Hahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha
As if you're ever done.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha
Anybody who isn't still putting their "equipment together" please let me know, I could use some advice.
Least cost option (LCO) strop
- Thread starter natchez
- Start date
Hahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha
As if you're ever done.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahaha
Anybody who isn't still putting their "equipment together" please let me know, I could use some advice.
So I bought some paddle blanks from Tony Miller and went to my local Tandy shop and looked around at the leathers. I settled on a strip of cowhide and some cement for gluing the leather to the wood. I'm going to experiment a bit over the next few weeks. I tried sanding one of the sides and I quite liked the results. I used 400 grit sandpaper and it made the leather velvety and gave it a slightly heavier draw. My plan is to make a hanging strop here in the coming weeks as well. Thanks again Richard for posting this thread initially! Here's the outcome:
Nice! Just curious, but do you have a pasting progression in mind? Diamond? Crox? Those kinds of decisions kind of make me giddy to try them out.
- Thread starter
- #24
Nice looking paddle. I think you will find that it will work just great. I like the way the sanded piece looks. Did you use Barge cement to glue the leather?
The really fine leathers used by the custom strop makers are definitely a massive cut above what is available off the shelf, but if you are looking for cost efficiency for first, travel, or, like the beauty above, initial paddle strops, making your own is IMO a good way to go.
I stopped by Tandy the other day and found they also sell a nice latigo strap 2" x 72", on sale now for $20- Item #4773-00, usual retail is $30. I picked one of these straps out, some D rings, Chicago screws and a webbed belt from the thrift shop. I will be making a latigo version of the LCO strop with a webbed back, probably tomorrow. I will post some pictures of the process, when I am done.
- Thread starter
- #25
So, my wife's computer is broken and she kicked me off this one for a while this morning, so I went ahead and made a simple latigo version of the LCO strop. I used part of the Tandy strap indicated above, a webbed belt from the thrift store, $3, one D ring and two Chicago screws. Because latigo is thick and does not bend well I took a small piece of leather I had lying around for the top piece. The whole process took < 30 minutes, once I had the materials together.
Parts, then cut to size 21" long, then holes punched:
Parts, then cut to size 21" long, then holes punched:
- Thread starter
- #26
Here is the strop assembled and then hanging on my hook. The downside to using a D ring rather than a swivel on top is that you have to remove and flip the strop to use the other side. A small swivel does not cost much, probably another $3. You can also use a small piece of cord, a shoelace, or anything else you want that will allow it to swivel, if you do not want to flip it on your hook.
Total estimated cost for strop as hung: latigo $7 (used less than 1/3 of the $20 strap), webbed belt $1.50 (only used 1/2 of the $3 thrift store belt), scrap of softer leather ~$1, D ring $.40, two Chicago screws $.50- total strop cost- ~$10.50.
Here is the assembled piece and a picture of it hanging on my strop hook. BTW, it works just fine!
Total estimated cost for strop as hung: latigo $7 (used less than 1/3 of the $20 strap), webbed belt $1.50 (only used 1/2 of the $3 thrift store belt), scrap of softer leather ~$1, D ring $.40, two Chicago screws $.50- total strop cost- ~$10.50.
Here is the assembled piece and a picture of it hanging on my strop hook. BTW, it works just fine!
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Richard,
Tandy sells a 'trigger snap" that has a snap on one side and a ring on the other with a swivel joint in the middle. Snap the snap onto the dee ring and use the ring end of the snap over your strop hook on the wall and you have a swivel mounted strop. I used that setup on the first strops I made many years ago. I think the 5/8" trigger snap is around $1.60 / $1.80 at Tandy.
Nice find on the webbing belt!
Tandy stores often have a scrap box if someone needs the little pieces to make the top cap to hold the dee ring. I used to cart my scrap latigo to the local Tandy for the give away bin rather than throw it out.
