Homemade Roo Strops, a fun experiment

[nakneker]

I like these Carter, I like the longer strops much better too. I like stone holder too, looks like SG stones,

These strops work well, they are very secure and infinitely adjustable to get just the right angle. The stone holder also works well, it is secured by the edge of the work bench and it also pivots at least 60 degrees either direction....usually the stone is on the right side of the holder, not left as shown in the photo.

Yes, in the shop I do use the Shapton Glass stones. I originally bought them for my shop blades, chisels, plane irons, etc. I have a full assortment of water stones up at the house for my knives. After using the SG stones for a while and getting good results with little prep (splash and go), they have become my primary stones for the work shop and the blades I make. I use a 320, 1000, 6000, and then the strops as shown in this thread. The SG's are not as "nice and fulfilling" to use as some of the more traditional muddy water stones, but they are fast and do the job.

I just got my first Shapton Pro 2000 today....it came in the mail from a Secret Santa...what a nice surprise! I look forward to putting it in the rotation.

I love your set up, the adjustability especially. Gives me a few ideas for my own workbench. I’m in the middle of building a new house and shop so these kinda of things are fun. Secret Santa? You must have been good this year!

[Carter]

I love your set up, the adjustability especially. Gives me a few ideas for my own workbench. I’m in the middle of building a new house and shop so these kinda of things are fun. Secret Santa? You must have been good this year!

Will send you a few pics of my setup, it is pretty efficient overall.

Well, at least I fooled one guy...he has been a big supporter and friend for many years now.

[nakneker]

I love your set up, the adjustability especially. Gives me a few ideas for my own workbench. I’m in the middle of building a new house and shop so these kinda of things are fun. Secret Santa? You must have been good this year!

Will send you a few pics of my setup, it is pretty efficient overall.

Well, at least I fooled one guy...he has been a big supporter and friend for many years now.

Please do. I’d enjoy seeing it!

[studio398]

i have a favorite stropping compound. it is 1 micron boron carbide on balsa. my knives push cut nicely after using this. it seems to have a unique feel or feedback to it.

[Carter]

Just wondering, I have balsa and various types of leather strops....would a harder, finer grained wood than balsa make a better strop substrate, if it were surfaced well. White oak is hard, but has some pores that may hold strop compound, some of the rosewood or maple species have less open grain...or something like ebony that is very tight grained.....just thinking out loud here....anyone have experience??

[nakneker]

Just wondering, I have balsa and various types of leather strops....would a harder, finer grained wood than balsa make a better strop substrate, if it were surfaced well. White oak is hard, but has some pores that may hold strop compound, some of the rosewood or maple species have less open grain...or something like ebony that is very tight grained.....just thinking out loud here....anyone have experience??

I haven’t used any kind of wood, just getting into stropping. I’d be curious what wood strops people have used and liked or disliked.

[salemj]

Nice thread!

I'm curious: do you guys ever "adjust" the leather by conditioning it, sanding it, or cleaning it using agents? I've never really tried to research this, and I used my loaded balsa as a strop way more than my leather, in part because my leather does not, in fact, feel perfectly smooth or flat—it feels lumpy.

I've always thought a wider strop would be superior. I think it interesting that most people still stick to close to 2 inches.

I guess I should add that I strop less now than I used to. The idea that the spray does a lot intrigues me: one reason I started to strop less is because I didn't like the idea of stretching the metal over the edge from too much stropping, but I bet a nice spray actually ABRADES the metal more when stropping and potentially prevents that type of re-formation of the burr or loss of teeth. Interesting thought...

[old onion]

Nice thread!

I'm curious: do you guys ever "adjust" the leather by conditioning it, sanding it, or cleaning it using agents? I've never really tried to research this, and I used my loaded balsa as a strop way more than my leather, in part because my leather does not, in fact, feel perfectly smooth or flat—it feels lumpy.

I've always thought a wider strop would be superior. I think it interesting that most people still stick to close to 2 inches.

I guess I should add that I strop less now than I used to. The idea that the spray does a lot intrigues me: one reason I started to strop less is because I didn't like the idea of stretching the metal over the edge from too much stropping, but I bet a nice spray actually ABRADES the metal more when stropping and potentially prevents that type of re-formation of the burr or loss of teeth. Interesting thought...

Joe,
I remember reading where some did say to sand the leather strop to make it smooth again and to create little pockets in the surface to hold an abrasive.I forget exactly where I read it though.Maybe further searching will dig up more.Speaking of cleaning agents for leather,the best I found was "Brick 4 ". I have used this stuff on my saddles which can really get gummed up from horse lather and gritty dirty at the same time.It practically restores the leather back to a new condition.Any local Tack shop will handle it. I have never tried it on a strop though so a bit of caution is in order here.

[salemj]

Joe,
I remember reading where some did say to sand the leather strop to make it smooth again and to create little pockets in the surface to hold an abrasive.I forget exactly where I read it though.Maybe further searching will dig up more.Speaking of cleaning agents for leather,the best I found was "Brick 4 ". I have used this stuff on my saddles which can really get gummed up from horse lather and gritty dirty at the same time.It practically restores the leather back to a new condition.Any local Tack shop will handle it. I have never tried it on a strop though so a bit of caution is in order here.

