Strop in the bathroom?

Hi all,

As a total newbie in the world of straight razors I'm digging in to hours of youtube material about shaving, stropping (stroptober video's are really helpful) , honing and all the other things that surround straight razor shaving.
The first thing that I noticed was that most people tent to strop their razor in the bathroom, at that point I start to think that storing a leather strop in a humid environment as in a bathroom is far from ideal.

So do you guy's leave your strop hanging in the bathroom, or do you take it to a less humid room in the house. Or is my worrying for nothing and won't do the wet bathroom any harm to my strop?

(I'm not accustomed to English typing so bare with me if my spelling and grammer has some flaws.)

i leave my strop in the bathroom, more convenient for me. but you can strop your razor anywhere so you could hang your strop outside the bathroom.

I've never had a problem with humidity. I have on display and store all my shaving gear in my bathroom including my strops :)

For me it is the old 'ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.' :) I don't keep anything related to shaving in the bathroom that might be effected by humidity. Strops, razors, brushes are all in an adjacent hallway. Lather bowl, scuttle, soap containers stay in the b-room. Whatever works for you. One of the many YMMV things with wet shavers.

I keep my razor in a bedroom drawer, the strop in the big closet, and everything else in the bathroom. I don't have a problem with humidity in the bathroom, but that arrangement works well for me.

I store my razors in the bedroom but my strops in the bathroom. They have been hanging in the same spot for almost two years, and so far I have not noticed any issues. Fingers crossed!

Never an issue with strops in the bathroom.

I worried about the same thing once upon a time, but I don't anymore.

I tried both, as I have several strops. Never noticed a difference. No curling or anything like that.

As a matter of fact, I have to use more conditioner on the strops NOT in the bathroom than those that are. Seems the humidity is actually helping it somewhat, since it retains its condition slightly longer.

Just my mileage, yours may vary. I live in a really dry place in Colorado!

Best!!

HammeR

I keep mine in the bathroom and don't really worry about the moisture, more worries of the cats finding them and want to try their claws on them.

Something to notice is the locations of the people posting, there is quite a bit of difference in the humidity of the locations themselves..

Noxa

I have always kept mine hanging in the bathroo. It is an old Hoffritz that I have had for over 35 years. There is an exhaust fan in the bathroom and when not in use the door is open. Never had a problem with too much humidity. Also remember if it is to dry the leather will dry out unless you treat it.

Interesting to see all these different reply's. As it is my first (and inexpensive strop) I'm gonna keep it in the bathroom. If it starts to wear off to fast or starting to show humidity related issues I'll buy a new one and hang it somewhere else.

I have a nice size Washroom with large tub and a seperate shower room. Off the washroom, I have a large walk in closet, which has become my shave den. I keep all of my items in there. All the razors are in humidity controlled storage containers. The room is climate controlled, and has a dehumidifier.

Like anything else, you need to be proactive. Periodically rub your strops with your hand. The natural oils will help, and will not change the appearace or draw. With razors, keep a light coat of oil, or wipe them with a silicone treated gun cloth. I periodically treat mine with Renaisssance wax. I haven't had any problems.

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Originally Posted by Noxa

Interesting to see all these different reply's. As it is my first (and inexpensive strop) I'm gonna keep it in the bathroom. If it starts to wear off to fast or starting to show humidity related issues I'll buy a new one and hang it somewhere else.

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And there of course is your key answer.:) Happy shaving to you.

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Originally Posted by Noxa

Hi all,

As a total newbie in the world of straight razors I'm digging in to hours of youtube material about shaving, stropping (stroptober video's are really helpful) , honing and all the other things that surround straight razor shaving.
The first thing that I noticed was that most people tent to strop their razor in the bathroom, at that point I start to think that storing a leather strop in a humid environment as in a bathroom is far from ideal.

So do you guy's leave your strop hanging in the bathroom, or do you take it to a less humid room in the house. Or is my worrying for nothing and won't do the wet bathroom any harm to my strop?

(I'm not accustomed to English typing so bare with me if my spelling and grammer has some flaws.)

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Great question. I hang my strop in the bedroom adjacent to the bathroom where I shave. I have the same concerns you have and for that reason don't keep it in the bathroom.

I keep my strops in a walkin closet adjacent to the bathroom. I live in humid Florida and don't keep any hardware related to shaving in the bathroom.

I have seven strops that all live in the bathroom. My humidity is an average of 65% and goes to 84% to 87% during a good rain after my wife and I take a shower in the morning.

For what it is worth - There are saddles from the crusades in museums, some of the saddles from the hay day of the American west are still around. Everyone of those saddles saw rain, mud and sometimes blood as well as snow and ice. Not to mention the leather scabbards of swords from the mid evil times. What each of the above leathers have in common is someone cared enough to clean the dirt & blood off and oil them.

