Custom Handmade Strop

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Colonel26
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Custom Handmade Strop

Post by Colonel26 »

I was needing a good strop. I couldn't find a good used one. All of them had cracks and cuts. I looked at some nice new ones. Most were out of my league price wise.

So I went to an Amish saddle shop run by a guy I've known all my life. He's never made one of these before, but I described it to him and his wheels went to turning. (The D ring was my wife's idea). I got the fabric at a local Amish upholstery shop.

My saddle/harness maker friend cut and radiused the leather, sewed the leather and fabric together. I ordered it 3 1/2 inches wide, the knife in the pic is a CASE 3299 1/2 for comparison, the leather/fabric portion is 34 inches long, 37 inches counting the D ring. The leather is bridle leather. He used his leather sewing machine to sew it all together.
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bestgear
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Re: Custom Handmade Strop

Post by bestgear »

Well done Wade, might I ask what you paid and would he be willing to make more?
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deo-pa
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Re: Custom Handmade Strop

Post by deo-pa »

That's a beauty Colonel!

Anyone care to expound on the old debate as to whether the linen side is really needed?

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royal0014
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Re: Custom Handmade Strop

Post by royal0014 »

That is awesome Wade! . ::tu::
A lot better than the one or two I made.

And YES ... the linen is useful.
Actually I use a heavy cotton canvas. It does a better edge than the veg tanned leather.
YMMV ..../color]
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XX Case XX
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Re: Custom Handmade Strop

Post by XX Case XX »

Wow that's nice. Looks to be very well made. ::tu::

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Colonel26
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Re: Custom Handmade Strop

Post by Colonel26 »

Thanks fellers. The hardest part was finding the fabric. The guy at the upholstery shop just happened to have a remnant of some suitable fabric left over from a job. The fabric is lighter than I wanted so I doubled it up. We'll see how it works.
bestgear wrote:Well done Wade, might I ask what you paid and would he be willing to make more?
Shoot me a PM.
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montemojo
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Re: Custom Handmade Strop

Post by montemojo »

Now how do you use it? I have never used one. I take the edge and push it across a whet rock. Do you use the strop backwards from how you use a whet rock?

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Colonel26
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Re: Custom Handmade Strop

Post by Colonel26 »

montemojo wrote:Now how do you use it? I have never used one. I take the edge and push it across a whet rock. Do you use the strop backwards from how you use a whet rock?

Monte
Yes. You push the razor spine forward and flip and pull it back toward you. I just use a old belt for my knives but a razor's cutting edge is very fragile. You want a good smooth strop.
“There are things in the old Book which I may not be able to explain, but I fully accept it as the infallible word of God, and receive its teachings as inspired by the Holy Spirit.”
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Re: Custom Handmade Strop

Post by TripleF »

Very cool Wade ::tu::
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Colonel26
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Re: Custom Handmade Strop

Post by Colonel26 »

Thanks Scott!
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Re: Custom Handmade Strop

Post by Umcknifeguy »

That's a real beauty. I recently got my hands on a piece of flax linen fire hose and plan to make my own strop as soon a I find a piece of nice bridle leather. You got yourself a real prize
Sometimes nothing can be a real cool hand.
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Colonel26
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Re: Custom Handmade Strop

Post by Colonel26 »

Umcknifeguy wrote:That's a real beauty. I recently got my hands on a piece of flax linen fire hose and plan to make my own strop as soon a I find a piece of nice bridle leather. You got yourself a real prize
Awesome. That firehose linked is supposed to be the best.
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Re: Custom Handmade Strop

Post by Owd Wullie »

Very nice. Those Amish harness makers are some savvy dudes.
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