Tony
Tony
Tandy sells a 'trigger snap" that has a snap on one side and a ring on the other with a swivel joint in the middle. Snap the snap onto the dee ring and use the ring end of the snap over your strop hook on the wall and you have a swivel mounted strop. I used that setup on the first strops I made many years ago. I think the 5/8" trigger snap is around $1.60 / $1.80 at Tandy.
Nice find on the webbing belt!
Tandy stores often have a scrap box if someone needs the little pieces to make the top cap to hold the dee ring. I used to cart my scrap latigo to the local Tandy for the give away bin rather than throw it out.
Tony
Tony
- Thread starter
- #28
Thanks for the tip. The trigger snap is pictured below and is currently on sale for $1.49, or $1.59 depending on the size- 5/8", 3/4" or 1".
Brownbear did a great job with a similar latigo strop in this thread:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=186677
There are a number of variations one could use for this approach, but basically- take some latigo and make your first strop! I did not use a D ring on the bottom, because I do not like when they clang against the wall. Also I do not mind actually a plain leather or fabric bottom on my strops. But, you can make one anyway you want.
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Got home too late to photograph them, but I have recently made a bridle, veg tanned and horse hide strop along the lines of the latigo I posted about. Got the leathers as strips from Zack White (except the horse) and I am blown away by the quality of all the leather. The veg tanned is sumptuous, but a little soft for my taste. The bridle is amazing and has started at the point my latigo has reached after a couple months of break in. But the horse hide totally steals the show. It is thin, much thinner than the other leathers. They only sell sheets, so I had to cut the strap, not much drama. I have enough for a couple more hanging strops and a paddle or two. It is very, very hard surfaced, very stiff despite its thinness, and has a wonderful easy draw. Honed a Sheffield blade quickly to a moderate violin stage last night and then stropped on my thrift shop canvas strap and did 100 on the horse hide and the edge jumped to a 4+. I might not need 100 strokes, but it is fast and easy so it is hard to stop when you are having fun I'm amazed that such a hard, slick leather can make so much difference. But truth is, the leather differs in draw and aesthetics, but they all do the job wonderfully. I'm beginning to think as long as you have a good quality leather it doesn't really matter what you use, they all work.
I'll post pictures when I get a chance.
I'm amazed that such a hard, slick leather can make so much difference. But truth is, the leather differs in draw and aesthetics, but they all do the job wonderfully. I'm beginning to think as long as you have a good quality leather it doesn't really matter what you use, they all work.I'll post pictures when I get a chance.
- Thread starter
- #30
As Tony suggested I picked up the 5/8" size trigger snap and it works great!
Brownbear, some pictures?
Brownbear, some pictures?
I made this from 18.00 worth of bridle leather from Larry at Whipped dog, and raided all the hardware and cotton webbing from a sharpening strop I got from Superior Shave.
The 18.00 got me 3 feet of 3" leather, from which I cut all the pieces from, leaving me about a 13" left for a nice paddle strop. The sharpening strop from whence all the shiney hardware came from was 30.00, so this is not the LCO strop, however if you just buy a shorter piece of leather and use Home Depot d-rings and what not, I think you can have something very nice for very little.
BTW the little specks you see on the strop is graphite powder that I hoped would lessen the draw after I mistakenly over oiled the leatherIf not oiled the leather has a nice moderate draw.
you did a hell of a job, man. Shoot, I'd use one of these! looks great.
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Here are three homemade strops made from materials from Zack White. The one on the left is latigo, about which I've posted previously. The middle one is bridle leather and the one on the right is horse butt. The Dee rings on the left and middle are bronze from ZW, the hanger for the horse is a recycled snap swivel from a computer case.
All three of these leathers would make a great beginner strop. Depending on the length of strap you buy you get enough for two to four strops for twenty bucks or so. You can mangle one and replace it when your skills improve. I might recommend the bridle, it started out with a draw that the latigo took two months to achieve. The horse hide I've been using a lot. It is much thinner than the others and very slick, very little draw. But all three do exactly what they are supposed to, increase the edge by up to a full HHT increment, sometimes a little more. Among them they span a full range of heavy, medium and light draw and are a pleasure to use. I also bought veg tanned, but unmounted it so it isn't pictured.
