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Is something wrong with my strop or is something wrong with me??

Well I know there is something wrong with me in general, but I think my strop might have issues. I got a 3" red latigo strop from SRD a few months ago and whenever I strop it leaves some reddish residue on the spine and shoulder of the razor. It feels kinda tacky and just doesn't seem to leave a great edge on the blade. It has been like this from the start and I figured the residue thing would just go away, but it has not. I have resorted to stropping after shaving around 50-70 laps on the leather, but then doing maybe 10 quick laps on CrOx balsa right before shaving. The balsa seems to leave a lot smoother edge than the leather, but I think if I continue this habit, the crox will reduce the longevity of the edge.

Now I know I am newer at this as I have only been using a straight for a couple months, but I honestly can't think my technique is THAT bad. I have tried doing more and more laps on the leather too, but that doesn't seem to help, just more red residue built up on the razor. I have tried stropping as light as possible and also with a little bit of light pressure. Just can't seem to get a smooth edge right off the leather.

I see that Larry at whippeddog sells precut english bridle leather for really cheap. Thinking that might be a good option. Or I might just need to practice more, I don't know. Any feedback would be appreciated.
 
I noticed the red residue with my SRD red latigo strop too. I thought it was the strop, but then realized that I put too much pressure. When I lighten the pressure, red residue goes away and edge feels fine.
 
I have tried stropping really lightly on it and I still get the residue. I have had it for almost 3 months....
 
I think you should report the red residue to StraightRazorDesigns.com. You shouldn't be getting residue off the strops after that long in my opinion. I highly doubt whether the red color is serious though.
 
Thanks Larry, I actually just ordered the replacement leather from you about an hour ago though. I will try to email SRD and see what they say though.
 

Kentos

B&B's Dr. Doolittle.
Staff member
Try rubbing the leather down with a rag lightly dampened with denatured alcohol. Latigo is a wax/oil/dye impregnated leather and that is oozing out the leather onto your blade.

My 2 latigo TM's don't have that problem, but Tony has remarked that it was impossible to tell how each batch of latigo would react to stropping. That inconsistency was what had him stop using it.

If you do a search some people have done a bunch of things to lessen the draw. Rubbing it down with alcohol is the least invasive after changes to technique.( which is lessening the tautness of the pulled strop IMO)
 
I will just deal with it for a couple more days. I am going out of town tomorrow, so I won't shave for a few days anyway. Hopefully Larry's beautiful English Bridle leather will be here by then.
 
I get the same red waxy residue from my Tony Miller red latigo strop. It has been my daily strop for 2 years and it still occurs. I don't think there is much you can do.

I think it's worth mentioning it has no negative effect on the razor, or the strop it seems.
 
I get the same red waxy residue from my Tony Miller red latigo strop. It has been my daily strop for 2 years and it still occurs. I don't think there is much you can do.

I think it's worth mentioning it has no negative effect on the razor, or the strop it seems.

Maybe I do just really suck at stropping still.......
 
I have the same issue, it does not affect the edge but you must wipe it down, I usually finish with a couple of hand strops to make sure the edge is clean. This is one of the reasons I don't use that strop as much.
 

Tony Miller

Speaking of horse butts…
This is not unusualy with latigo leather. Some batches will do it more than others, some not at all. There is a lot of variation in how the same leather, from the same tannery turns out. I can get a stack of hides, latigo or bridle and each looks and feels a bit differeent as far as surface texture from the tanning process alone as well as the inherent variations in the leather.


It will not affect the usefullness of the strop but is a bit more trouble to have to wipe the razor each time. I gave up on latigo myself now for just this reason and the inablility to get consistant hides. My other leathers may turn up with different qualities which I must weed through but at least the tanning has been more consistant.


Tony
 
my latigo leaves a residue on the spine but i just wipe it off ocassionaly while stroping and when finished but causes me no other issues. my fav is english bridle, i think it leaves the best edge 4 me, i always use it after i strop on my others kind of like a finishing strop. YMMV of course.
 
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