Homemade strop

[KarNau]

Hey guys, I have recently made a strop from veg tanned Italian cowhide leather. What do you think about it? It is softened with coconut oil and it worked I guess, the strop is not that hard to bend as it was. Anyway, what do you think about it? Is it usable, will it work fine? I had a few stropping sessions already on it thanks, have a nice day!

P.S. please dont mind those very long screws, it will be replaced soon

 

[WildWest74]

If you can stop the blade and align the edge, then it should definitely be fine.

 

[KarNau]

What I am worried about is that leather looks kinda wrinkled in 2nd picture. Wrinkles are only on the end of strop. Will it damage my razor or not?

 

[sfeile]

Maybe try lightly sanding them, or rolling them under a glass bottle.

Looks like a nice job!

 

[KarNau]

Could you please tell more about "rolling under the glass bottle"? I will try to sand it a bit. I guess that 600 grit should work

Maybe try lightly sanding them, or rolling them under a glass bottle.

Looks like a nice job!

 

[sfeile]

Could you please tell more about "rolling under the glass bottle"? I will try to sand it a bit. I guess that 600 grit should work

Lie your strop flat on a hard surface like your countertop. Then take a hard cylinder like a glass bottle or marble rolling pin and using a bit of pressure just roll it over the surface of the strop. Sometimes it will help with small imperfections.

I can't guarantee it, but you won't be out anything if it doesn't work.

You may want to follow the 600 with something a little finer. Depends on how that piece of leather reacts. Try it on a small out of the way spot or a leftover piece first to see how that grit works on that leather.

 

[KarNau]

Lie your strop flat on a hard surface like your countertop. Then take a hard cylinder like a glass bottle or marble rolling pin and using a bit of pressure just roll it over the surface of the strop. Sometimes it will help with small imperfections.

I can't guarantee it, but you won't be out anything if it doesn't work.

You may want to follow the 600 with something a little finer. Depends on how that piece of leather reacts. Try it on a small out of the way spot or a leftover piece first to see how that grit works on that leather.

Thank you!

 

[Slash McCoy]

I always soak leather that I will use for a strop for a day or two. Then I cut it oversize, and rub with a beer bottle. After it dries, I treat with neats foot oil with a few other ingredients added which I won't mention since I am not sure that they really help or hurt. Only after treating do I do the final trimming. Then if it is too slick, with not enough draw to suit me, I sometimes rub a little beeswax on the palm of my hand, then hand rub the strop. Lots of hand rubbing is a good idea anyway.

I don't like to use any sort of vegetable based oil as the main component in a strop treatment. It oxidizes too readily. But as you can see, it's not all that critical if you are not that picky. You still have probably made a much better strop than 99% of the strops being sold on Fleabay.

You could try a water soak and a bottle rub to get out those wrinkles. Should work if the leather is not too saturated with the coconut oil. The bottle rub compresses and smooths the leather. Sanding should be used only as a last resort. Try 200 grit until the wrinkles are 3/4 sanded out, then run a progression to 1000 grit. Post treat with neats foot oil and maybe a tiny smear of beeswax rubbed in well. You will go through a good bit of sandpaper since it will load up on you quickly.

 

[KarNau]

Just to soak in the water? It won't damage the leather?

 

[paintflinger]

Hey guys, I have recently made a strop from veg tanned Italian cowhide leather. What do you think about it? It is softened with coconut oil and it worked I guess, the strop is not that hard to bend as it was. Anyway, what do you think about it? Is it usable, will it work fine? I had a few stropping sessions already on it thanks, have a nice day!

P.S. please dont mind those very long screws, it will be replaced soon

Personally, I'd just go for it and see what the edge feels like. Keep rubbing in some oil from your hair or skin daily and see where that takes you.

 

[KarNau]

Personally, I'd just go for it and see what the edge feels like. Keep rubbing in some oil from your hair or skin daily and see where that takes you.

In my opinion, it works perfectly for now. It aligns edge amazingly and sharpens it.

 

[paintflinger]

I guess what I've found is that the flatness of the strop doesn't matter all that much to the edge. I'm constantly stropping over a rougher scar mark on my Roo strop and have never noticed a change in the edge. The same for stropping over small nicks.