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I read an old shaving book and in the caring for your strop section the book advised that one should rub their strop with lather with his hand. The book explains that this is especially a good idea when the strop becomes slick, and requires more friction. I was wondering if this is a valid concept. The book actually advises against paste in this case.
Thanks
Old soap is typically quite different from new soap, so I'd be careful what you rub on there.
I'm not sure what book you are referencing, but in many cases, a book is simply the author's opinion. Just as any post on this forum is just the author's opinion.
I would think that was when soap was Tallow based...
+1 to what has already been said, the occasional rub down with your palm is all most strops need. If it was good enough for my grandfather's strop then it is good enough for mine.
Just remember to do so before a shower.
Williams and Mitchell's Wool Fat soap do work, I have personally tried those two,, anything else use at your own risk...
The nice thing about this system, is that if you rub down the strop after the first application with a rough terry cloth rag it helps clean the leather too.. Then do the routine of coating it with lather, and letting it dry, and rub it in with your palm after it is dry...
Um, Glen, I think the older Williams soap would work just fine, but the new stuff is no longer tallow based, is it?
I have no idea honestly, I only know it worked pretty darn good....Quote:
Originally Posted by Utopian
I wouldn't be surprised if other soaps work too, after all if it is good for your skin it should be good for leather :shrug:
I just haven't personally tested any others...
Well, maybe not. Soap gets rinsed off of your skin but residue stays on your strop. I'm not sure all of the various sundry and unpronounceable stuff in modern soap is necessarily good for your strop. Of course, I am ignorant on this. The only soap I have EVER put on a strop is saddle soap, which is made for leather.Quote:
Originally Posted by gssixgun
The new Williams still has tallow, just not as much as the old one (according to the order of ingredients listed on the labels).
I have tried this on a vintage strop I restored using Arko which is tallow based, it seemed to work fine but I don't think it really conditioned the leather much if at all. I noticed a slight increase in draw, but nothing to really make it something I'd do again. Keep in mind that tallow, while it once was beef fat, is no longer so - it has been saponified (made into soap). Also every strop is different, so YMMV.
I think the theory works on the thought that many soaps are super-fatted, newer soaps do this now to introduce beneficial lipids, but I would assume that the older soap makers would do so because (at the time) soap companies wouldn't have surface chemists working for them and as such would err on the cautionary side to eliminate as much lye as possible in the solution to keep customers returning. Of course this was at a time when people actually had pride in their work and knew that a name meant something, but that's another rant for another day.
Of course the glycerine produced from the fats could also be what is helping the strop, I don't know. I'm not a leather person.
We just had a member asking how to remove the soap he put into his strop a while ago. Seems it caused more harm than good. I always advise against this. If you want more draw, buy a latigo strop. As previoulsy mentioned, Today's soaps are quite different than the one's manufactured when "old" barber's manuals were written.
Saddle soap can be use to clean old vintage dirty strops, once dry, they can be re treated with neetsfoot, but the draw will never be the same.
If you really have to rub something on your strop, get some leather conditioner. At least it's made for that....
I have strops that are quite old, and only get an oily hand rub down, they look and work great. Use this method, and your patience will be rewareded. I always advise against rubbing soap or lather into any fine leather and leaving it there. It just don't go. My two cents...
I've always had a problem with this. There are many things you can do to condition your strop and to me adding chemicals found in today's soaps or water when you use saddle soap never struck me as something I wanted to do to my strops. I've always used either neatsfoot oil or some Bick conditioner and my strops are in tip top shape. I would use oil from your hand however I live in single digit humidity plus as you age the oils in your skin depart.
I've had fine results with using lather to increase draw. The soap I shave with is Cade, and it has worked better and far more quickly for me than neatsfoot oil. I just lather the strop up, let it sit overnight, and wipe off the residue. The only issue I have with it is that the soap residue will tend to build up on the blade while stropping. That goes away with use, requires the blade be wiped sometimes, but wiping blades is something I do all the time anyway.
