Thread: Breaking in a strop

I have an Illinois 835 strop that I bought as part of a set from Classic Shaving. The leather is really stiff and I'm wondering what I can do to make it more supple? Is this what strop dressing is for? What are some easy-to-find applications one can use to make a strop more supple?

LBX

Originally Posted by Lunchbox16

I have an Illinois 835 strop that I bought as part of a set from Classic Shaving. The leather is really stiff and I'm wondering what I can do to make it more supple? Is this what strop dressing is for? What are some easy-to-find applications one can use to make a strop more supple?

LBX

Rub some strop dressing into the leather with your fingers and palm.

Take a straight sided glass bottle, such as an empty beer bottle, (any applied labels removed) pull the dressed strop out slightly (allow quite a bit of sag) and rub the strop vigorously with the bottle for several minutes pulling the strop up and slightly around the bottle while rubbing with the bottle.

Remember to use the smooth side of the bottle without a seam as this may scratch your strop.

Finally take a slightly dampened cloth and wipe down the leather. Finish with a dry cloth to remove all moisture and excess dressing.

Repeat as needed until your strop starts to feel nice and supple. Use less, or no, dressing on subsequent treatments.

Remember to rub your palm vigorously over the leather every now and then. That will also help. Be careful at first though, or you'll get a nasty friction burn on your hand. As your strop breaks in, it will get smoother and less apt to give you that burn.

Also, if you notice after this that your strop wants to bend outwards, even though it is hanging down, don't worry. Just use your hands to gently mold it back the other way and just let it hang there. Eventually it will just naturally straighten out.

And one more suggestion: get yourself some William's shaving soap. Before you leave for the day, after shaving, disassemble your strop and lay the leather on a flat surface. Cover the leather with a good coating of lather made from the William's. When you return that day, or the next morning, the lather will have dried. Hold the strop over the sink, or a garbage container, and with your hand rub off all of the dried lather. Reassemble the strop and rub with your palm as before until it feels very smooth and non-sticky. You might notice a nice difference in the feel of the strop after doing this.

Finally, when you first try stropping your razor, if the razor really sticks to the strop and won't glide over the surface, wet a cloth, wring it out and rub the leather up and down, then dry with a clean dry cloth. Follow by rubbing with your palm. Try stropping your razor again. it should glide better. If not reapeat the process until it does.


Good Luck


Scott

Honedright,
I am just getting into this straight razor world. I bought a brand new Kamisori straight razor made in Solingen Germany. The razor seemed sharp when I tried to use it the first time. I should also point out that this was the first time I had ever tried to use a straight razor. It would not shave a single hair off my face. I know I have a tough beard, but it's not THAT tough. Then I saw something about a hanging hair test and tried it on my new razor. I think I could rub that hair all day on that blade and it is not going to cut it. My next thought was that I need to strop this thing.

I then went on Ebay and bought a brand new strop. It has not arrived yet but it looks like I have to break it in according to this thread. Would you please recommend a strop dressing to use for breaking in a new strop, and how much of this dressing should I be using? Is there any place in a city like Denver where I can walk in and buy these things I need for straight razor shaving? I have looked in the phone book and don't see anything at all. I would hate to have to go to the internet every time I need strop dressing and the like.

Originally Posted by renaissance man

Honedright,
I am just getting into this straight razor world. I bought a brand new Kamisori straight razor made in Solingen Germany. The razor seemed sharp when I tried to use it the first time. I should also point out that this was the first time I had ever tried to use a straight razor. It would not shave a single hair off my face. I know I have a tough beard, but it's not THAT tough. Then I saw something about a hanging hair test and tried it on my new razor. I think I could rub that hair all day on that blade and it is not going to cut it. My next thought was that I need to strop this thing.

I then went on Ebay and bought a brand new strop. It has not arrived yet but it looks like I have to break it in according to this thread. Would you please recommend a strop dressing to use for breaking in a new strop, and how much of this dressing should I be using? Is there any place in a city like Denver where I can walk in and buy these things I need for straight razor shaving? I have looked in the phone book and don't see anything at all. I would hate to have to go to the internet every time I need strop dressing and the like.

You don't have to break in a strop. Just using it daily will naturally break it in. But, using the methods I described will help it break-in (and strop better in my opinion) faster than just daily use.

The only products I have ever used on a strop are Fromm strop dressing and lather made from William's shaving soap. The natural oils from the palm of the hand (hand dressing) also play a big part in conditioning the leather.
I wouldn't know if Fromm dressing is available in the Denver area, but I'd be suprised if you couldn't find William's shaving soap at either a Wal-Mart or Walgreens, or some other similar store.

Several SRP members have recommended other types of leather conditioners for strops, but I can not recommend them as I've never tried them myself.

As far as amount to use: use enough dressing to cover the leather and then rub in until completely absorbed. If the leather is very dry it will absorb a lot of product quickly. Just use your best judgement as to how much to use. I've never had a problem with adding too much Fromm strop dressing. If the leather seems oily after application, I just wipe off the exess with a cloth. If too tacky after this, I wipe again with a cloth and then rub my palm over the leather until it feels smoother and less sticky (I prefer a faster action strop for lighter full hollow straight razors).

When using the William's lather as a dressing/ conditioner, one application (as described in my previous post) followed by wiping with a cloth and several hand dressings seems to work really well. Some of the old barber manuals recommended that barbers use the lather treatment every day at the end of business.

Hope this answers your questions,

Scott

Hi Scott. Thanks for the info but I have a dumb question. So, I gather from your description that I could use either the strop paste or Williams soap. I don't need both. Is that what you are saying? Thanks once again. This place is such a tremendous resource for newbies like me.

Originally Posted by sachin

Hi Scott. Thanks for the info but I have a dumb question. So, I gather from your description that I could use either the strop paste or Williams soap. I don't need both. Is that what you are saying? Thanks once again. This place is such a tremendous resource for newbies like me.

Before I answer, I want to clarify that I'm recommending strop dressing and not paste since they are two different products. Dressing for conditioning and pastes for abrading or sharpening.

Now to answer your question: Yes you could use either the Fromm dressing or the William's soap lather. The dressing will work faster since more product will absorb into the leather per application. But each time you use the William's and follow with hand dressings, the leather will get smoother, softer and more pliable.

You can also combine and/or alternate the two methods if you want. But no, I don't think you need both.


Scott

Originally Posted by honedright

Before I answer, I want to clarify that I'm recommending strop dressing and not paste since they are two different products. Dressing for conditioning and pastes for abrading or sharpening.

Now to answer your question: Yes you could use either the Fromm dressing or the William's soap lather. The dressing will work faster since more product will absorb into the leather per application. But each time you use the William's and follow with hand dressings, the leather will get smoother, softer and more pliable.

You can also combine and/or alternate the two methods if you want. But no, I don't think you need both.


Scott

Thanks a lot Scott. The information is very much appreciated. I apologize for the confusion but I meant the strop dressing and not the paste.

Sachin

Also keep in mind that some strops are made of leather that is just naturally stiff and all the tinkering around with it will not make it as soft as butter and it should not be that way. Some strops like horse and cordovan horse are just naturally softer and more pliable than some cowhide strops.

Isn't Williams a tallow based soap? Perhaps that is why it is recommended?

Thanks for the great thread.