Thread: goop on strop

I pretty often get, for lack of a better word, sticky grime or goop on the strop after using it. I've been honing a few ebay buys so I imagine there is more dirt and maybe metal detritus than usual being stropped off, but what's the best way to clean the strop (it's a tony miller latigo).

just rubbing my palm on it sometimes gets it to come up. other times I've put a little water on and palmed it, and that got it to come right up, but I don't like putting water on leather for obvious reasons.

It would help to thoroughly wipe down the blades before stropping. You could use a little rubbing alcohol to cut any grease and just try and prevent the stuff from building up.


Just a thought. I am not sure of a good cleaning method for smooth strop leather. Both of my strops are textured (TM buffed horsehide and Ill 835) so I use a stiff brush on them when they need to be cleaned.

Hope this helps!


-Rob

Saddle soap, or Murphies oil soap + water, used gently and allowed to dry.

A note for the future I would clean all razors new to me before using them. I clean with soap and water then alcohol before I polish up any razors I get off E-bay. You don't know where its been, its last job might have been castrating sheep for petes sake.

Trust me, I do clean the heck out of my razors for the reasons you give. I soak in barbicide, wipe in MAAS, sand sometimes, scrub with toothbrush. But I do that before I start honing. I clean well after honing too, I just assume some extra amount of particles come off stropping a razor that's been recently honed like crazy.

i really like the stiff brush idea. Does the murphy oil soap affect the leather going forward?

What about GOOP itself would that work to clean a strop????? It is a cleaner and conditioner for hands and I mean really what are hands but live leather???? has anyone tried it?????

Originally Posted by gssixgun

What about GOOP itself would that work to clean a strop????? It is a cleaner and conditioner for hands and I mean really what are hands but live leather???? has anyone tried it?????

Yes, get the no pumice type.

Originally Posted by ernestrome

Yes, get the no pumice type.

Yes that's the stuff the old fashioned plain jane GOOP I know some of the detail guys at the Dealership use it to clean the leather interiors on used vehicles that we take in...It seems to work wonders on that leather....
I don't have an old strop that needs cleaning, or I would try it myself and see....

I took my Chinese 12k to mine and finished with a damp (almost dry) rag and it was clean as new. 12k is fine, I wouldn't risk it with any thing grittier.

I just got my new strop today. My old strop had Chromium Oxide on it, but I was wondering the difference in Micron between Flitz and Chromium Oxide.

If you strop is dry you shouldn't have any sticky stuff on it. Maybe you use too much oil or conditioner on it and everything just sticks to it and creates the goop. I know with my strops they will sometimes have some minor staining but its totally dry.

Maybe your playing in that gulf water too much.