Thread: How to clean linen part of stropping???

How to clean linen part of stropping???
After 4-5 months I see that linen part of stropping is dirty and do not sharpen so quick.
So I decide that need to clean it and loaded it again with stropping paste!
Please help with advise How to clean linen part of stropping!
Thanks!

I cleaned mine by rubbing with soap, then scraping it off & repeating till i was happy. There are probably better ways, but it worked for me.
I used the edge of a steel rule.

I used to just get it wet, rub a bar of soap on it, work the soap in the linen with my fingers (or lightly with a nail brush) then rinse it off. All the old grey gunk came right off.

I use a rag with alcohol...CrOx seems to be soluable in alcohol. It will clean up the linen, but not get all of the CrOx off...but if your just trying to clean a bit, then re-load the linen with more CrOx, this method should work for ya.

Mac

I have been known to throw my linen strops in the washing machine with my jeans. I wash in cold water and lay it flat to dry. I have done this with several old firehose type of strops.

I have removed waxy type paste with mineral spirts and a scrub brush, you could also use a strongish base like TSP mixed with water to remove paste gunk.

As with all my advise do at your (and your strops) own risk.

Charlie

It depends on what you have on it.
If it's dirty from just dust and metal gunk, rubbing it with a cloth and some suds will clean it.
If it has some paste on it rendered ineffective with a load of swarf, than using something that dissolves the paste is key. I had success with both alcohol or naphta (lighter fuel). If you plan to reapply the same paste, you only need to get rid of the dirty top layer. Rub vigorously and change to a clean part of the rag very often. If there's leather on the other side, beware of getting the leather wet. On many strops it's possible to stick something absorbing between the leather and the linen, to shield the leather, while you're working on the linen.

Best regards,
Bart.

Hey.. GOing to bump this thread instead of just creating a new one...


I have an old strop with what appears to be dovo red paste caked on the linen.

I scraped off what i could, but need to get the rest off. If i am reading right here, i can use rubbing alcohol or acetone to disolve the remaining paste. Then use just standard soap to clean afterward?

I've done the washing machine thing like Charlie and also by hand in a bucket with Woolite. I prefer the latter and here is an old thread on the topic.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I've done the washing machine thing like Charlie and also by hand in a bucket with Woolite. I prefer the latter and here is an old thread on the topic.

Thanks jimmy. Yeah i really dont want to take it apart, because i'm not sure if i would get it back together again.

It looks like it is actually 2 pieces of linen and a piece of leather as a backer on this strop. it is an old Torrey strop. The leather part of the strop is in great shape and has a nice draw to it.