Thread: treating strops--- did I do this correctly?

OK, I'm a newbie...

I purchased a stop/razor deal (Zeepk----I now know they are junk razors) and the strop seemed OK.

Then I read you had to treat them.

I used a candle to rub down the linen side, then I heated it with a hair dryer.

I used mink oil on the strop, coating it, heating it with hair dryer and then vigourous rubbing with a ceramic doorknob on both sides. Repeated twice.

heated the front side of the strop one last time. Rubbed it off with a clean dry cloth.

Now the strop feels somewhat..... tacky? Not really sticky but there is much drag to it.

Now when I strop, the razor slowly slides along the strop with alot of drag. Is this normal or have I messed this strop up?

It looks like you performed a miracle with one of those strops. Originally they have like zero drag. Drag is good especially when working with stiffer grinds but it won't hurt the more delicate ones either. However that strop is too small for anything else than as a traveller and I still have my doubts about it.

I did the same thing once. It has to much oil on it. Try removing some of the oil by rubbing it with a paper towel or placing paper over it and let the paper absorb the oil. Repeat as necessary.

Mink Oil also takes quite a long time to fully dry, like DAYS normally so some patience might be needed too.

X

I've rubbed this down a couple of times.... Still alot of drag...

will this affect how the strop performs its duty (which is still sort or magical to me)?