I'm looking for some advice on how to select, and if necessary, treat leather for a DIY strop. I've read plenty of topics on people making them, but not on how to select and potentially treat the leather - for example sanding it to re-surface.
Once upon a time - before knowing anything about it - I bought a women's cowhide leather belt on a flee market and turned it into a paddle strop for my kitchen knives. Of course in hindsight, the patterning on the leather makes it a less than ideal strop.
Now I want to make 2-3 new paddle strops of about 20*7 cm (8*2.5") using a glass backing and wooden handle underneath; as traveller strop, for my kitchen knives and one for a friend.
Every saturday on the local market a guy sells scrap pieces of leather, sometimes fairly large pieces. This got me thinking: can I buy some leather there? What should I look for in the leather? For example in thickness, smoothness, colouring/treatment, ...?
I guess thickness is less important if it's a paddle strop backed by glass.
Of course I can also still use my current "strop" as practice. Can I use this type of leather and sand it smooth as would be done with re-surfacing a strop?
Thanks for any tips and advice!
Once upon a time - before knowing anything about it - I bought a women's cowhide leather belt on a flee market and turned it into a paddle strop for my kitchen knives. Of course in hindsight, the patterning on the leather makes it a less than ideal strop.
Now I want to make 2-3 new paddle strops of about 20*7 cm (8*2.5") using a glass backing and wooden handle underneath; as traveller strop, for my kitchen knives and one for a friend.
Every saturday on the local market a guy sells scrap pieces of leather, sometimes fairly large pieces. This got me thinking: can I buy some leather there? What should I look for in the leather? For example in thickness, smoothness, colouring/treatment, ...?
I guess thickness is less important if it's a paddle strop backed by glass.
Of course I can also still use my current "strop" as practice. Can I use this type of leather and sand it smooth as would be done with re-surfacing a strop?
Thanks for any tips and advice!