didn't face them b/c I want some bite. That's a lie, I didn't face them because it wouldn't show.
The site isn't letting me add pictures. Let me try editing it.
seems like it's working.
I gently chamfered all the edges.
So I want to make the handle dovetail in, rather than tenon in. I'm fully aware that I should cut the dovetail while the wood is square but I wanted to see if I could manage. I'm also going to make the dovetail full width to see if I can get a Western saw started. No risk project and I'll use it as long as I can get the leather to stick.
Turned the handle out of ebony b/c I hate using hand tools on it. Left 1 inch for the tail.
All turned out with some dark brown Briwax.
Now to plane it square. Yes, I am regretting the challenge at this point.
Laying out the tail 1:5.
I pinched the handle in my wagon to cut the tail. Yes, it was difficult. I used chisels to clean it up.
By some miracle.
I cleaned up the base of the handle a bit with chisels.
I can destroy my shop making a strop lol.
The lyptus is hard and very heavy. It's a cool looking wood, thoughj.
I chamfered the edge of the leather with a chisel, trying to match the wood's chamfer, then slathered everything with dark brown Briwax. It's really sketchy but that's ok. I glued the leather down with 5 minute epoxy. I did one at a time and I'm glad I did. I sandwiched the leather between wax paper and a caul; clamped it down. It was harder than I expected, as it wanted to slip around. Once the epoxy started setting up, it was ok.
I roughed up the suede with a wire brush then flooded the leather with RedWing boot oil (my favorite). I smeared on a bit of tripoli and I'm calling it done.
It works!
I started with the leather. I've got a lot of scraps from my leatherworking. I want one rough, suede-like side and one shiny saddle leather side. I picked out some cool pieces and sized them 3-1/8×12 inches. That should accommodate anything I have.
Just cut them generally square. I'm going to use some heavyass figured Lyptus.
Planed the difficult figure all the way around. I didn't face them b/c I want some bite. That's a lie, I didn't face them because it wouldn't show.
The site isn't letting me add pictures. Let me try editing it.
seems like it's working.
I gently chamfered all the edges.
So I want to make the handle dovetail in, rather than tenon in. I'm fully aware that I should cut the dovetail while the wood is square but I wanted to see if I could manage. I'm also going to make the dovetail full width to see if I can get a Western saw started. No risk project and I'll use it as long as I can get the leather to stick.
Turned the handle out of ebony b/c I hate using hand tools on it. Left 1 inch for the tail.
All turned out with some dark brown Briwax.
Now to plane it square. Yes, I am regretting the challenge at this point.
Laying out the tail 1:5.
I pinched the handle in my wagon to cut the tail. Yes, it was difficult. I used chisels to clean it up.
By some miracle.
I cleaned up the base of the handle a bit with chisels.
I can destroy my shop making a strop lol.
The lyptus is hard and very heavy. It's a cool looking wood, thoughj.
I chamfered the edge of the leather with a chisel, trying to match the wood's chamfer, then slathered everything with dark brown Briwax. It's really sketchy but that's ok. I glued the leather down with 5 minute epoxy. I did one at a time and I'm glad I did. I sandwiched the leather between wax paper and a caul; clamped it down. It was harder than I expected, as it wanted to slip around. Once the epoxy started setting up, it was ok.
I roughed up the suede with a wire brush then flooded the leather with RedWing boot oil (my favorite). I smeared on a bit of tripoli and I'm calling it done.
It works!