Crafting Leather Strops: A Beginner’s Guide

Making a leather strop with compound is possible? for someone If you use woodworking tools, you will need a leather strop to hone or sharpen them, making them razor sharp.

Most people purchase leather strops from stores, but making leather strop with compound can have a lot of advantages. In case you need recommendation for best leather strop, we have a list for you.

Let’s take a look at how to create your own leather strop in this article: how can you get started on making a leather strop with compound?

What You Need For Making A Leather Strop With Compound

You will need the following materials when you making a leather strop with compound : leather strip, wood board, glue, and honing compound. The first step is to level the wood piece.

Next, glue the leather strip to the wood, cut off any excess leather, let the glue dry, and then apply honing compound to the leather. Spread the compound paste evenly across the leather by brushing it on from one side to another. If using a stick, run the stick over the paste to make sure it’s distributed evenly.

A leather sharpening strop is essential when it comes to properly caring for your tools. When using the leather, your edges will stay sharp longer and you’ll be more protected. Let’s take a look at the steps on making a leather strop with compound.

Step By Step Guide On Making a Leather Strop

Now that we have covered the process for making a leather strop, let us talk about how you can make one yourself:

1. Cut The Wood To The Required Length

The leather strop must be cut according to your specifications regardless of whether you use MDF or any other type of wood. Before moving on to the next step, make sure the wood is level. If you want to make the wood easier to hold and use, you can sand the edges with sanding paper.

2. Check The Leather Size by Securing It Over The Wood

if desired in order to ensure a tight fit of the leather to the wood for maximum functionality.

3. Apply Glue To The Wood And Stick The Leather To The Wood

As soon as your wood piece is ready and level, apply glue to it (make sure you cover the edges and middle evenly) and set the leather piece down firmly on the wood. To make sure the glue is correctly applied, lock it in a vise for a few hours.

4. Cut The Excess Leather

To make the strop more visually appealing and functional, you can cut off the excess leather from the sides after the glue has dried. Make the cutting easier and more accurate by using a sharp knife blade. If any glue leaks appear on the sides after the excess leather has been cut off, check it immediately. To smooth over any rough spots, you can use a block plane or sandpaper.

5. Apply Mineral Oil

Ensure both the leather and the wood are well-oiled with mineral oil. The oil is optional, but it prepares the leather and allows it to combine easily with the compound. The oil can be applied to the whole leather and wood surface by rubbing it in. To finish, use a clean cloth to dry it.

6. Add Honing Compound

The leather can now be honed with the honing compound. To apply the paste evenly across the leather strop, apply it to the center and use a flat metal tool to rub it in. If you are using a compound stick, run the stick from top to bottom a few times to ensure even application.

Do I Need A Compound?

Compounds are not necessary for the use of strops. A leather strop without compound is often preferred by sharpeners of straight razors, for instance. With the leather, the metal is polished and any burrs are removed, leaving the edge clean and crisp.

Knife and tool users, on the other hand, often use a compound to lubricate their strops. As a result, they find it provides them an excellent advantage to meet their needs quickly and easily.

Compounds are either used or not used based on personal preference, in our experience. Whether you choose plain or abrasive, you are likely to get excellent results, although abrasive compounds will show results faster. Some of us, to be thorough, apply compound to one strop, then follow up with a few strokes on a plain strop.