On Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:35:14 -0800, the infamous "Nonny"
scrawled the following:


"Larry Jaques" wrote in message
.. .
I used the -smooth- side of a strip of thick, chrome-tanned
leather I
got. I made a strop out of a stick of plywood and the leather,
glued
together. The leather is about 1-1/2" x 12".
http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...,43072&p=32999

Is leather somehow an important component of a strop, or could
wood or even glass be used as the holder for the compound?

I think it's used primarily because it's tough, textured to hold
compound, and has some silica in it in the first place.

On glass, you'd simply push the abrasive around, abrading it nearly as
much as you did the metal.

Semi-soft, open-pored wood could probably be used fairly well. AAMOF,
for curved gouges, wood works extremely well. Cut a curl in the wood
(without removing the chip), rub compound into the gap, and you can
hone both sides of the gouge at once.

I've seen grainy rubber compound holders for gouges, too.

--
It's a great life...once you weaken.
--author James Hogan