[merjr]

Hi All, Does anyone know where to find the wide leather belting that was used to power saw mills,thrashing mach.? Any help would be appreciated.
Mel.

[Thomp]

try ebay they show up occasionaly

[AlArchie]

If you haven't got a saddle shop nearby and don't want to wait around for something to show up on ebay, try http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/ or specifically http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/products.asp?dept=23

Or go to the nearest Sears, J.C. Penny, Kohls, or other store that handle men's wear and buy yourself a wide leather belt.....you can get a 36" or better wide belt for under 10 bucks and that will make 3 or four strops.

Al

[Kenny_S]

Hobby Lobby, Machaels, most craft stores have leather. Boot/shoe repair shops a good place.

[Thomp]

Al,

what mel, is refurring to i think is the old horse drawen hay bailers and farm implements of the early 1900's where they had leather belts that were 6-10 inches wide and 14-20 feet long, about 1/2 to 3/4" thick,

i shrely havent found any they would be nice for cutting into wheels to make hones out of and cut profiles of your tools into, like a flexcut strop block.

but i think time has gotten them all but the ones in museums..

maybe a shoe repair shop still can get the thick neck hide like they make soles out of and you can rubber glue several togather to make one thick enough. mel

also flexcut makes the leather wheels flat or v shaped check flexcut.com
specific link site

[Kenny_S]

Thomp,
I don't believe you have to use the thick leather for a power strop. The thin will work as well that is if you can get it to stay together on the wheel. Whatever,the strop has to have a hard backing. I have found that the thicker leather lends to the rolling of the edge when stroping. No It isn't my technique that causes the rolling but the thicker leather. to much pressure tends to make the thicker leather roll over the edge hence rolling the tool edge.

[Thomp]

i dont profess to know all about hones but the one i nade of oiltanned leather lattogo i think its called, 25 or so 1/8th 3" disks rubberglue on every side but outside then stuffed on a shaft with 2"x1/2 fender washers, tightened, and left to cure...

1/2 hour into honing my tools the wheel mushed out and the rubber glue let it spread out.. softening the surface of the wheel, now i dont think that would have happened with thick leather..

im saving up for a 6" cratex diamond wheel mounted in rubber it worked for my knives before i knew what honing was

[Kenny_S]

Have you tried the thicker leather yet?

It is like anything else Thomp. some likes thick, some like thin leather to strop. I wasn't saying not to use think but I have a wheel with the thin leather and have been using it for several years without a problem. But then too, I have went to a loosely woven cloth wheel with a white compound and does a better job and no rounding of the edge.

Thank you for your input.

[Hi_Ho_Sliver]

wonder how rubber cement would have worked Thomp?

[Thomp]

with the oiltan leather i dont think anything would helt it togather without soaking it in lacquer thinner till all the oil was gone,
the rubber glue i used was dryset before i put them togather like any other learher craft, so dry or chrome-chemical, or vegitable tan leather must be the way to go... but at $18.00 a pound just how much will a good hone cost??