Thread: Strop wears out?

I have been using a straight razor since I was 18. I can get an edge from a hone fairly easily. However, of late, when I strop it, the blade goes dull! I have used this strop for almost 25 years. Do they wear out? I keep it moist. It is a real hassle, and it cannot be good for the blade to hone it after every shave.

Any ideas?

Not a clue,sorry

Although it's certainly possible to wear out a strop, it's unlikely. Here's a link to a thread where a very worn strop was still being used to keep a razor honed, with the accompanying barber's hone remaining untouched, for decades: http://straightrazorpalace.com/gener...36362-man.html

Thank you. So what happened? After decades of use, my strop seems to be dulling my razor. Can you think of anything I could do about it?

You mentioned that you keep it moist. Have you treated it recently with a strop conditioner? Or for any other reason has the surface of your strop recently become a lot "mushier" (easier to press the razor into the surface) than it normally is? If so, perhaps it needs less pressure from the razor during stropping to have the desired effect.

Maybe that's your strop's way of saying, "I'm tired & I want to tag out."
Get another strop & try your routine on it.
If the results are the same, then it's not your strop.

It is not mushy. What I meant about moist is that I treat it with dressing, and it is nice and supple.

Most of us would use this as a chance to get a new one. Any reason you don't want to?

If a strop is properly maintained and cared for it will last longer than you.

Only you know what yours looks like and since we have no pictures we can't really advise you.

The only way I could see it dulling the razor is if it was badly deteriorated full of cracks and pieces gone and badly dried out. Even then it would more damage it than dull it.

No cracking, no chunks missing. It is smooth and clean. So what am I doing wrong?