Leather for strop?

[Mick721]

Does anyone know where I can buy some suitable leather to make a paddle strop? I've looked in the usual places (eBay, amazon etc) but can't seem to find anything.

 

[Mesquite]

I've got a load of blue leather I skinned from a feral sofa that I caught

If you want some drop me a PM with the approximate size you need and I'll send some off to you.

 

[didicoy]

Old weight lifting belts. Thick, wide & long. I paid 50p each for the last 2 belts I picked up at the carboot.

 

[Mick721]

Old weight lifting belts. Thick, wide & long. I paid 50p each for the last 2 belts I picked up at the carboot.

That is a brilliant idea. I wouldn't have thought of that in a hundred years.

I've got a load of blue leather I skinned from a feral sofa that I caught

If you want some drop me a PM with the approximate size you need and I'll send some off to you.

You sir, are a gent. PM en route.

 

[MertzMan]

Rather than start my own thread I'm after much of the same thing as Mick271. Is any leather suitable or is it a specific type or 'cut' that works better than others? I'm looking to make a strop of about 5 by 10 inches or so...

 

[ol smokey]

Found that any leather belt from a charity shop will do the job, just tie it to a door handle and pull the other end taut with
the hand not holding the knife, and off you go.

 

[metriaclima]

belts are best, thicker the better, if you want one side to cut more than the other, add some leather dressing and emery powder to one side or some fine valve grinding paste..... also, I get many leather off cuts in my workshop if anyone needs anything specific

 

[Hibrion]

Thin leather on a hard, flat back for flat grinds and thicker leather on a hard back for convex. Almost ay leather will work, try recycling some stuff. For stropping compound you can use buffing compound, autosol, jeweler's rouge, or get some starkie blue.