Thread: How bad are strop wrinkles?

My apologies if this question has already been answered. I searched the forums and checked the wiki, and the only thing I could find on the subject was the strop maintenance & repair wiki page that says the strop will lose "most if not all of it's functionality." I'm assuming that refers to fairly large wrinkles?

I ordered a Jemico strop from amazon, from one of those 3rd party vendors. I guess the guy that packaged it thought it was some sort of fancy belt for your dick or something, because he just folded it in half and shoved it in a padded envelope. So, now the strop has very tiny wrinkles where the guy folded it (not quite big enough to see, but I can feel them when I rub my fingers over the surface), and the leather in that area is softer than the surrounding leather.

Is my strop dead? Is it still usable? And, is there any way to get the wrinkles out?

First of all, Jemico strops (a.k.a Illinois strops) are serviceable. I have one and I have been satisfied with it. Obviously, I do not have an artisan strop to compare it too but my razors are keen when I shave and my shaves are close. When I received my strop, I noticed some wrinkles as well. I used a bottle to roll over the strop several times,. This somewhat worked. What I did next was to use the countertop of my kitchen (the one in your sink will work too if you have one) to slide the strop up and down, sort of like if you were shining shoes. This actually got rid of the wrinkles for me.

Al raz.

Originally Posted by Alraz

First of all, Jemico strops (a.k.a Illinois strops) are serviceable. I have one and I have been satisfied with it. Obviously, I do not have an artisan strop to compare it too but my razors are keen when I shave and my shaves are close. When I received my strop, I noticed some wrinkles as well. I used a bottle to roll over the strop several times,. This somewhat worked. What I did next was to use the countertop of my kitchen (the one in your sink will work too if you have one) to slide the strop up and down, sort of like if you were shining shoes. This actually got rid of the wrinkles for me.

Al raz.

That's excellent news! I'll try that as soon as I get home from work. Thanks a lot!

The old barbers used to recommend applying lather to the leather and rolling a bottle over it. You could try that.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

The old barbers used to recommend applying lather to the leather and rolling a bottle over it. You could try that.

I'll try this too. Whatever gets the wrinkles out

If worse comes to worse and the wrinkles won't come out I am pretty sure Amazon has a liberal return policy.

That's the way my first strop came to me. Take some linseed oil or other leather conditioning oil and apply it over entire thing and make sure to apply uber amounts to the wrinkles. Roll it out with a bottle and then hang it with a weight attached to it (I used fishing sinkers). That did the trick for mine and it works like a champ.

I would not even mess with it. Return it back to Amazon and tell them you want another one professionally packaged and how your current strop is ruined! Why should you settle for less when you paid for new? You could even call the third party direct and get on them for an exchange. Flex the muscle and start cracking that whip!

My strops were mailed to me in perfect shape and so should have yours.


Shotty service is unacceptable!

Pabster

Comments retracted.

Yah... lol. What pabster said.

Hello Gentlemen...
I would have to agree that there is no reason to have to repair a strop upon receiving it.
I alway send a request, when ordering, not to fold the strop.

As an aside, I am gladdened to see so many in search of that "perfect shave." It's nice to be here.