Strop question

[SeaLeveler]

Another vote for rough side.I use jewlers rouge.I also have some 1000 and 1500 wet and dry sandpaper glued on some pvc board that is quite smooth now after a long time of use that puts a great shine on the knives.Tony

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

I saw one of these at a show, soon as I get some free time Iam going to make one. One side of the strop is rough leather, the other side is a thick leather with the smooth side up. On the smooth side, cut into the leather with your favorite gouges or V - tool, fill the voids with your favorite compound and strop away. This gives you a perfect profile for your gouge or V- tool.

Dave

[TreeWizard]

If you want to make your own, go to Harbor Freight and buy a pair of leather welding c overs for your arms. Less than $10 and you'll get enough leather out of each arm to make at least 10 strops. I've made 12 so far and I only started on the second arm.

[Claude]

I use the rough side of the leather. Just took a scrap piece of suede, glued it to a flat scrap of shelving and made my new strop. Works well. If you're looking for leather, though, get a leather welding apron, and trim a couple inches off the bottom of it for your strop. The apron itself is great for keeping chips, dust, paint and varnish drips, etc., off your clothes, and also provides a little safety layer for the errant knife or gouge that tries to carve you instead of the piece of wood. Here's a link to an earlier post on the subject: Leather Apron

Claude

[LMiller]

I, too made my own strop and find it very useful. It is tool leather, very thick and very rigid. I glued the smooth side down onto a 3" wide piece of 1/4" oak. I hadn't done the research, the way others are here (color me a slow learner), so I thought the smooth side would glue down better.

I put a small 'stop' on the bottom of my strop. This stopper hangs over the front of my table and allows me to push my blade away from me across the strop without having to hold the strop. It sets on the table and won't slide because of the stopper. The stopper is 1/4" by 1/4" and is mounted to the underside of the backer board at the closest end of the strop.

The compound on the rough side does seem 'splotchy.' I don't believe it hinders my sharpening, but have wondered if the inconsistency makes a difference.

By the way, my nephew built his on strop based upon my design but choose to put the smooth side up. His strop did not suffer from having the rough side glued to the backer board so my earlier fears were ungrounded. His results are wonderful. (He is only 14.)

My stropping is two handed, and I can put even my longer blades perpendicular to the motion with the wider width of the strop. It fits into the tool box I use for my tools and travels very well.

On another note, I had watched Arlene's YouTube (Sorry, couldn't find the link when I searched just now to get her last name and the video link) on the sanding disk method of sharpening and thought that I might be able to apply the same technique to stropping. I purchased a sanding jig at Harbor Freight (foam backed disk with threaded rod made for an auto detail sander) and glued a thinner piece of leather to it. I use that in a variable speed, reversible drill with speed latch (purchased from a pawn shop). That's how I sharpen my utility knife blade for carving like Lynn Doughty.

The leather shops, the ones that make custom holsters, belts, saddles, chaps, etc., often have scrap leather. The piece I bought cost less than $10 and was amply large enough for the typical sized strops sold. They also have the split leather (thinner pieces) if you want that, too.

Let me know (a PM would work best for me) if you need pictures of my strop for your design.

LMiller

[carverswoodshop]

it really doesnt matter... i prefer the smooth side for my strops, i glue the rough side down, either way you cant lose, happy carving

YouTube - carverswoodshop's Channel
carverswoodshop

[Gulf Coast Handyman]

I also made a strop using Arleens (carverswoodshop) method, works awesome!

Dave

[Terry Vance]

I was taught to use the rough side, then turn the strop over and finish with the smooth side...