Determined early on to prove it could be done, I started with a paddle strop, then laying a hanging strop flat on a table and now strop as you would imagine that most do. 15 years and hundreds of razors, still never cut a strop. Not trying to be a smart *** about it. Just want newbies to know that it can be done. You just have to be very careful and take your time. Your razor doesn't care is you strop slowly and carefully. The guys you see on youtube who strop like Bruce Lee waves nun-chucks, have bought a lot of strops. I still have my originals. JMHE
"Am I really going to cut up my first strop?"
- Thread starter rhgg2
- Start date
Nicely done! I need to do the same thing to my first strop.
What grit sandpaper did you use? How did you get any residual sandpaper grit out of the strop?
- Thread starter
- #23
400 W&D then 800, strop laid on a flat surface and using a sanding block.
To attempt to get it sandpaper free I used a bunch of cotton rags to wipe it down firmly as I went along. You can't use a wet cloth during sanding as it raises the nap of the leather and you have to start again. However once I figured I was done I wiped the whole thing down with a fairly wet cloth to hopefully catch any remaining residue and rubbed it as it dried. Some people roll with a glass bottle or jar but I have found that there are quite often small imperfections in the glass which can scratch the leather, so I just use my hands to rub away at it. My edges don't look like they are being scratched, so I think I got any sandpaper residue out.
In place of sanding, I have used a sharp and freshly rolled edge cabinet scraper to re finish a leather strop with good results or make a suede, lightly napped strop. I would be concerned with grit impregnation from sanding. You could use a large kitchen knife with a straight edge and scrape the strop on a flat surface.
I have had good results with rehydration but go slow and add oil sparingly ½ to a teaspoon at a time. Fold a paper towel into a 2-inch square and dip into oil rub and blot on the leather, then wait 2 days or a week allowing it to absorb into the leather before adding more oil.
You can get much better oil penetration by wetting the leather with a damp sponge and allowing the water to absorb into the leather, wait 10-2 minutes before adding oil.
But best results for me is rolling a leather or linen strop. I have a thrift store rolling pin hanging from my garage door. Slowly roll the strop on the rolling pin slightly bending the strop. On leather works best after oiling. Go slow and do not break the fibers, bend and stretch them, until you can easily bend the strop in a U over the rolling pin.
This will give the strop a lot more flexibility and improve performance, strops will be as soft and floppy as a well washed sock. Rolling pins can be purchased from the dollar store or thrift store for a buck or two.
Refinishing is your last resort and unreversible, cleaning, hydration and rolling should be tried first, refinishing last.
A simple test for a contaminated strop is to paste a piece of cardboard with any good metal polish. 50-100 laps will remove all visible stria from the bevel, (note it will also make the edge harsh and will need to be re honed).
Now strop 20-30 laps on the leather and look at the bevels with magnification. If you see random deep stria on the bevels,
or any stria, your strop is contaminated. Test linen separately.
Most all razors I get in for honing have deep random stria on the bevels, it is from strop contamination. Deep stria end in a chip at the edge.
I have had good results with rehydration but go slow and add oil sparingly ½ to a teaspoon at a time. Fold a paper towel into a 2-inch square and dip into oil rub and blot on the leather, then wait 2 days or a week allowing it to absorb into the leather before adding more oil.
You can get much better oil penetration by wetting the leather with a damp sponge and allowing the water to absorb into the leather, wait 10-2 minutes before adding oil.
But best results for me is rolling a leather or linen strop. I have a thrift store rolling pin hanging from my garage door. Slowly roll the strop on the rolling pin slightly bending the strop. On leather works best after oiling. Go slow and do not break the fibers, bend and stretch them, until you can easily bend the strop in a U over the rolling pin.
This will give the strop a lot more flexibility and improve performance, strops will be as soft and floppy as a well washed sock. Rolling pins can be purchased from the dollar store or thrift store for a buck or two.
Refinishing is your last resort and unreversible, cleaning, hydration and rolling should be tried first, refinishing last.
A simple test for a contaminated strop is to paste a piece of cardboard with any good metal polish. 50-100 laps will remove all visible stria from the bevel, (note it will also make the edge harsh and will need to be re honed).
Now strop 20-30 laps on the leather and look at the bevels with magnification. If you see random deep stria on the bevels,
or any stria, your strop is contaminated. Test linen separately.
Most all razors I get in for honing have deep random stria on the bevels, it is from strop contamination. Deep stria end in a chip at the edge.
^
I like the cabinet scraper idea.
I like the cabinet scraper idea.
Not everyone does, no. But if it happens, it's just leather.
The OP's pic suggests hand/eye coordination issues and a lack of attention.
I usually suggest short strokes/passes and going slow. Most issues seem to stem from the blade being angled on the leather, and the blade meeting the hide before the return motion is engaged.
For some reason, some think stropping fast and carefree is cool. The faster and more cavalier one wants to be, the better the skills have to be. If the skills don't measure up, that's all she wrote folks.
Some leathers tend to slightly curl up at the edge, that can cause a nick, a nick can cause other issues. Stropping over nicked, damaged, or loose leather isn't a good idea.
The OP's pic suggests hand/eye coordination issues and a lack of attention.
I usually suggest short strokes/passes and going slow. Most issues seem to stem from the blade being angled on the leather, and the blade meeting the hide before the return motion is engaged.
For some reason, some think stropping fast and carefree is cool. The faster and more cavalier one wants to be, the better the skills have to be. If the skills don't measure up, that's all she wrote folks.
Some leathers tend to slightly curl up at the edge, that can cause a nick, a nick can cause other issues. Stropping over nicked, damaged, or loose leather isn't a good idea.
- Thread starter
- #28
It is true that when I slowed down and paid more attention, I found I was able to cut up my strop in a much more measured and considered way.
The hand/eye coordination and paying attention thing I mentioned are just as important as slowing down.
Strops don't cut them selves. A razor and a strop lying quietly on a table will be just fine until someone who thinks they're the Barber of Seville enters the room.
Go slow
Short distances
Pay attention
Develop muscle memory.
Repeat.
Some will have to work harder at it than others.
Avoid the problems by focusing on solutions. It works.
Strops don't cut them selves. A razor and a strop lying quietly on a table will be just fine until someone who thinks they're the Barber of Seville enters the room.
Go slow
Short distances
Pay attention
Develop muscle memory.
Repeat.
Some will have to work harder at it than others.
Avoid the problems by focusing on solutions. It works.
My stropping has been slower than molasses in January and then, out of the blue, it got faster and smoother - just takes time and practice.
When I started stropping I think I put a small nick into 1 of my strops, but nothing of major concern or in need of major sanding. Speed comes with practice but after all these years I’m not breaking land speed records to strop lol. I just take my time and only use my straight when I have enough time to do so on the weekends.
Larry
Larry
Just sliced into my first strop after honing some eBay straight razors. Yeah stropping while tired is a no-go.
