Thread: Over Conditioned Strop

I had recently purchased a brand new Dovo strop...

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...944/196033.htm

and some strop conditioner...

http://www.classicshaving.com/catalo...944/196078.htm

and decided to try applying some. The strop soaked up the conditioner so fast that I couldn't rub it in smoothly or evenly, so I ended up drenching the strop with the entire tube, letting soak in end then trying to rub off the excess.

For the longest time I couldn't feel the leather 'grab' the metal while stropping. Instead it felt like it was sticking or gliding along a waxy paste. After lots of rubbing and wiping (with dry or damp clothes), I've removed the surface stuff and can barely feel the leather while stropping.

Is it possible to fix my poor strop?

Thanks,
Mark

Well... I had my strop out recently to condition it and had left the water running in the tub drawing a bath.
My 20 month old seems to have a facination with putting things in other things.
So she takes my strop and throws it in the tub full of hot water!

Well, long story short, it is now 7 inches shorter and 1 inch wide!!

Now I have a new strop with 15 oz butt and 13 oz red latigo

Oh wait, you had a nice strop already didn't you..........

Have you tried rubbing it with lather and a bottle? That should do it.
Last time I had this problem the solution was to wash some conditioner off.

Also the lather thing works good for me on making the conditioner spread evenly because since the strop is already damp and the water impedes the absorption of the conditioner allowing you to spread it evenly.

Same thing as breaking it in, lay it on the counter and rub in a good stiff lather and rub it with a glass bottle till smooth.

I think the soap is probably a good thing for the razor anyway due to the bentonite clay used in many soaps. Seems like it would have a very mild polishing action on the edge.

Course I'm sort of a newb so someone might come right along and say I'm wrong.

G.W.

Originally Posted by 0o.Mark.o0

After lots of rubbing and wiping (with dry or damp clothes), I've removed the surface stuff and can barely feel the leather while stropping.

But does it work ok? Are your razors comfortable to shave with? If so, then there's nothing to "fix", just keep using it and the conditioner will gradually evaporate naturally over the next few months.

I'm not a fan of the big draw on a strop, IMHO it's too much noise and disguises the change in drag that occurs when the razor is fully stropped and ready to go.

Lots of brown paper and some books to press it down on a flat surface might draw any surface oil off. Then a light lathering with shave soap and leaving it to dry again in a flat position should help.

EFFAX Leder combi

Google that. I use it to condition old strops and to clean off excess conditioner. It should do the trick.
If you leave the strop long enough you should find that it will be ok if not darker than originally. This is not a bad thing. You could go as suggested with the lather and bottle routine but I'm sure the strop will be fine. A lttle tip for you: Use a polishe piece of round bar/tube and repeatedly rub it over the strop as if it was a razor, this should even out the draw and break it in for you without worrying about nicking the strop with a razor. Do it as hard as you like. Shame no one make dummy razors out of flat bar so new people to stropping can get thier technique up

Hope this helps

Puff

Originally Posted by PuFFaH

Shame no one make dummy razors out of flat bar so new people to stropping can get thier technique up

Puff

PuFF, I see you have not been active on ebay. At any one time there is a number of such / similar razors, they are usually advertised as "minty" or "excellent" and some guys who have no clue might use "in good condition for its age"

Cheers
Ivo

And then there are some like this that really are minty.
http://cgi.ebay.com/dubl-duck-WONDER...QQcmdZViewItem

Rick