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  1. #1
    Member HugoVonStype's Avatar
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    Default Sterilising a Strop

    A lot has been posted about sterilising any old straights that we buy. Does anyone place the same amount of imortance on old/used strops?

    I recently bought an old used horsehide strop of ebay, and was wondering if there is anything I can do to at least make it as clean and sterile as possible.

  2. #2
    Shaves like a pirate jockeys's Avatar
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    blast it with hard UV? irradiate it with cobalt60? hit it with 5MeV of xray?

  3. #3
    Senior Member blabbermouth JimmyHAD's Avatar
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    I have a small collection of vintage strops. I haven't done anything to them unless they needed some TLC. Those that were in good shape upon receipt were just hung and used occasionally. A bit of saddle soap and some neatsfoot if necessary might be in order but I wouldn't worry about sterilizing . I haven't had any health problems as a result of mine. YMMV
    Be careful how you treat people on your way up, you may meet them again on your way back down.

  4. #4
    Large Member ben.mid's Avatar
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    I've bought a couple of vintage strops & it's never bothered me. You're probably not going to get anything life threatening from it. You're not that likely to from a razor that's not been used in a while either as far as i know. Just use it. You'll give your immune system a workout at worst i reckon!

  5. #5
    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    Just sneeze in your elbow while stropping and your strop should be just fine.


  6. #6
    Senior Member blabbermouth
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    You could hang it out in blazing sunshine for the UV to get at it. If a bit dry, rubbing ballistol into it not only softens but mildly disinfects.

    Regards,
    Neil

  7. #7
    The Hurdy Gurdy Man thebigspendur's Avatar
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    Anything that would sterilize it would probably destroy or damage it. Actually I wouldn't worry about it. There are enough other scary things to worry about in life.
    No matter how many men you kill you can't kill your successor-Emperor Nero

  8. #8
    Senior Member broncobob's Avatar
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    I agree with the rest of the post Hugo ... I dont think you will catch anything off an old stop.
    Not unless your useing it to strop scalpels in the operating room
    Happy stropping

  9. #9
    Member HugoVonStype's Avatar
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    Marvellous.

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