Leather Strop Help

I have a strop on back order (probably going to be several weeks until it arrives). I got my first straight razor in the mail last night. I have waited over six years until taking the plunge into straight shaving. My willpower to resist the urge to shave with this new razor is fading fast.

I have an old leather weightlifting belt that is about 6" wide. The steel buckle serves perfectly as a handle. Is it possible to use this in the meantime without damaging my new razor? Is there any thing I need to be aware of outside of normal strop use?

I don't see why ya couldn't. Just have to make sure there is no stitching or anything else in the razors path.

I would be inclined to lay it on a flat surface, like near the edge of a table. Otherwise I think it would cup too much to strop properly.

Have a real careful look over the belt for any rough bits. If youre not completely happy with the look of it for smoothness, you can use newspaper or a writing pad to get you by.

Thank you for the advice.

It made me realize I had to clean and apply some oil to make the belt supple again. I removed the dust and residue build up with a wet towel and applied some mineral oil. It should work great in the future.