Then just rub in some neatsfoot oil.Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
I swear I am going to make that my new Sig Line
You know guys I hate to say this but I was wrong it doesn't work pretty darn good it worked GREAT !!!
Last time I tried this it was on a good strop and it worked OK but no better than anything else...
I have been working on reconditioning a Illinois #827 for a few months, not seriously, just kinda messing with a problem strop... I bought it at least a year ago and pasted it for CeOx use, but this strop always had a rough spot in the middle... I used it for a few months and finally pulled it out of rotation and bought another...
It was my idea that I was going to see if I could "De-Paste it.. well with some sanding and some saddle soap I did that, but it still had the rough middle portion... I tried Neets Foot, I tried Dovo, I tried Fromm, Saddle Soap, Bick, Goop, every conditioner I had, none had worked to get a smooth draw on this strop... I re-sanded twice but no luck.
So this thread popped up and I said Hmmmmm I didn't try that
So yesterday before work I lathered it with Williams and left it to dry.. I got home last night And rubbed it in.. I stropped a razor for about 10 laps and was pleasantly surprised... Re-lathered it and repeated.. This morning after rubbing in the lather really well with a Heel Palm so it got actually hot... Stropped a full 100 laps to a nice even draw...
So yeah it works...but hey don't take my word for it, go try it yourself :)
PS: I have no clue how it will work out in the long long run, and no doubt will probably end up PIF'n the strop so that part is and will be in question...
Just to be clear, like it or not, IT WORKS! Also, it has nothing to do with treating the strop. NOTHING. Let me say that one more time. It has nothing to do with treating the strop. Its used to make the strop work BETTER! Not just to produce draw, like draw is some subjective thing, like pretty razors. It's done to improve the performance of the strop. That way you don't have to do so many laps when stropping. It takes a few try's because you have to deeply impregnate the leather. Tallow? Don't need no stinking tallow. This is mistreating the leather so it'll do our bidding. This is the big difference between honing intervals.
That's exactly it. Just because something has a beneficial effect doesn't mean it's good for you or whatever you use it for. It's two entirely different things. You can over clock your computer processor and it might run like a champ but down the road it may not last very long. Now I'm not saying lather will damage your strop. However, for me I'll skip it.Quote:
Originally Posted by AFDavis11
I started with an SRD Paddle with the premium leather. It seemed slick to me with very little draw. I bought some Neatsfoot oil, used it, and it made no difference and might have slicked it up even more. Somebody on here mentioned lather, so I tried it. I slopped up the strop, left it overnight, wiped the residue off the next morning, and I had a gigantic increase in draw. I like lots of draw. It allows me to use less pressure and let the strop do the work. Recently I bought the SRD Bridle leather for my paddle and lathered it up after the first, unimpressive, session. It was a draw machine! I don't know how it works or what it will eventually do to the strop, and I don't really care. What I care about is results. If the strop dies a nasty death, I will buy another one and lather that one up too.
As long as you're making decisions based on the concept that is the most important to you. And as you say Nelson, no proof that it hurts the strop. Life is full of things that don't feel good, when done right.
I'll remember that my next digital exam at the Urologist. Har har.Quote:
Originally Posted by AFDavis11
I have never used soap. However I remember years ago I saw a barber run a small amount of lather onto his fingertips and place it on a strop, followed by rubbing it in with the palm of his hand and then taking a barber towel and wiping down the strop. I was not into staights at that time and did not question him about the process.
I have used neatsfoot oil and fromm dressing with good results.
I never considered improving the draw, which it usually did, (slightly) when applying any type of dressing. My objective was to have a clean smooth strop. I like to occasionally rub the strop with the heel of my hand. This works about as well as anything.
I think alot of the old time barbers used soap as a conditioner and cleaner according to the old barber manuals I have seen. My friends who use soap are well satisfied.
We could do well to go back and study the old barbers. Every new technical advantage is not always a tactical advantage. That's what I use to tell the young police officers who carried plastic pistols when they ask why I didn't get rid of my old single action 1911 .45.