Strop-makers... Easy way to clean up the edge of a strop?

[SliceOfLife]

So I decided to go ahead and just see how these work out on that boar strop.

cut it down to 2 and 1/8 in wide and polished up the backside to be used as a smooth strop.


Done a couple tries to get the feel for how to keep it level and cutting even but seems to work well. The burnishing seems more of a challenge, rubbing the newly cut edge with bars of steel, nagara, wood dowels, nothing really seems to have much impact maybe I'm not using enough Force but I'm wondering if there's a particular technique I should be using...

 

[LJS]

So, are you trying all the sticks and other things people suggested or did you get the real edge burnisher? I’m not sure I could do an edge well myself with many of the recommendations and need the edge one. Others seemed to be happy? Like I was probably poorly trying to explain earlier, the edge tool with grooves works by compressing top-bottom-edge all at the same time. Works great. The other options may but I don’t know from my own experience and not sure how they would do the same thing exactly.

 

[SliceOfLife]

I've just been trying a bunch of hard, rounded edge smooth things and laying the strop on the edge of a desk so I can run the tool up against it. Didn't buy the beveling tool. But if it makes this step a lot easier/more efficient, I may have to.

I mean the strop works fine as is, I don't NEED to burnish the edge any more I guess... but I kind of expected it to round off noticeably from the burnishing... was that a mistaken assumption?


I have no idea what the last owner did to the backside of this Boar strop except (I assume) sanding into the lower layers of skin. It feels EXACTLY like a vintage horsehide... but it's absolutely the flesh side of a boar strop... All the divots and the stamp are still there and bold on the opposite side.

 

[LJS]

I’d happily send you one to try and use if you want. But they are so cheap it is about the same as shipping. Not trying to convince you on it, but I kind of wondered how the other would work out. Sorry it didn’t!

No it was not a mistaken assumption. It should both round and seal the edge nicely. At least how I do it.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Is it supposed to abrade at all or is it simply a matter of packing down the freed up fibers at the surface where it was cut?

 

[LJS]

Packing pressing action. Compression. Which is why the groove works so well because it compresses all sides at once. Otherwise you are only pushing on the top, bottom, or edge (slicking). I often start with larger groove and then work finer compressing more and rounding more. It will become darker and shinier.

 

[LJS]

Please keep in mind I am no pro and certainly no pro strop man. Just a guy who has made some leather crafts.

 

[Tony Miller]

Please keep in mind I am no pro and certainly no pro strop man. Just a guy who has made some leather crafts.

I find the wooden grooved ones work well for me too. Fast, lots of pressure and some moisture will pack the fibers nicely.

 

[stone and strop]

Without an edge beveler it will be near impossible to round and burnish the edge.
Burnishing does not compress the leather much - it smooths or glazes it down a bit.
If you don't have an edge beveler you could probably sand a chamfer to the edge first then try burnishing.
As Tony says, some moisture helps alot.

 

[SliceOfLife]

I purchased and used an edge beveler.

 

[SliceOfLife]

I find the wooden grooved ones work well for me too. Fast, lots of pressure and some moisture will pack the fibers nicely.

Do you go back and forth with it or just one strong, high pressure pass?

 

[LJS]

Rub rub rub. They sell them for dremel tools and even grinder-like setup for high volume stuff. Rub and keep going. You will see it right away.

Edit. Oops. Sorry, you didn’t ask me!

 

[stone and strop]

Back and forth.

 

[SliceOfLife]

No worries, thanks for the responses. I'll keep at it.


Oh yeah more pressure and rapid back and forth motion is doing it, thanks.

 

[SliceOfLife]

So I picked up one of those edge dowel beveler tools at hobby lobby for <$2 to play with.