I suppose it depends on luck as to how good your piece of leather is, but all three strips and the small horse hide butt are superb pieces with very little waste. Takes maybe an hour to make a strop with cutting the hanger and drilling the holes and such.
View attachment 161561
View attachment 161560
The last picture is my homemade canvas strop. I found a canvas strap and buckle in a thrift store for 3 bucks. It came from a piece of medical equipment. It is very heavy duty, looks like it was made to strap people down say for electro shock treatments or an amputation without anesthesia. I wasn't sure whether it was too stiff and rough, but I mounted it and tried it and it works great. Very rough surface and it does a great job cleaning the edge and prepping it for the leather. It is about 2" wide. I'm going to use another piece and some horse hide to make a 2" wide leather/canvas traveling strop.
View attachment 161559
All three of these leathers would make a great beginner strop. Depending on the length of strap you buy you get enough for two to four strops for twenty bucks or so. You can mangle one and replace it when your skills improve. I might recommend the bridle, it started out with a draw that the latigo took two months to achieve. The horse hide I've been using a lot. It is much thinner than the others and very slick, very little draw. But all three do exactly what they are supposed to, increase the edge by up to a full HHT increment, sometimes a little more. Among them they span a full range of heavy, medium and light draw and are a pleasure to use. I also bought veg tanned, but unmounted it so it isn't pictured.
I suppose it depends on luck as to how good your piece of leather is, but all three strips and the small horse hide butt are superb pieces with very little waste. Takes maybe an hour to make a strop with cutting the hanger and drilling the holes and such.
View attachment 161561
View attachment 161560
The last picture is my homemade canvas strop. I found a canvas strap and buckle in a thrift store for 3 bucks. It came from a piece of medical equipment. It is very heavy duty, looks like it was made to strap people down say for electro shock treatments or an amputation without anesthesia. I wasn't sure whether it was too stiff and rough, but I mounted it and tried it and it works great. Very rough surface and it does a great job cleaning the edge and prepping it for the leather. It is about 2" wide. I'm going to use another piece and some horse hide to make a 2" wide leather/canvas traveling strop.
View attachment 161559
- Thread starter
- #33
Great looking stuff from Brownbear. Thanks for sharing
There are a lot of great idea's in this thread. And Brownbears strops look fantastic. I love the idea of the belt also. I think a trip to goodwill is in order.
Inspired by this thread, I went to Hobby Lobby this morning to get the materials for a Paddle Strop. They had a precut pine paddle that was 3 1/2" wide x 22" long ($6). I ripped it down to 2 1/2" wide and sanded it up. The leather they had in bundles of cut-offs called farmers leather. I was able to find a bundle that I figured had at least a few strips long enough to work($6). I chose the two best pieces of leather that had the smoothest finish and made a double sided strop. The leather is not too bad, but not the greatest so I will probably do this again and order some top notch Latigo or similar. All in all, not bad for <$15 invested and < 2hrs work. Thanks for the good idea.
I wanted to revive this thread because yesterday I put together a similar strop to Osborn Cox's. I used some latigo and a piece of cow hide from Tandy, and a pine paddle from Hobby Lobby. I really like the draw of the latigo a lot. I got a piece of deer hide from my brother in law tonight that I plan on gluing to another paddle. I might try to get a piece of bridle leather to put on the other side just to see what that's like.
Inexpensive is important since my heat pump went out. My razor arrived today and I plan on giving it a run tonight. This was just the information I needed, thanks for sharing ideas.
update
Picked up the materials at Hobby Lobby today. The adhesive was the most expensive thing $6.99 and it still came out under $15 for adhesive a pine board and a 3'x9" piece of leather.
update
Picked up the materials at Hobby Lobby today. The adhesive was the most expensive thing $6.99 and it still came out under $15 for adhesive a pine board and a 3'x9" piece of leather.
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