Source for strop leather

[Gene Davis]

What is an inexpensive way to get enough leather of right texture and thickness to glue onto a block of wood. I see people like Paul Sellers in YouTube videos with setups that look like 2-1/2" x 12".

A piece of leather that size is not something one finds at a box store, and no, I don't live in a place where there is a shoe repair shop nearby.

Other than that, I have the block of wood, the glue, and some different compounds for charging.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I get mine on ebay. Horse butt is a nice fine grain leather. You want to get veg tanned leather.

[Jim Belair]

Not quite as large as you stated but LV sells them complete.

http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.aspx?p=32999&cat=1,43072

334652

[alan west]

Tools for Woodworking- Horse Butt Strop $22.95

[Roy Harding]

http://www.tandyleather.com

[Jerry Thompson]

I got mine at the local Cobblers shop.

[Reinis Kanders]

Sheridan leather sells good size horse leather for about 35$. Search here with that keyword and there might even be a direct link if I remember correctly.

[Clay Parrish]

I bought on ebay a medium weight leather side piece. That ought to work fine. A heavy weight piece might do better. Lots of folks sell strop leather on ebay.

My piece was 2'x1', and the extra is nice to have as a leather pad for small projects

[Luke Dupont]

I used an old leather belt, which happened to be genuine leather. I don't know if modern fake-leather belts would work or not. You can also pick up veg-tanned leather for making belts in places like Hobby Lobby, or bags of scraps; though I'm sure you can get them online for cheaper.

A lot of people use MDF or wood, too.

Now, using the strop I made is something I haven't quite figured out yet ;)

[Dave Beauchesne]

Weight lifter belts are really thick ( 1/4" ) and close grained.
I see them at garage sales occasionally- nice stuff.

[Bob Glenn]

I've taken to using the inside surface of a cereal box, especially with plane irons. I think leather tends to dub over the edge if over done.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

Sheridan leather sells good size horse leather for about 35$. Search here with that keyword and there might even be a direct link if I remember correctly.

Thanks for that link. They actually have them now for $28 and claim they average 14" wide and 48" long. That's a great price! Sadly they use UPS, which means for me $127 shipping. I am going to call and see if they can use another carrier.

[Patrick Chase]

OK. I can't resist. Here's (http://www.leevalley.com/US/wood/page.aspx?cat=1,43072&p=69438) my favorite stropping leather (though I don't get mine from LV any more).

Seriously, the TFWW hose-butt strop that somebody else suggested is very good (for leather :-) in my experience. LV's strops are a bit softer, which can be good or bad depending on your preferences. In case it isn't obvious, I like my honing surfaces hard.

[steven c newman]

When I hung up the nail bags for the last time...I kept the leather belt from it, and used parts of it for a strop. Walk right in to walmart, menards, Lowes, go look for the tool bag section. There will be a few wide leather belts to hang nail bags from.....maybe $15 or less.

[Reinis Kanders]

Thanks for letting me know about the cheaper price. Today I received a message from them that they are closing the business. I ended up getting some more for the future needs. I like to use softer one for the vise jaws and harder one for strops, but might use some for Schwarz folding stools. This leather is at leasy 1/8 thick.

Here is a direct link if anyone else wants to get some decent leather. This leather is at least 1/8 thick.

http://www.sheridanleather.com/Horse_Strips_p/3104.htm


Thanks for that link. They actually have them now for $28 and claim they average 14" wide and 48" long. That's a great price! Sadly they use UPS, which means for me $127 shipping. I am going to call and see if they can use another carrier.

[paul cottingham]

I just went to value village/goodwill and bought an old leather belt for $10. Glued it to a piece of maple scrap. Works well in conjunction with my piece of TFWW horse butt strop.

[Tony Zaffuto]

Tools for Working Wood. Got it years ago and it has broken in like a fine barber strop (though glued to a piec of hardwood). One of the most used tools in my shop.

[Michael Stockdale]

On the Sheridan leather... Hard-rolled, or soft-rolled? What's the difference?

Mike

[Michael Stockdale]

On the Sheridan leather... Hard-rolled, or soft-rolled? What's the difference?

Mike

[Malcolm Schweizer]

On the Sheridan leather... Hard-rolled, or soft-rolled? What's the difference?

Mike

Hard rolled is pressed in rollers while wet, and the resulting leather will be stiff like cardboard. It would work for a glued to a base strop, but not as well for a barber's strop.

[Walter Plummer]

I picked mine up in woodcraft 4 or 5 years ago. Works fine. http://www.woodcraft.com/product/129316/leather-for-honeslip-makers.aspx

[Denny Tudor]

Go to any farm store that sells saddles and they will have good selection of leather .

[Glen Canaday]

My current one is an offcut from tandy. I happened upon a garage sale where a guy was selling tons of leather he wasn't using and picked up a piece at least a yard square for $10. Two new strops are coming out of it, as well as whatever else I can think of.