How to Make a Strop | Paul Sellers
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 พ.ค. 2018
- A strop enables you to sharpen your bladed tools to another level. Made from a simple block of ply, this quick and easy tutorial shows you how to make your own with minimal materials.
To see a beginner friendly guide on how to make a strop, visit our sister site: commonwoodworking.com/strop-g...
For more information on these topics, see paulsellers.com or woodworkingmasterclasses.com - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
For anyone wondering: The polishing compound is usually sold under the name “jeweler’s rouge”. It most commonly comes in waxy, crayon like blocks or paste. Amazon has a big selection.
For honing the edge of blades green, yellow, and white are commonly used. Green is fine, light yellow is very fine, and white is ultra fine.
If blocks are the only thing available and you’re having trouble getting it on the strop; shave the block and mix the shavings with small amount of mineral oil. After a soak and some mixing, you should get a paste consistency that’ll adhere to the strop better.
Happy sharpening!
I used that same method to make paste, with red rouge, for polishing with a cloth. Works beautiful. 😁🖖✌
Refreshing to see a channel still doing real woodwork and workshop projects Paul. All too many start off well then as they gain sponsorship end up being nothing more than commercials for the likes of Festool ,Axeminster ect . Well done for keeping it real .
i love seeing guys still using the vintage cordless saws
"I've used this for 50years...."
sold.
Thank you. You are a genius. Today I made one. Your a great teacher. It made me feel good to actually make something that works. Love your videos.❤
That's a great tip for using the underside of the strop. I would've never thought to charge the exposed wood as a flat-side polishing surface.
Yes. That was new to me, too! The astonishing ways auf Mr. Sellers. Love them!
New to me too but a great idea! I'm going to go make one now. :)
I have fine grit wet dry sandpaper on one side and leather on the other.
Excellent explanation of both how to make it and how to use it. The idea of using the solid wood bottom of the pad for polishing the bottom is excellent!
Side note : you didn’t mention it, but you use the raw, untanned side of the leather piece, which has a velvety touch and retains compound better.
Really like the new workshop. The sound and lighting is great. Paul and Co, you have all done a wonderful job. Looking forward to watching and continue to learn real woodworking. Thank you
My man Paul, always making and doing the best with a minimum of fuss and with his own flair - you changed my way of thinking about tools, work and my outlook on life even! Thanks for posting this and all you do to make us all more self sufficient people!!
Lucid, intelligent advice. Great product for little money. This lad knows his business.
As usual: simplicity and usefullnes. Thanks😊
SIMPLICITY at it's easiest another great tip PAUL!!!!!
Great to see you in the new shop!
Nicely done. Thanks again, Paul, for a genius tip. The underside charged with compound for the back of the chisel is a new tool in my arsenal now.
Another brilliant video, demonstrating the frugality of Mr. Sellers. Love it.
Very simple to make never thought of using double sided tape thanks again Paul. The new premises are looking great
Great as usual! Simple, direct, minimal fluff, right - on usefulness!!
Once more, excellent stuff!
Using the underside for removing the final bur is a great tip! Thank you!
I made one after watching a previous video you did and it's been absolutely brilliant.. so useful to have for sharpening 👍
Going to make one now, I've all ways just used a thick piece of loose leather on the bench top but it's time to retire it and make a new one like yours. Thanks for sharing Paul
I recently made a strop after seeing you use them in other videos. What a difference they make on edges! I enjoyed the tip about using the back to polish the flat of the blade. Thanks very much.
Your ideas are amazing - thanks a lot for this!
I have been using MDF with compound for polishing, does a great job.
Always a great video from Mr. Sellers
Very good! That’s how I do it. Thanks for posting.
Lovely. Thank you.
I’ve been waiting for this video for Year’s!! Thank you so very much Mr. Sellers!
You couldnt figure out on your own how to make a simple item as a strop for Year's!!! ???Its not like you are discovering a fire or wheel.Ever heard of google ?Its that new thingy that has been around for like 20 years.
zumbazumba1 It’s not that I couldn’t figure it out myself and I did, but when I was first looking to make one everyone seem to overly complicate it. He makes it real simple, nothing complicated and when I see this I think of the people starting out with no knowledge of how to make something like this and being overwhelmed. He makes it simple, and I think it is great for all those who are just starting out. Not everyone is fast at grasping “simple” concepts.
You make a good point - if anything though with Google you are still left having to decide between all the "advice" available. Sometimes it's nice to be confident in the credentials of the person giving the advice and let them guide you, in which case you have to wait for them to post the specific content you've been waiting for. :)
Great video! I bought a home made one at a barn sale yesterday. I will check the condition of the leather and see if it needs to be replaced. Thanks again.
Good skills Paul. Loving your work.
Right sharp for an old fellow. Thanks again, sir.
Thanks for great tip Paul!
Perfect, plus some tips on using it. Love how used the under side 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Brilliant! I never thought of using and old jacket.
Wow, you have sharp tools!
My wife has so many bags now I’ve found a use for them 😉😂
Try not to cut up her best BIRKIN. Unless you really want to deal with her lawyers......
