Hi all. My wife recently got me new, nice horsehide strop. Prior to it i was using beginner strop. After i started to strop my razor I noticed strop is getting scratched. I investigated my razor and it has small nick on it. Now i need to send out to get it honned (any suggestions). My question is this. Can i use scratched strop? If i can use it is there a way to fix it, get rid of scratches? I read somewhere that i can use Fromm strop dressing on it or 10k gritt stone. Does itt really work? Scratches is not dip but it is there. Any help would be appreciated.
Need help! Scratch my strop!
- Thread starter Igor977
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If you can post a pic of the scratch that would help get some better answers I'm sure.
I know that strips can be sanded with a fine grit paper stuck to a flat hard surface (I just sanded mine) and some imperfections like wrinkles can be helped by lightly wetting the area with a rag then rolling with a bottle (I've done that too ...on the same strop). I got both ideas here on the forum. What to do for what kind of "damage" is best left for better informed people than I
* I used 600 grit and 800 grit paper. I also had a problem on one strop that was helped with the wet/roll and 30 micron paper (I think 30 micron is about 600 grit). Too fine a grit and you don't get any results, to coarse and you make a problem. What ever you do make sure you wipe it very clean using two different cloths afterward to make sure you leave no grit.
I know that strips can be sanded with a fine grit paper stuck to a flat hard surface (I just sanded mine) and some imperfections like wrinkles can be helped by lightly wetting the area with a rag then rolling with a bottle (I've done that too ...on the same strop). I got both ideas here on the forum. What to do for what kind of "damage" is best left for better informed people than I
* I used 600 grit and 800 grit paper. I also had a problem on one strop that was helped with the wet/roll and 30 micron paper (I think 30 micron is about 600 grit). Too fine a grit and you don't get any results, to coarse and you make a problem. What ever you do make sure you wipe it very clean using two different cloths afterward to make sure you leave no grit.
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I think 30 micron is about 400 grit.
I wouldn't worry about it if it is just a scratch. Most likely it will only be cosmetic, and not effect the function of the strop.
CBLindsay and Legion have you pointed in the right direction. If it is small enough it can be ignored. Larger can be removed most of the time with a bit of fine grit sanding. Be careful of the type of leather. Most bridle leathers for instance have a skin like surface that once sanded will never look right again. So the big question is how was the horsehide tanned.
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![$20160201_124006[1].jpg](https://xfdata.badgerandblade.com/attachments/382/382324-791d4b23473da9724218e290de16c0ec.jpg "$20160201_124006[1].jpg")
That looks so fine I don't think you need to touch that with sandpaper. The leather looks to be vegetable tanned to me so I would put a tiny and I do mean TINY amount of leather dressing on it. Dovo's yellow strop dressing or Mountain Mike's strop dressing. Put a dab on one finger. I use about the same amount that I would put on a finger if I was going to use it on chapped lips. Then put that in my palm and then rub my palms together briskly. After that I will rub the strop with one palm followed with a glass bottle. Remember you can always put more on, but if you do you can't take it back off.
You can also work up a little bit of lather on a brush and lightly brush it over the strop, I did this with some vintage William soap and it worked well.
Less is more. Just rub it with the palm of your hand for a few seconds before each use. That will keep it in good shape.
^This. Be sure to read this thread before adding oil.http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/480759-too-much-draw
+1. Don't sweat the minor scratches.
Go play with the dogs. Then rub your strop.
With those I would take a 100% cotton t-shirt, and rub the strop with the shirt moistened.
Here are the recommendations for a Kanayama
*************Cleaning and maintenance Kanoyama Cordovan Razor Strop:
What we should do is to use clean cotton towel soaking in lukewarm water, and it should be not too much wet, but not too dry the towel. And then, we wipe the strop the front side of the strop until little before the lukewarm water going through all the way to the back side, and then it makes dry naturally. That is the way what we make the strop making shinny and smoother. According to Mr. Naomi, we should not apply on any oil on Cordovan strop. The oil collects dust, and it makes losing smoothness on the Cordovan strop, and it makes not as the finishing quality strop anymore. ****************
Here are the recommendations for a Kanayama
*************Cleaning and maintenance Kanoyama Cordovan Razor Strop:
What we should do is to use clean cotton towel soaking in lukewarm water, and it should be not too much wet, but not too dry the towel. And then, we wipe the strop the front side of the strop until little before the lukewarm water going through all the way to the back side, and then it makes dry naturally. That is the way what we make the strop making shinny and smoother. According to Mr. Naomi, we should not apply on any oil on Cordovan strop. The oil collects dust, and it makes losing smoothness on the Cordovan strop, and it makes not as the finishing quality strop anymore. ****************
Send the razor to Bayamontate for a honing to get rid of the offending chip.
Who made the strop? The maker is the best person to go to for advice on treatment here.
Horsehide, like most leathers, can be tanned, stuffed, treated and finished in a variety of ways. Always best to check in with whoever made it first.
Who made the strop? The maker is the best person to go to for advice on treatment here.
Horsehide, like most leathers, can be tanned, stuffed, treated and finished in a variety of ways. Always best to check in with whoever made it first.
