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I have an Illinois "Russian Leather" strop that I bought new several months ago. I have it dressed with Fromm's strop dressing. I've noticed that there is a section near the handle that's very rough. I was wondering if this can affect my razor's edge. It's almost like a hard nap. Should I use pumice on it, or is this something I shouldn't worry about?
Pumice sounds like it might be a good idea to me.
X
What about those Scotch Brite scouring pads? They seem like they would work without the grit of pumice. Has anyone used these? If I do the pumice, how do I clean it out of the leather? Saddle soap? Shaving lather?
Ahh yes, the surprise of the good old #827 <g>. Chris Moss just did a review of these on SMF.
Unlike nearly every other strop on the market these are basically made 'backwards". The side you actually use is the side that was closest to the cow....the flesh side. On the back, up against the linen is the "street" side of the cow, the one we usually see, the one nearly everyone else uses tas the business side of their strops. Illinois (Fromm) took a page from the Russian strop making methods and compressed the leather to make it hard, rolling those odd grooves in the back (smooth side) of the strop. It is very effective and in my opinion makes a great intermediate strop, one to use just before a smooth finishing strop or in place of linen. A few old timers here may remember (or own) one of my Tri-Strops where I paired an Illinois #127 (smooth) with a #827 (rough) and an Illinois "Linen Weave" component. They were very popular back when I sold Illinois strops.
In use thought these often get very rough and need some taming with pumice, etc.... to mellow them a little. I think Chris too, found it to work well before using a smoother strop to finish.
They are not bad strops at all but I don't think any vendors advertising (other than mine when I sold them) explains that is will be WAY rougher than any other strop. Hence the surprise comment. A very useful tool as long as you understand what you are getting.
Tony
Are they actually the part of the skin nearest the cow Tony or are they the flesh side of a split? I'm just asking because I haven't seen one and just wondered.
Would the actual flesh side i.e of a whole side/butt/shoulder or whatever be rougher than the flesh side of a split?
Murph,
The ones I had, maybe 2 years ago when I sold them were indeed the flesh side nearest the cow. Some even had those loose "strings" of flesh still attached. They were not split not what is called "leveled" which is just a coarse finished split.
I have used leveled leather before and like the rougher texture but at least it is consistant across it's surface unlike these.
The Illinois have that dark brown finish and that and the rolling/compressing hold them together pretty well but after use they often rough up.
Tony
Thanks Tony. I have some heavyweight veg tan that has bits and pieces hanging off it on he inside as well. It's only in places but it seems very difficult to get these parts smoothed off. Sanding doesn't work too well but if I cut enough off it seems to improve.
Not that I can complain as it was a special offer so I got it a bit cheaper than normal and only use it for making things like sheaths.
I wouldn't like to try stropping with this side in those areas. :)