Very nice, as always, sir. Thank you.
Excellent tip! And economical.
Thank you Paul.
Not my usual method, but highly functional, and equally usable.
This man deserves a Knighthood for services to Carpentry👏👍
Hello there!!!
Love it! Didn't use compound or wood. Going to make tomorrow and order some compound.
Always learn something
thanks from California
Thanks Paul. I was think of making one.
Haha, Sellers Tape! Great Tips!
When I first started working with hand tools I always spent my money on tools and never had any leather laying around, so I just used a piece of maple that I smoothed with my #4 and used harbor freight buffing compound directly on the wood. Now I have leather but I swear it doesn’t do that much of a better job!
You prob have good sharpening skills.
Go check out the stropping articles on the scienceofsharp website. They have SEM pictures showing that in many cases bovine leather strops indeed aren't much of an improvement, and are sometimes worse than just plain balsawood loaded with stropping compound.
Nice to see a craftsman actually making something with hand tools, rather than using a whole workshop full of table saws, belt sanders etc
Paul thanks for all that you do. Saw a purse at the thrift store the other day. Maybe I'll get some looks from the ladies there when I ask if it matches my outfit.
good info paul. thanks
When excellence meets simplicity.
Awesome much appreciated
I did one from an old handbag right before the woodworking masterclasses site started (2012?). Remember looking really long to make sure it was a) real leather b) right side of leather (other side was "polished") up.
Paul, you are like the English Norm Abram. I like the fact you measure in English too. Love your vids. It would be great if you added something like Norm' s iconic safety glasses tip to the beginning of your vids too.
I like to use autosol metal polish on my strop too. Works very fast
Yes it works well. It has gotten expensive though. A big bar of white (or green) compound will cost about £4-£7 and last several lifetimes (pass it onto your kids!) - and it can be used with a grinder equipped with polishing mops or leather stropping wheel too. ;)
I've never used a strop before so this was interesting to me. One question, on the leather... if you have a smooth side and a rough side which side should be facing up? Thanks for the great content.
I'm looking into making some more strops. My understanding is that the rough side is better for convex edges and smooth side for bevelled blades.
Great
Nice minimal supplies method. Not everyone has 10oz horse butt and barge cement lying around!
Dumb question...
Which side of the leather do you want to actually use for the strop?
Which side is stuck to the base?
Sellers-tape, splendid stuff. 🤣
Pauls scrap plywood board is huge. I need more scrap.
This is great. It would be better if you would be more specific on what type of leather and which side of it should be exposed in the block. Thank you!
Hurrah and thank-you. Nice to be with you again.
Do you glue the shiny side of the leather down, rougher side up?
Bah. I think when I was starting out (It's been a while, can't recall for sure)... I was trying to do the FLAT side of the chisel on my leather, too. Probably part of what was making my sharpening seem to take too long back then. I never really thought about it, but I was obviously causing a bit of rounding at the cutting edge, where it should have been kept perfectly flat. I also need to choose a better grade of plywood than what I had, so this buffing compound on the bare wood idea will work properly.
Anyone curious about finding leather, Hobby Lobby sells packets of about 3 squared off pieces for $2.99 a packet. There were about a half dozen packets on the hook today. Each seems to have at least one piece that measures about 6"x9". Just find a piece that has the texture you want. I've never had luck at Michael's.
If you don't have a scrap board around, I got a piece of .75x3.5"x4' at Home Depot for about $2.30.
A piece of plain wood or mdf charged with compound works just as well for me. If you want a softer feel, cut up your old denim jeans. They'll last you for many years (unless you wear 'skinny jeans,' in which case you should be watching Matt Estlea's channel!). Can't find dedicated polishing compound where I am, so have to use car paint cutting paste, which works fine - shaving sharp and ready to gouge.
Matt Estlea the guy that spends most of his time plugging the machines and tools he's sponsored by Paul Sellers is light years ahead of him, Matt Estlea is out the make money not share his love for the craft.
The sound of a shop plane is music to my ears.
I glued the leather on simply with wood glue. The hair side of the leather needs to be sanded if it's shiny. I glued leather on both sides, one side bark and one side shiny.
Made it a few months ago, I used spray glue.
Hi, which way up does the leather go?
Kind of depends, if you want a smoother finish, the smooth side, if you are just straightening an edge, in my (limited), experience it doesn't quite matter as long as your leather isn't hairy.
It's hard to see in the video. Do you use the rough side or smooth side of leather to polish?
I mad one with just the smooth side and found the buffing compound made it glass smooth and wouldnt sharpen anything else? Im going to use a rough side and see how that goes!!
@@brockcomoo6414 I suppose it is telling that on his channel Ray Mears shows how to sharpen a knife in the field and uses the rough side of his belt to strop.
Sorry - that is meant as an observation rather than to be sarcastic. I am here to learn too.
Need some o that tape, me. Was hoping you provided a link. But question: d'ye recondition the leathar if/when too much old compound buids up on't. Or just attach a new strip.
Now I understand why barbers use a strop.
