Quote Originally Posted by marosell View Post
JimmyHAD: I've never really felt other strops. Are they all this smooth and shiny? I always imagined them to be.... softer, if that makes sense.

Also, something I'm worried about: If a drop of water makes a spot on the leather swell and be raised, what will putting wet lather on it do?
The new strops I've gotten from SRD or Tony Miller have been soft, smooth and maybe not shiny but not rough either. I've gotten vintage strops that were a bit stiff and I've did the palm of the hand daily for awhile and they got better.

The old barbers used to put lather on them and rub them down with a bottle. I have never tried that and never will but I heard about it and IIRC read it in a barber manual. I know Tony Miller recommends the hand rubbing and if that still leaves the strop too dry a few drops of neatsfoot or something similar.

As far as that raised spot try rolling it out with a bottle on a flat hard surface. If that doesn't work maybe sand or pumice that one spot. That is what I would do anyway, maybe others will have some more experience with that and chime in.