Thanks! I remember seeing the sanding thing, too, but it was one and only time on a thread. I'm hoping to get some more details from a few more knife nerds. Thanks for the Brick 4 recommendation. I've never "loaded" leather, so I feel like I should be able to easily renew it, but who knows. The idea of sanding leather is certainly an odd one to me! I have no idea what type of paper or grit, or how you'd avoid the grit from sticking into the leather.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

I’m just getting into stropping. After watching a few videos I decided I wanted to try a longer strop, especially for the 240+ plus edges. I found some vegetable tanned roo leather on eBay, ordered that. Went to Home Depot and bought some finished birch and some high quality contact cement from Tandy leather. They were easy to make and I ended up with 9 double sided strops. I gave a couple away as gifts and have been playing with CBN emulsions and diamond sprays. So far my favorite is CKTG .125 diamond spray. I did a paper towel test before stropping with white #2 Santuko and then tested it every 15 swipes or so. The difference was eye opening. I should have been stropping along time ago. The two foot longer strops make things easy for me. I use the edge of a table for clearance. I actually ordered some more leather and plan on making some more of the longer strops to play with. Cost per two foot double sided strop came out to 16 bucks or so. Thought I’d share. If you have a favorite compound, emulsion or spray I hope you’d share it.

7BF19A6E-3D12-48CD-9721-CF9AB3EEBAFC.jpeg

Nice looking strops!

[nakneker]

I’m just getting into stropping. After watching a few videos I decided I wanted to try a longer strop, especially for the 240+ plus edges. I found some vegetable tanned roo leather on eBay, ordered that. Went to Home Depot and bought some finished birch and some high quality contact cement from Tandy leather. They were easy to make and I ended up with 9 double sided strops. I gave a couple away as gifts and have been playing with CBN emulsions and diamond sprays. So far my favorite is CKTG .125 diamond spray. I did a paper towel test before stropping with white #2 Santuko and then tested it every 15 swipes or so. The difference was eye opening. I should have been stropping along time ago. The two foot longer strops make things easy for me. I use the edge of a table for clearance. I actually ordered some more leather and plan on making some more of the longer strops to play with. Cost per two foot double sided strop came out to 16 bucks or so. Thought I’d share. If you have a favorite compound, emulsion or spray I hope you’d share it.

7BF19A6E-3D12-48CD-9721-CF9AB3EEBAFC.jpeg

Nice looking strops!

Thanks Mark! I have more roo leather inbound, I wanna make a couple more of the longer strops, I seem to favor them after playing with strops, spray and emulsions all weekend. Your .125 diamond spray being my favorite! I should have been stropping earlier, my eyes are opened, I’ve been missing out!

[Ut_ron]

Sean, when I bought your knife I should of tried to buy one of your strops .

[nakneker]

Sean, when I bought your knife I should of tried to buy one of your strops .

PM Inbound

[ChefKnivesToGo]

You guys should try cereal box cardboard for stropping. It makes an excellent substrate for stropping and it holds diamond paste or spray on it well. And it’s free. Use the non printed side not the exterior.

Also, if you guys use our base and want magnet backing to make your on stick on your home made strop just let me know and I’ll put a page on the site for them. They have adhesive on one side that you peel off and stick on the substrate.

[nakneker]

You guys should try cereal box cardboard for stropping. It makes an excellent substrate for stropping and it holds diamond paste or spray on it well. And it’s free. Use the non printed side not the exterior.

Also, if you guys use our base and want magnet backing to make your on stick on your home made strop just let me know and I’ll put a page on the site for them. They have adhesive on one side that you peel off and stick on the substrate.

Please post the magnet backing, I have the base but would love to have a couple of your magnet backers!

[Drewski]

You guys should try cereal box cardboard for stropping. It makes an excellent substrate for stropping and it holds diamond paste or spray on it well. And it’s free. Use the non printed side not the exterior.

I was gonna ask if you would recommend Captain Crunch, Toucan Sam, or Tony the Tiger.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

Captain Crunch of course!

[old onion]

I love the working length of my 2 foot Roo strop. It allows me to position it from the edge of my table and angle it for a better stropping position. I get the best edges I ever had on my knives after stropping with it.I'll save my 8 inch strops for my pocket knives now. By the way,I have only used it bare and not loaded and so far,with the results I am getting,I may not load it up either even though it is a two sided strop.My eyes have been opened to the joy of using this strop.
With that said,if I was going to use a cardboard for stropping,my pick would be the best," Tony the Tiger", It's Guuuureat ! Captain Crunch? Really? You guys need to get out more.

[Jeff B]

Sean, when I bought your knife I should of tried to buy one of your strops .

PM Inbound

Hey! If your selling homemade Roo strops you better be PM'ing me too!

And it's Tony the Tiger for me too. Stropping with a serious sugar high!

[Adam L]

Nice thread!

I'm curious: do you guys ever "adjust" the leather by conditioning it, sanding it, or cleaning it using agents? I've never really tried to research this, and I used my loaded balsa as a strop way more than my leather, in part because my leather does not, in fact, feel perfectly smooth or flat—it feels lumpy.

I've always thought a wider strop would be superior. I think it interesting that most people still stick to close to 2 inches.

I guess I should add that I strop less now than I used to. The idea that the spray does a lot intrigues me: one reason I started to strop less is because I didn't like the idea of stretching the metal over the edge from too much stropping, but I bet a nice spray actually ABRADES the metal more when stropping and potentially prevents that type of re-formation of the burr or loss of teeth. Interesting thought...

At Science of Sharp he recommends lightly sanding the smooth side of the leather with medium grit sandpaper, then vacuuming and air blasting away any grit, then wiping with alcohol before applying diamond spray. Somewhere else I think he mentions 320 grit sandpaper, and says you're essentially making nubuck. I thought I had bookmarked that page but can't find it at the moment. If you haven't already, the entire site is worth reading, including the comments. And the electron microscope images are incredible. He's usually talking about straight razors, but he'll address knives, planes, and chisels occasionally. You've probably already read it all but just in case.

https://scienceofsharp.wordpress.com/20 ... nt-page-1/