Thread: What to do With Strop Nicks?

Thanks for the tips all, never heard of neatsfoot oil before. Is it something I can pick up at a store or Amazon? Does it go by any other names? I have some generic strop treatment oil, do you think it's the same stuff?

Do you have to sand nicks out? I'm still using my first strop and it has a few abrasions, I would stop short of calling them cuts. I don't feel them when I strop, so should I be concerned about removing them?

Originally Posted by jayb11175

Thanks for the tips all, never heard of neatsfoot oil before. Is it something I can pick up at a store or Amazon? Does it go by any other names? I have some generic strop treatment oil, do you think it's the same stuff?

You can get it on Amazon. A lot of people use it to condition baseball gloves.

I use mink oil in a can. I rub just enough on my hands to make them look a lil oily and then I rub my palm on the strop. Softens it right up without all the fuss and possibility of overdoing it. (Only drawback is my hands turn smooth and I can't use them to lap my guangxi stone anymore.)

Neatsfoot oil you may find in your local farm supply. If you have a generic strop treatment why don't you use it first, is it Fromm?
And maybe I missed it but I thought you were having issues with nicks in your strop? Also did anyone mention using the palm of your hand to rub the leather? I do this every time before I strop, keeps the leather nice.

Originally Posted by Wayne1963

Do you have to sand nicks out? I'm still using my first strop and it has a few abrasions, I would stop short of calling them cuts. I don't feel them when I strop, so should I be concerned about removing them?

I would ignore them, if you can't feel them passing under the blade then what possible affect could they have?

That's what I do.


Oh wait I said that already.

Originally Posted by Trimmy72

Neatsfoot oil you may find in your local farm supply. If you have a generic strop treatment why don't you use it first, is it Fromm?
And maybe I missed it but I thought you were having issues with nicks in your strop? Also did anyone mention using the palm of your hand to rub the leather? I do this every time before I strop, keeps the leather nice.

You use your palm for Palm Stropping the blade. You don't want to make it too smooth with all the mink oil and horse stuff!
(Your palm)

Originally Posted by Johnus

You use your palm for Palm Stropping the blade. You don't want to make it too smooth with all the milk oil and horse stuff!

I guess I wasn't clear, Either use neatsfoot OR the generic strop dressing to bring it back if it's dry. OR use the palm of your hand on the leather to maintain it. I've heard of palm stropping but this isn't what I meant. I run my palm back and forth on the leather of my strop. I know it's been discussed somewhere on here before so nothing new

Originally Posted by jayb11175

Thanks for the tips all, never heard of neatsfoot oil before. Is it something I can pick up at a store or Amazon? Does it go by any other names? I have some generic strop treatment oil, do you think it's the same stuff?

You can usually find Neatsfoot Oil (Prime Neatsfoot Oil) at saddle and tack stores, farm stores, and maybe Wal-Mart (or similar), or a leather crafting/supply shop. You should be able to find it locally unless you are in a tiny remote place (or maybe in the middle of a big city). You might find some in a shoe care section in a department store. Definitely keep some around if you any leather items.

Lexol has lanolin and other stuff in it. Works great on saddles and tack - not sure about a strop. Might soften it too much.

heard about this stuff ,have been using mink oil paste at this point.Will have to to look for it soon.