I feel like my strop could be the problem for me.

I have been trying to work in my strop using my palm and running a glass bottle along it (avoiding the part where the glass is joined). All in an attempt to gewt a flat surface. My strop still continues to be concave; it sinks below the edges in the middle. I have taken 3x5 note cards and lay their flat edge across the strop and its very apparent that the middle drops down.

So even using a X motion there are times when theoretically only two points of the blade are touching the edges of the strop. Everything I've read leads me to believe this is not a good thing.

All my shaves have pulled uncomfortably.

I was looking for tips on flattening my Illinois 127 strop. Its brand new; so I'm thinking I might have a lot of breaking in to do before I can get it flat and ready to be used.

So I thank you guys for any help or guidance you can give me.

I also have a few nicks on the edges from lousy stropping technique; I was wondering what I can do about those.

Well, if the backside isn't all that bad on the leather, I'd just flip it over. :D I use an 827 which has the rough side out, otherwise it's pretty much the same strop though the leather has been run through a roller that has impressed a ridge pattern on the smooth side. Otherwise, try cupping the leather with your hands to make it bow the other way and lay off the bottle and hand rubbing for a while. Don't pull the strop super tight, just enough to keep it straight and it won't hurt if it bows slightly as the razor passes over but you don't want want it looking like a slack swaying hanging bridge either.

Nicks on the smooth side can be smoothed out with a pumice stone if they aren't too deep.(Pumice is hard enough to abrade leather but won't damage the edge of your razor if tiny bits get lodged in the surface of your strop) If there's a loose flap, I myself try to glue them back down... I've used weldbond with good success ( you could use a white woodworking glue in the same manner). It won't dry hard, gives you time to get the bits together right and can be clamped with a piece of tape. A deep nick, well... I just try to shave down the edges so that the blade glides over without catching or bumping.... I've got plenty of nicks in my strops....:rant:

As for the tugging shave... hard to say if it's just your stropping, could be your shaving technique too, it does take a while to get the hang of things. And of course it could simply be that you need to touch up your razor. I know lots of guys go weeks and weeks with just plain leather stropping... me, I like to keep my razor at it's peak with a Coticule and twenty to forty very light laps with water about every 7 to 10 shaves. This keeps my edge at it's sharpest, just the way *I* like it.

Others will probably chime in shortly.

Regards

Christian

I have run across this once with my strops and what I do is take neatsfootoil and rub it on the strop don't go crazy use a little at a time (sparingly) put some on the front and the back and let it set over night laying flat. The next day check it, strop on it. Maybe add a little more if it needs it, and let it set laying flat. I think it sat in a dry climate and it started to dry from the edges inward.

how thick is it? is it oiled? If it were mine I'd try misting it with water to a nice even damp and lay it on a flat surface and pile as much weight as possible on top maybe even outside on a hot day. or clamp it thoroughly between two flat really flat boards and let in cook in the car all day. it could be the center is thicker which might cause the thinner edges to curl up

On plain leather strops this happens quite easily. I would try as mentioned above, bow the strop opposite the way it cups by pinching it gentkly, side to side with fingers andf thumb. Slowly draw you hand down the length of the strop molding the leather into a slight bow instead of a cup. The bow will easily flatten under the pressure of stropping.


Tony

I had the exact same problem with my Bismark strop when I first got it. +1 on the neats foot oil. This was my routine and it took about a week. I used a smooth glass bottle, neats foot oil, and my glass coffee table. Remove all the hardware and separate the components. Put a couple tablespoons of the oil in a dish and lay the strop flat on the table smooth side up. I dipped a paper towel in the oil and rubbed it over the length of the strop, it will soak it up pretty quickly. Do this two or three times and let it all soak in for a few minutes. Now rub it with the bottle for a couple of minutes then let it rest again. I repeated this procedure each evening until my strop flattened out. The leather was quite stiff new and after all of the treatment it softened up quite a bit. You will end up with a heavier draw than what you started with but I think that is better than a strop that is not flat an does not make even contact with your razor.

I hope this helps!

Kaptain Zero; thanks so much; I did just bent it the opposite direction; and I kind of worked it until it was as flat as my eye could see. I didn't rub any oils, because given its feel and color and what else; nothing seems to deem it dry anywhere. But like you said rolled smooth; but un-flat.
I appreciate the rest of your responses; as I'm sure I will have to implement some of those techniques in the future; when it's older and dries out a bit, and basic upkeep.

So I responded today because I finally got a shave that made me a bit excited about it.
And since I posted this I shaved one other time; that was better than all the last but still pulled a bit.
Anyways got my best shave yet. Tweaked my stropping to; I put the slightest pressure on the spine while letting the edge fall to the strop under its own weight. Anyways after reading so many posts that said just let the blades weight hold it on; I went for my own thing and it worked. Anyways the least pulling, and smoothest shave by far for my cheeks and getting closer and closer everywhere else.