Seen it done, but never really knew why.
thanks Paul, where do you get your leather? How thick is the one you use please?
I usually have remnants of upholstery hide and that is what I use. Probably around 2mm
Thanks for the tip on making my strops. Question; the leather I have has and smooth finished side and a rough side, can either side be used or is there a preference?
I've noticed some suppliers sell two-sided strops with both sides, is there a reason for this?
Thank you for your channel.
I suggest, one side suede and one side smooth - and glue them both (not tape).
I heard you can even use denim from an old Jean instead of leather is that true what else can you use
Thanks for making woodworking more easy and accessible to every beginner like me. I have two questions if I may ask: Is that green polishing compound made by Silverline? I notice you use a soft suede: what's the pros and cons of using that, instead of a more hard leather like shell cordovan (AKA horse butt leather, that everyone suggests to use for stropping)?
Yes, it is made by Silverline and you can get it from Amazon UK for £6.
I don’t generally get into leather types because in my experience an old handbag a side of a leather couch or a leather jacket works just fine.
Paul Sellers: Thanks for infos.I'm going to buy that Silverline buffing compound, some leather scraps and I will build it.Thank you again for your effort and your passion for woodworking that you have passed on to me.
Do you need the compound to remove the brr?
Does the double sided tape work as good as glue??? Does it provide a secure hold to the leather?
Great video, congratulations and one question!
What do you think about putting together the sharpening stones and the strobe in a single board?
Thanks and regards from Gran Canaria Island!
It is quite handy to be able to get at the side of the coarse and super fine stones for flattening etc, and the strop tends to need replacing more often, so we would tend not to do this. Team Paul
Mr been
Can I use something else instead of leather? I have seen people strop on the MDF directly, can that work?
What is the replacement for Compound?
do you use the shiny side or the flesh side? (hairy side)
I got a strop i ended up buying, which has a smooth side and a rougher hide side of it. Whats the difference, and how do i strap it down to wood?
Do you youse the rough side up or the fine side up?
Not sure why tape, I use glue (us. spray adhesive or contact adhesive), perhaps less messy? Good tip about using the hard back for polishing the back(/removing the burr?); that would improve stropping efficiency and effectiveness in some cases. Some recommend not using leather at all (esp. for flat bevel Swedish carving tools), to keep the bevel as flat as pos. To keep the strop clean, some recommend making a box for your strop but I make mine with handles and place them in a big jar on my bench, like a bunch of flowers in a vase! :D
I'm guessing he used tape so he can replace the leather easily when the time comes.
Fascinating that of all 9 jillion videos on how to make a strop... not one mention which side to use.
New watch!
Is this a remake of the one you did before?
I tried using a stop like this but all the buffing compounds I tried barely attach to the strop, they are so hard. Seems to be made for polishing wheels on machines. How can I see the difference between these compounds? Pauls seem to load very easily to the strop
try putting light oil on the strop first, like sewing machine oil
Hi Paul. Is there any sort of maintenance needed? I find it becomes slippery after some time. Could you explain how to clean up the clog?
Yes, Good Q. After a few weeks charging it, and remember you should only need to charge after around 10 sharpening sessions, not every time, Use a long edge corner of a chisel as a scraper to remove surface build up and then re charge.
Nice. Thank you for the video, and congratulations on your new stage!
he mentioned in one of his previous videos to just clean it by scraping over it with a straight edge, like the side of a chisel.
i've made my own strop, but i glued the leather on using titebond 2, haven't noticed any maitnence really needed other then scraping off the buffing compound, but you don't need to do it often
anyone know the brand or the name of the knife he is using looks great
Folding Pocket Knife by Stanley.
www.misterworker.com/en-gb/stanley/folding-pocket-knife-st-350/4169.html
👍😁
would have been nice to tell us what type of leather and the weight.
Maybe everyone knows the answer, but, which side of the leather do you have uppermost?
The Wood Toy Bloke Rough side up. I also use suede.
I was going to ask the same question.
Furry side up!
I use both with fuzzy on one side of my strop and smooth on the other. I also have a handle on mine like Paul showed us how to do with his cutting board video. Used contact cement too. Happy woodworking.
Make a couple, use both sides of the leather, use different polishing compounds, rather than just one rouge.
Ive always thought i needed specific leather for a strop. So i can make one out of an old leather tool belt?
Tyler Freid yup
Absolutely.
Paul Sellers thank you sir!
Rough side of the leather is up, right?
The main reason I watched this video was to see how to deal with edge rolling because the leather is soft and wraps around the edge. I had not thought about doing the back face on a plane and flat wood surface. Thanks. ((Note: Since I last watched this (and I do when I am making new strops) I have been putting drum head leather on the back of them. It is good and hard and holds the compound well. After mounting, I lightly sand with 320 grit to even the surface and give it a little more tooth for the compound. Seems to be working well so far. Also, purse leather works well as it is usually thinner and does not roll of hump.))
Rough side or skin side of the leather?
Which side of the leather up?
I don't understand the tape used and them taken off. What is it?