Old Strop - Can I re-condition the leather?

[timbo614]

I picked up a really old razor strop for 25p Today it has two sides, one with just plain leather the other has some sort of fine green abrasive. The leather although not actually cracked is dry and very stiff. Thought it might be useful during my sharpening practice.

The question is should I try to (or even can i) recondition the original leather or just use an old belt/piece of leather as a new strop?

If the leather can be done - what do I use? I assume I soak ot in something oil-like ...

 

[NazNomad]

First guess would be saddle-soap.


...and for just 25p, it's worth having just as a 'nice thing'.



Edit ... I was kinda right. http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/How_to_Restore_a_Strop

 

[Bod]

Neatsfoot oil, available from saddlerys. Paint on inside, twice daily till leather is supple.

Bod

 

[D_W]

Neatsfoot oil, it's not a race so don't soak it all at once. before applying, lightly wipe the surface to get the crud off - you can use saddle soap later once it's supple of it's not clean enough.

care not to flex it much - if it cracks, no amount of oiling will fix it.

 

[timbo614]

First guess would be saddle-soap.


...and for just 25p, it's worth having just as a 'nice thing'.



Edit ... I was kinda right. http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/How_to_Restore_a_Strop

Thanks for that. From the shavng site: "It is advised to use saddle soap to clean and neatsfoot oil is best to condition leather"

This forum is quite amazing, three correct answers within a couple of hours!, better than googling!

25p.. yes once I have cleaned it up it should be nice, from my googling it is probably 100-ish years old. Found one almost the same on ebay in the USA: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Old-St...shion-Leather-Strop-Wood-Handle-/161630557623

@D_W: I've left it assembled because as you say it would be easy to flex the leather and crack it when it's removed from it's tensioner. So leather first. Frame and handle later.

 

[bugbear]

If it was in a box/shed with a load of other stuff, you'll also need to clean the grit and dirt out of it, since these
particles are much bigger and coarser than the intended strop paste (or lack thereof).

If you're really unlucky some "practical man" might have put so-called-fine valve grinding paste on it.

BugBear

 

[Rorschach]

A normal hand soap (bar soap, not liquid) will be perfect for cleaning the leather, mix up a good froth on a sponge and use that, don't soak the leather if possible. After it is dry then use neatsfoot oil, real stuff, not the fake stuff they make these days.

 

[ED65]

If you want to restore the suppleness of the leather then neatsfoot may be the absolute best thing you can use, if you can find any. Last time I went looking for some where I am it was unavailable, even from a saddler's.

In its absence you can try baby oil, or in fact any form of liquid paraffin/mineral oil. Purists are horrified by the notion but it may in reality work nearly as well as neatsfoot. Close enough for government work certainly.

But even if you get it back into working condition this type of strop is intended more for knives and razors, not ideally suited to a plane iron or chisels. Rigid strops are best for woodworking edge tools, to the point that some woodworkers today strop on hard surfaces like smoothly planed hardwood or MDF. Edit: these are charged with compound or metal polish usually, not used bare.

 

[Rorschach]

Proper neatsfoot oil is easily found on ebay and amazon. I use it on my leather shoes in preference to dubbin or wax.

 

[Tony Zaffuto]

I've used "Marvel Mystery Oil" and it does an excellent job at refreshing my strop, removing all traces of compound, dirt, etc., that build up. After wiping on (don't soak), I vigorously wipe it off with clean paper towels.