Normal Strop Wear?

This is my first stop so I know why I have the knicks but there are these "scratch" patterns that I'm getting and uneaven "flattening" in some spots. The "scratches" aren't really deep, in fact you can't even feel them.



Is this from improper stropping or is this typical. Can this strop be "fixed" or do I need a new piece of leather?

Thanks.

You have nothing to worry about with this, nor even a gouge or two here and there.

Provided you don't slice it in half the strop will outlive you, even with all the flaws it accumulates.

Chris

Assuming that the strop hasn't be switched from end to end, those look like traces left by the tip of the toe and the heel. Sometimes you can rub them out with the thumb. I'd say lighten the pressure overall and run the tip through a wine cork two-three times to blunt it. Slow down to see, hear, and feel what's happening (still say this to myself as well). May be that you are putting too much pressure on the heel in one direction and too much pressure on the toe in the other, or that both the tip of the toe and the heel are rolled. In any case, it seems to be still usable as shown.

I would agree with Alum, it looks to me like you are tipping the razor on some of your passes. Too much pressure on the toe and then the heel will leave these scratches, looks like they can be rubbed out but perhaps the more important part of this is to address what's causing them. I would slow down and focus on keeping the spine flat therefor keeping the toe or heel from digging into the strop, you want to develop a precise stroke with control of how much even pressure is exerted between the edge and the stropping surface.

Great observations guys, now that I think about it, I am probably lifting the spine a bit and digging into the strop.

Being a total newb, I thought I wasn't getting enough "feedback" from the strop so I increased the pressure. I thought my stropping may have been too light to begin with because the razors were starting to tug & feel dull.

Now that I'm a little further along, I'm thinking of either trying to smooth out this strop with some lapping film or just get a replacement piece of leather...any suggestions?

Thanks.

Take a clean white washcloth and get it very damp but not dripping. Rub the strop getting it evenly wet. The leather will swell and when it dries the scratches will be greatly diminished.

That leather piece looks perfectly usable as it is. I wouldn't rub it down with lapping film or seek a replacement at this stage. Avenolpey's suggestion to lightly wet the strop seems good. If the grain of the leather is raised afterwards, you can dampen things back down by hand-rubbing or the light use of a rolling pin.

Another thing to consider is the shape, not condition, of your strop face. If there is any cup to the surface, the toe and heel will leave marks as they ride down the raised edges because the blade will be bridging the strop. It may just be a differential in pressure rather than an actual bridge, as that is enough to change the texture of the leather, due to good leather's malleability. I noticed this going from strop to strop without changing my stropping technique. You can burnish the edges of your strop down to a better shape, if this is happening, by wetting the edge with warm water, and sliding a glass bottle or the equivalent down the edge while it is on a flat surface.