Quote Originally Posted by sffone View Post
I've made a number of strops and I've made two using the Tandy leather you mentioned. On both of them I ended up using 220 grit wet-or-dry sandpaper (used dry) to get rid of the glassy surface. One I left as it was, the other I put neatsfoot oil on. Both worked well. Perhaps the slick, un-sanded surface would work well enough; because, as has been pointed out, some of the old barber strops were quite hard and slick. I have a couple that are like glass. But I prefer a bit more draw which is why I sand the surface of the strops that I make out of natural leather. The strops I make from latigo work well without any surface treatment.
Some time ago Tony Miller was experimenting with a rough or maybe it was a scuffed surface on the horsehide strops. He carried them as an alternative item for awhile and then discontinued them. Keith from HandAmerican has also sold a two component strop with one smooth side and the other rough. I have one but I'm not that crazy about the rough side.