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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!

Gallery

Comments

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Im having a "cake in a cup". Its pretty good.
 

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16,235 Posts
That's bloody incredible!!!!
 

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Very cool
 

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Nice detail with the handle and I like the size of it for strokin. I also like the hanging chisel roll off the door, good idea there.
 

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Love it. Love the ebony handle. It can always do double duty at the local frat house. "Thank you sir. May I have another?"
 

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Real nice tool and lot of woodworking skills were used in the build!!

cheers, Jim
 

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Very, very nice! Love the dovetailed handle. Great looking photos and an even greater looking shop!
 

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Thanks, guys! Maybe now stropping won't actually make my edges worse.
 

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I think this is the best strop I've ever seen. Nice build.
 

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I can't make it out, what is the stamp in the leather at the end of the smooth side.

That handle is good stuff. Thanks for taking us along.
 

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^Tony, my commissioned work, back in the day, was under "Bertha Combat". I didn't pay my LLC taxes (who knew), and someone ransomed my domain name, so all that is left is my stamps and some t-shirts. It started out as a firearms mod co, then a firearms/woodworking one, then a woodworking one, then a memory. Bertha was the cook at my fraternity house. She would get in street fights at age 60+. Lived by the sword and died by the sword, unfortunately. Since I don't have a Dodge Neon hatchback to plaster memorial stickers on, I memorialized her with threaded barrels and flare gun inserts.

That's the long answer. The short is, "it's a 'B'".
 

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Magnificent answer.

Sorry someone ransomed the domain. Fuggers.

Thank you Sir.
 

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I got the domain back but I lost the frontpage infile for the page lol. It was all old projects anyway.

Speaking of which, I need a new large project. I've been goofing off with chisels and the like for weeks now. All I need is about 1000 bf of walnut to be dropped, neatly stacked, outside my shop. Here's hoping.
 

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And Stef, I'm just having cake.

 

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Thanks for the post and your answers, well done!
 

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I decided to add a hook loop to my strop.

I punched and stitched up a piece of leather slightly narrower than the strop thickness.



Drilled some deep-ass holes.



I found these little steel pegs at my local hardware store. I have no idea what they're to be used for. A rivet of some kind? I just think they look cool.



Friction fit with a little beeswax. No glue, so we'll see.





There you have it. Hanging on a hook my blacksmith friend made for me.

 

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Leather work looks good as does that sweet little hook, and that c-clap screw, and those socks.
 
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