Thread: Russian Finish--Backside

I believe that "Russian Finish" applies to the tanning process not the type of leather. Cross-hatch/diamond/rail sleeper embossing is not a Russian process and is not meant for stropping on, it is there to impart a character to the strop surface. I have many strops with this finish to the reverse side and all have a linen component that would make it unrealistic to use the reverse leather side. If the cross hatched side was to be used then surely they would not include the linen or make it awkward to use. Dovo use a hard plastic finish to the back of their Russian strops that can only be there to promote the same effect. This is not a side for stropping on. My thinking is that these patterns are there to alleviate stress in the leather and stabilise the strop as well as compress the strop surface.

PuFF