Thread: Hard soap rub?

Do any of you have any thoughts as to why a hard soap rub on a canvas strop may improve the stropping effects on the canvas?

I had a couple of canvas strops that were wavy and bumpy so i washed the canvas in the cloths washer with spin dry, steam iron them in an effort to flatten them. They were better than when I started but not flat enough for a strop.

I remembered reading on Classic Shaving:
"For a hand finish, the canvas strop is given the following treatment:
Attach the swivel end of the strop to a fixed point, such as a nail.
Lay the strop flat on a smooth and level surface and hold the unsecured end firmly.
Rub a bar of dry soap over the strop, working it well into the grain of the canvas.
Rub a smooth glass bottle over strop several times, each time forcing the soap into the grain and also removing excess soap."

I got a bar of Ivory and rubbed it into the canvas strop. To my surprise it flattened and stiffened the canvas! OK, how did the soap effect the canvas while stropping my straight? Or better yet, how did the soap effect the straight? I was delightfully surprised. Other than the dust cloud that formed on the first few stropping sessions and the dust on my blade, the canvas w/ soap and leather stropping resulted in a smoother edge than previously obtained on any of my straights and I and stropped and used the straights I tested numerous times prior to this test. Now I have all of my canvas and linen strops in service and ready for action.

Note:I posted this question in a more verbose form a few weeks ago w/ little feedback. I am re-posting w/ hopes of more feedback.

Sorry, no clue!!

Joed, you don't rinse the soap out of the strop after the rubbing?

I have a very old family heirloom fabric strop that I would love to bring back into service. I wonder if I should give it your completely treatment... clothes washer to dry soap rub?

I also have a few leather family heirloom strops I'd love to restore, but that's a different thread.

Interesting!

I had read that same article. And went as far as trying out the soap rub on a small spot on the back of the canvas strop, but decided to not go all the way.

I did however purchase the Dovo white paste, which also fills in the weave on the strop, and makes the canvas strop much, much smoother and more effective!

Originally Posted by FloorPizza

Joed, you don't rinse the soap out of the strop after the rubbing?

I have a very old family heirloom fabric strop that I would love to bring back into service. I wonder if I should give it your completely treatment... clothes washer to dry soap rub?

I also have a few leather family heirloom strops I'd love to restore, but that's a different thread.

I left the soap rub in the strop. I did not rinse it out. The soap stiffened the strop and made it flat. Other than some soap dust on the blade after stropping I do not find any ill effects.

Hold the strop up so you can see the light reflecting off of it. Mine looks all shiny.

Originally Posted by Joed

I left the soap rub in the strop. I did not rinse it out. The soap stiffened the strop and made it flat. Other than some soap dust on the blade after stropping I do not find any ill effects.

Thank you, sir, I'm gonna give this a try!

Originally Posted by FloorPizza

Thank you, sir, I'm gonna give this a try!

No need for the 'sir' just let me know what you think.

It seems to me that the soap would somewhat reduce the (already) marginally abrasive qualities of linen or canvas.

I dunno, has anybody tested this?

I also use white Dovo paste and it works much better. Chromium Oxide on the other side.