Is this normal for a strop

Hey everyone,

I began stropping with an Illinois 361 strop, I couldn't bring myself to purchase one of Tony's beauties just to nick the hell out of it. While its done the job, I've noticed a few things and was wondering if this is indicative of all strops, or just mine?

First, there appears to be a scar in the middle of the leather, kind of like a wrinkle I just can't et out. I've mink oiled the strop and rubbed a glass bottle filled with warm across it (several times), but the scar is still noticeable. Now I'm not talking just visually noticeable, I can feel it slightly when I run my hand over it. The question is, does it affect my razor's edge to a significant degree? Is it such a problem that I should replace my strop?

Second, I've noticed there is a lot of built up dirt and grime on my strop. When I run my hand across the leather, I can feel the gunk pull at my hand and I can only imagine what it does to my edge. The dirt is not uniform, mostly on the two edges of the strop and of course around that fine scar. Now, I know the mink oil probably contributed to this as well as the oil I use on my carbon-steel razors, but is this normal? I try to remove as much oil from my carbon-steels as possible before touching the linen and leather, so is this just a fact of life?

Thanks in advance for all your advice.

I used to own an Illinois #361 and it is one of their nicest strops. I did have a problem with quality though at times, scars and wrinkles as you described and eventualy stopped selling them. When you get a smooth one though they are fine strops.

Wrinkles can come from use by folding or rolling the strop or can be inherant in the leather itself. healed scars, fat wrinkles, etc.... all become issues. Scar will catch on the razor and feel like speed bumps. Fat wrinkles tend to be little dips and only felt if running across the width of a strop. Even running the length of a strop they dtract from appearance and reduce the contact area.

There is really not much you can do with scars, etc... other than pumice them out. They really won't hurt the razor but are less than ideal.

Leather is a natural material and is prone to lots of scars right from the animal and to damage in handling, normal and excessive. I've had one or two less than perfect ones sneak out too but quickly replace any that I am told about.

Tony

Thanks Tony. With this lifestyle there appears to be a million things that need to be worked out befor the stars align and the perfect shave becomes commonplace.

I wonder if continually wiping the strop to rid it of the grime would be a good thing or cause more damage in the long run?

I don't understand where the grime is coming from to get on your strop. Unless you live in a very dusty place. I never wipe down my strops. Only when I treat them every couple of months and there is never grime on them. Make sure you wipe down your razors real good before you take them to the strop. If you are getting oil or something on the strop from the razor, thats probably not good for the leather depending on what you use on your razors.

I know the Fromm dressing weill leave a pretty heavy residue on a strop if not properly wiped off. They say to let it sit a while but one needs to rub it very well to remove the excess because of the high number of solids in it. Mine had more buildup than usual if I was not careful.

Tony

I use a synthetic oil on my carbon steel razors to avoid rust and such. The oil in question is a thin gun oil I have laying around the house, not the typical mineral oil everyone suggests. However, I have noticed my carbon steels razors developing tarnish, but I don't know if that is common for non-stainless steel razors or a reaction to the oil?

Also, the mink oil I used to freshen up the strop after pumicing out a nick or trying to flatten that scar attracts dirt. I usually wipe of any excess mink oil the day after I refresh the strop (only done that twice so far) but inevitably after a couple of months I can see the dirt on the leather.

Has anyone tried, or is it recommended by those who know, using saddle soap to clean and condition strops? The stuff is used on saddles (expensive leather things) to clean and maintain, so it should'nt hurt leather used for other things. Are there counterindications for its use on a strop? I'm just thinking that it may get rid of some of the crud factor on the Illinois or similar strops.:thinking:

still ignorant, but learning to deal with it, Bruce

Cleaning products for saddlery would be fine for a strop. Stay away from oils as much as you can when you want to clean a strop. Oil on a strop needs a lot of time to absorb and any excess should be well cleaned off before you leave it to soak.
Your dirt problem is the mink oil, too much of it or not wiped off the excess enuf after aplication as well as you may have started using the strop too sonn after the oil was applied. stropping has a tendancy to draw the oils to the surface when the oil is fresh applied.
Scars and folds etc can be "hot spoon'd" flat but this is not ideal. I have in the past had a very scared and wrinkled strop that I used an Iron on the smooth out the defects. This worked great but I would not recomend you try unless you are willing to take the possible loss of a strop. Set the iron to below cotton on the scale if you do try. This is not a far fetched idea I grabbed from nowhere but a technique used in the services etc to polish boots and belts etc. In the army they use a hot spoon for the toes of the boots to take the dimpled grain out of the hide prior to "spit and polish". For belts they use a houshold Iron the same way but on a flat surface. This when done correctly can make full grain hide like patent leather.

GL

PuFF

I use saddle soap on all my strops!
Trackzilla, I also suspect you are using to much dressing on your strop! What I do with mink oil or similar solid dressing is just get a dab on two fingers and then rub it into the strop thoroughly starting from the top and working my way down. generally this wil be enough but if the leather is particularly thirsty so that you don't make it to the bottom of the strop before you get it worked in you can always use a little more. if there is any extra on the strop when you are finished just wipe it off with a rag. When you are complete your strop should not feel tacky or oily!

Thanks for the advice, I'll clean off my strop with some light soap and water, let it dry and see if the buildup ceases. I'll let you know how it goes.