Strop maintenance

This subject may have been covered in earlier threads but I couldn't find it with the search function.

I 've got a loom strop, the strop leather is a bit like suede (the cobbler who put it on called it something like cozier leather).

The leather has been treated in the past w/ oil and covered with green Puma paste.

The problem is the leather has dried out and started to curl downwards at both sides. So the razor does not touch the entire width of the leather when stropping. It still does the job but I reckon it will be more efficient if the entire width of the leather is in contact w/ the razor.

I've tried to iron the leather but that didn't help. I like the leather as it is.

Any suggestions on how to flatten the leather?

I might not be able to give you as complete an answer as you'd like, but here goes:
A) Don't iron leather! :D Excessive heat will draw it up like shrink wrap. Anything over about 180 degrees is too hot.
B) Release the tension and coat it liberally with mink oil or neatsfoot (not neatsfoot compound, which is petroleum based....pure neatsfoot oil) Work it with your hands until it becomes soft and pliable again. Re mount it on the loom frame and check it.
C) Once that's done, get some chromium oxide liquid from Handamerican ($4, I think) and re-coat the pasted side.

Kees,
This seems to be a common occurance with loom strops as they age. I have several older ones that do the same thing. I do suspect that leaving them tensioned all the time may actually speed this process up as the leather is constantly under tension in the center and the edges roll under to compensate.
Might be best to loosen it after each use.

Tony

Neatsfoot oil and mink oil being hard to come by I bought a leather conditioner for shoes and upholstery. It did a great job!

Tony, I won't keep the strop under tension when not used.