Customer Support

Devonmoonshire · Apr 30, 2016

I simply had to post this because the customer support I have received from Tony Miller over the past few days has been nothing short of Legendary. Through his contact I was able to open a dialogue with him in order to work out some difficulties I was having after cleaning my leather component of my strop and it stiffening up. I had asked if he sold individual leather replacements because I figured I had ruined mine. Instead he coached me through the process of bringing it back to life and indeed his method worked flawlessly, I did in addition go ahead and order another leather component for my Tony Miller Old No.2 Heirloom Strop as I know there are always chances of destroying it and I just wanted to express my sincerest thanks to him for the amazing service he provided me.

SO this thread is open to all EPIC Customer Service Related Successes You All have received form individual Strop Vendors my Friends.

Tell us your Customer Service Story that lead to a sincere Gratitude and Loyalty to the Vendor :001_smile

spoken36 · Apr 30, 2016

Can you summarize the restoration method you were advised to use?

Devonmoonshire · Apr 30, 2016

spoken36 said:
Can you summarize the restoration method you were advised to use?

In short it is basically like doing a "Shoe Shine" method back and forth over a table edge or a dowel rod about 40 to 50 times and at around a 90 degree angle either side of the surface with the rough side against the hard surface you are using. It really does loosen up the leather a lot after the stiffening it suffered. The Strop is put back together now and although it does have a different feel to it, it still works amazingly well :thumbup1:

spoken36 · Apr 30, 2016

Thanks for sharing that.

It's always interesting to know the methods out there. That method is a standard part of the tanning process, so it's one of a very few variables available to interact with a piece of leather. If you think about the stresses on a piece of leather being worked that way, the surface that contacts the break, as it's called, goes through compression while the opposite side goes through tension stresses, and the middle gets shear stress.

With that in mind, I try to avoid stretching the smooth side of a strop, because it adds texture to that side once it is relaxed, because once the leather is stretched, it won't shrink back. In order to avoid stretching the "face side", I think it's best to have that side against the break, and let all the stretching happen to the rough, or flesh side, as it is called. In order to keep from marring the face side that is moving against the break, you need to get kind of creative and I have resorted to using a good quality olympic lifting bar so that I had a small radius breaking surface that was free to rotate with the surface of the leather. It's one way to get the breaking done without nearly as much risk of altering the stropping surface.

Glad your strop is better.

Devonmoonshire · Apr 30, 2016

spoken36 said:
Thanks for sharing that.

It's always interesting to know the methods out there. That method is a standard part of the tanning process, so it's one of a very few variables available to interact with a piece of leather. If you think about the stresses on a piece of leather being worked that way, the surface that contacts the break, as it's called, goes through compression while the opposite side goes through tension stresses, and the middle gets shear stress.

With that in mind, I try to avoid stretching the smooth side of a strop, because it adds texture to that side once it is relaxed, because once the leather is stretched, it won't shrink back. In order to avoid stretching the "face side", I think it's best to have that side against the break, and let all the stretching happen to the rough, or flesh side, as it is called. In order to keep from marring the face side that is moving against the break, you need to get kind of creative and I have resorted to using a good quality olympic lifting bar so that I had a small radius breaking surface that was free to rotate with the surface of the leather. It's one way to get the breaking done without nearly as much risk of altering the stropping surface.

Glad your strop is better.

That is a Brilliant idea actually, I have a Guide On that my son got from his JROTC Instructor that I used today with the method he gave me, I may just do a reversal to even things out a bit and instead of securing it in place just let it roll with the back and forth runs with the stropping side down against the pole. The physics behind it are actually quite sound and makes a lot of sense.

Luckily for me I have plenty of time to get it done right as my 3" Premier Strop Co. Red Latigo came in today and it is a pretty darned nice performer in it's own right.

View attachment 655514

Kentos · Apr 30, 2016

I own 5 TM strops in different leathers...Tony is tops in my book.

Tony Miller · May 3, 2016

While the grain side against the break sounds viable I would not suggest doing this on my products. I am very much against bending leather with the grain inside of the bend. It may work fine for you but I advise not to do this on my leathers. I actually don't promote the shoe shine method at all other than to revive an already compromised strop.

I am glad you were able to fix your current strop Nate and thank you for the kind words.

spoken36 · May 3, 2016

Thank you for your experienced opinion. What is the negative impact with the grain facing the inside of the breaking action?

Tony Miller said:
While the grain side against the break sounds viable I would not suggest doing this on my products. I am very much against bending leather with the grain inside of the bend. It may work fine for you but I advise not to do this on my leathers. I actually don't promote the shoe shine method at all other than to revive an already compromised strop.

I am glad you were able to fix your current strop Nate and thank you for the kind words.

Tony Miller · May 3, 2016

I find that any inside bending, putting compression on the grain will tend to pucker it up, lifting it from the base fibers. Now, bending over a hard object may tend to reduce the effect it still jeopardizes the surface. Different leathers may react differently with this but bending will reduce the surface length inside the bend and that material has to go somewhere so it lifts and pickers. Even outside of the break will stretch as you pointed out so it is a fine balance of how much to do it If at all.
I am a firm believer of less is more when it comes to working on strops.......no dressing, no tight rolling, etc.
Everyone has their own opinions but this is just what works for me on the various leathers I have used. My Latigo was far more forgiving of bending than my bridle, my steerhide Is somewhere in between.

spoken36 · May 3, 2016

Thanks again for the thorough reply. Yeah, exactly the right amount, and too much are sitting pretty close to each other. Meticulous care and attention to detail seem to be the governing concerns in all things pertaining to straight razors.

Devonmoonshire · May 3, 2016

Thank you so very much for all of the Input Gentlemen, and definitely I thank you for your advice Tony. You are a True Testament to our conduct here at B&B and a very appreciated Man of Honor Sir :thumbup1:

Devonmoonshire · May 11, 2016

Recieved my Replacement a little over a week ago for my TM Strop and this piece is every bit as amazing as the Steerhide Version and the color matches perfectly with the Bridal Leather Handles and Top Piece. Tony, you are a Master of Strop Making in every way Sir and I cannot thank you enough for bringing my Strop Back to Life :thumbup:

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