Thread: Strop conditioning questions...

I’m consistent with Randy’s advice these days. I also have a 10+ year old Kanoyama 80000 that I bought used and I’ve never put anything on it. It’s polished like a mirror and as supple as the day that I got it. Iwasaki says to never put oil on a shell strop, it will cut the polishing power in half.

Sometimes I do use neatsfoot oil, on desiccated non-shell vintage strops (rare for me these days), and on boar strops. I use it like Randy does, I rub it on my hands then rub my hands on the desiccated vintage strop or the boar strop. Then wait a few days and assess the results.

Yep.
This is what I do also. But o ly on a strop I find dry or vintage and needing help. A little goes a very long way. I give it 2 or 3 weeks before deciding if it needs more. If it does need more then I will do the opisite/back side next. Too much on the stropping serface is not a good thing.

I've always used a rag, dampened with warm water. Then I add a touch of neatsfoot oil to the rag, then rub it in.

The slight bit of water helps draw the oil deeper into the dry leather, of a old strop.

For the few times I've felt they were over oiled, I've wiped them a pass or two, with a clean rag moistened with rubbing alcohol, them palm rub them, again.

Just make sure the rag is only damp, not wet. Your just wanting to pull a bit of oil from the surface of the strop.

I once got a red died strop from SRD before it went under that was so oily I never did get it cleaned. The rubbing alcohol was used a ton but it still kept bleading red and was soaked with oil no mater what I did. I think I cut it up and used it for something other than stropping.