Thread: Almond oil on a strop

Hello all,

I read here in the forum that you use neatfoot oil to recondition your strops, how about almond oil, does it work in the same way, or is it a big no no? I found this when I searched the wikipedia for almond oil.

Almonds contain approximately 54% oil[16], of which 78% is monounsaturated oleic acid, an omega-9 fat, and 17% is omega-6 polyunsaturated essential fatty acid. Superunsaturated omega-3 fats are negligible in almonds. The oil is good for application to the skin as an emollient, because it is more stable (does not become rancid) than those oils that have a higher content of essential fatty acids, and because it has a pleasant aroma. It is a mild, lightweight oil that can be used as a substitute for olive oil.
"Oleum Amygdalae", the fixed oil, is prepared from either variety of almond and is a glyceryl oleate, with a slight odour and a nutty taste. It is almost insoluble in alcohol but readily soluble in chloroform or ether. Sweet almond oil is obtained from the dried kernel of sweet almonds. This oil has been traditionally used by massage therapists to lubricate the skin during a massage session.


Roger.

First of all I would worry that it would attract insects. Maybe that isn't an issue ? One way or the other neatsfoot is designed for leather and I believe actually penetrates to some extent. I would rather use something time tested. OTOH if I wanted to try an alternative I would test it on a small piece of leather and see if it appeared to be effective. Just my 2 cents.

I agree with Jimmy and would take the advice one step farther..

Just about anything used to soften or condition the skin can soften or condition leather... The problem comes for the fact that the skin is washed and cleaned and these conditioners are not allowed to sit and dry or breakdown on the skin...
With leather this does happen, so really when using a conditioner on leather one wants to understand what the "conditioner" will be like not only next week, but next year.....

Allow me to chime in here...

Licensed Massage Therapist.....I used Almond oils, and others as well.

it may last LONGER, but trust me, over a long enough period of time, it WILL go Rancid!

While you might use it on a strop, you should lather up that strop now and then to keep it clean and fresh. Who knows, it could be the best thing you could do for a strop!

Feeling like experimenting? Let us know how it works for you! =D

I think Magpie gives good advice. FWIW, as a viol player I use almond oil on my gut strings through the winter to help keep them from fraying. Doesn't seem to adversely affect them, but they do get changed every 6 months or so...

Also, I think lathering a strop if it has been oiled might be good practice anyway- Neatsfoot Oil is oil pressed from the shinbones of cows, and will also go bad over time...

Originally Posted by furir

Hello all,

I read here in the forum that you use neatfoot oil to recondition your strops, how about almond oil, does it work in the same way, or is it a big no no? I found this when I searched the wikipedia for almond oil.
.......snip....
.

I suspect there are a couple of things to balance here.

If the leather gets 'dry' then neatsfoot oil should
be at the top of your list but only in small amounts.
Another product to look at are wax products like
"Proofide" or Mink oil but only once or twice a year
and only a little bit. Discussion on saddle care make
the point that too much oil has issues with making leather
stretch and those that end up with cupped strops should
take note.

Many of us tinker with our strops to improve the draw.
Improving the draw and "oil" are at odds with
each other. Oil tends to make things slick, so to improve
the draw the thinnest layer of a natural wax that will
oxidize and get a little gummy makes sense.
Normal skin oil does this so those that hand rub their
strops prior to use each day are the winners in this game.

Lanolin should be near the top of the list for improving draw.
One drop first rubbed on the hands and then hands rubbed into the
strop can compensate for those of us that have dry skin hands.

Vegetable oils are not famous as strop conditioners but the
same trick, one drop on the hands then rub the strop might
work but I think that it would make the strop slicker than lanolin.

Camila oil is another possible. Some folk apply it to their
blades each day and that process would leave some on
their hands and then rubbing the strop would transfer a
key but small amount to keep a strop fine and dandy. Having
a small amount of camila oil in the strop leather may protect
the fine edge a bit.

Pure products are critical. Some needsfoot oil for baseball
gloves may be 80%+ machine oil and simply contain some
neatsfoot oil. My Camila oil contains too much liquid paraffin
and while it protects blades well it is not ideal.

Recommendation... rub the strop with your hand and
if you happen to use a hand lotion read the ingredients
as most are 'mineral' oil based. Mineral oil can be OK for
leather but is less than ideal for improving the draw.

Thanks guys,

I have an old auto strop and will try on that one, I have no problem with insects. I have never lathered a strop before, I will give that a shot too, it might be a new experience.

Roger.

Something I have found that works for me, rather than applying an oil to the strop to condition it, is to give the strop a good rub with your hand each time you use it and also when you happen to pass nearby. I keep my strops in the bathroom on the back of the door and I give them a rub with my hand each time I go into the bathroom.

The oil in your skin works pretty well at keeping the strops in good condition I've found! This would only work with strops that are in good condition to start with and that you want to maintain though. An old strop that needed reconditioning would probably need some sort of oil to bring it back to life!

I'm interested to hear how almond oil works on your auto-strop, so please keep us posted!

Originally Posted by Stubear

I give them a rub with my hand each time I go into the bathroom.

So is this a psychological compulsion type problem? or have you just developed some odd hygiene habits?

The canvas is just better than a towel for drying my hands...