Needing a way to hone the inner bevels of my carving gouges, I made a custom top knob strop for my Work Sharp 3000. The knob/strop is effective, easy to make, and does not interfere with access to the flat plate.
To make the strop, cut a 1"-thick stack of 2"-diameter discs from scrap cowhide, drill center holes in each one, and then thread onto a ¼"-20 × 4" carriage bolt. Secure the discs to the bolt with a washer and nut, and then add a few extra nuts so that the exposed end of the bolt is the same length as the original top nut. Finally, round the edges of the leather on a belt or disc sander. (You can also shape the disc to strop V-shaped tools.)
Screw the strop onto the top of the wheel, charge it with your favorite honing compound, and you’re set to hone outside and inside bevels at the same station.