Leather is nothing more than a skin from some kind of critter that has been treated so it will not rot or stink. To keep it pliable either the fibers in the hide are broken down or oil is infused to keep it pliable. The biggest killer of leather of any type is lack of oil and air movement. I can not tell you how many times I have had a customer bring me a gun belt, holster or a bag that belonged to Great Grand Daddy that had dried out and rotted because it was treated as a shrine and kept in a closet and not oiled. If a piece of quality leather including a strop is simply kept clean by wiping it down with a damp cloth, is oiled and has air movement, it will last you your lifetime and your kids should be using it. Oil is the food leather needs and just like kids, your leather "anything" needs a bath and fresh air.

To bring this home go back to when you were a kid and think about your ball glove. How many times did it get wet and dirty, how much dog slobber got on it? If you oiled it and kept it out of a plastic bag - Well good chance is it is still around

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Originally Posted by hidestoart

I have seven strops that all live in the bathroom. My humidity is an average of 65% and goes to 84% to 87% during a good rain after my wife and I take a shower in the morning.

For what it is worth - There are saddles from the crusades in museums, some of the saddles from the hay day of the American west are still around. Everyone of those saddles saw rain, mud and sometimes blood as well as snow and ice. Not to mention the leather scabbards of swords from the mid evil times. What each of the above leathers have in common is someone cared enough to clean the dirt & blood off and oil them.

Leather is nothing more than a skin from some kind of critter that has been treated so it will not rot or stink. To keep it pliable either the fibers in the hide are broken down or oil is infused to keep it pliable. The biggest killer of leather of any type is lack of oil and air movement. I can not tell you how many times I have had a customer bring me a gun belt, holster or a bag that belonged to Great Grand Daddy that had dried out and rotted because it was treated as a shrine and kept in a closet and not oiled. If a piece of quality leather including a strop is simply kept clean by wiping it down with a damp cloth, is oiled and has air movement, it will last you your lifetime and your kids should be using it. Oil is the food leather needs and just like kids, your leather "anything" needs a bath and fresh air.

To bring this home go back to when you were a kid and think about your ball glove. How many times did it get wet and dirty, how much dog slobber got on it? If you oiled it and kept it out of a plastic bag - Well good chance is it is still around

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Preach brother preach!!!!!

Vegita 182 I am sitting here on my leather bench now. I was just oiling a piece before it went out. I guess I did kind of did stand on the stump.

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Originally Posted by hidestoart

Vegita 182 I am sitting here on my leather bench now. I was just oiling a piece before it went out. I guess I did kind of did stand on the stump.

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This guy knows of what he speakes folks,listen to him.

The only reason I don't keep my strop in the bathroom is ceramic objects and tiled floors everywhere, even though I've never dropped my razor while stropping I'm always aware of this, and the reason I have a dedicated stropping room with carpeted floors.

Jamie.

My 'daily' strop is hung in the bathroom on the towel rack. I admit it's a bad idea. The wife uses hair spray and I'm sure it's on the strop; as it's on everything else in there. Also, the bathroom is rather damp in winter and hanging on the towel rail means it gets dripped on when people wash their hands. However, it's convenient; and while not ideal, it works for me.

My 'sunday' strop lives in my bedroom; it's a much nicer linen and English bridle strop; I'd never leave that in the bathroom...

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

My 'daily' strop is hung in the bathroom on the towel rack. I admit it's a bad idea. The wife uses hair spray and I'm sure it's on the strop; as it's on everything else in there. Also, the bathroom is rather damp in winter and hanging on the towel rail means it gets dripped on when people wash their hands. However, it's convenient; and while not ideal, it works for me.

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Presumably its Bern there for the past couple of years as well since that'd how long you've been straight shaving for, how does it look?
I would be lothe to leave my strop out at home because my daughter still gets the odd compulsion to cut things or colour on things. When she is older I probably will. While I am away my strop lives on thr outside of the bathroom door, hanging on the handle.

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

Presumably its Bern there for the past couple of years as well since that'd how long you've been straight shaving for, how does it look?
I would be lothe to leave my strop out at home because my daughter still gets the odd compulsion to cut things or colour on things. When she is older I probably will. While I am away my strop lives on thr outside of the bathroom door, hanging on the handle.

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It looks terrible to tell you the truth, I'm embarrassed of it...

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

It looks terrible to tell you the truth, I'm embarrassed of it...

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Sure it hasn't got character,or ruged charm :)
What do you think has affected it, or is it a bit of everything?
It must still work fine though?

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

Sure it hasn't got character,or ruged charm :)
What do you think has affected it, or is it a bit of everything?
It must still work fine though?

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Well, one doesn't really know if it works fine. I WAS going to mention before that it works fine, and then considered that, relative to another strop, or another strop in another location, or that particular strop in another location, I really didn't know if it worked fine. I then considered stating that it worked fine for me, but then again considered stating that another strop/location (as above) may arguably work better. Then I considered stating that my face is clean shaven, but thought that rather obvious. I then considered stating that I don't care, but felt that might come across as abrasive and contrary, so I didn't say anything...

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Originally Posted by carlmaloschneider

Well, one doesn't really know if it works fine. I WAS going to mention before that it works fine, and then considered that, relative to another strop, or another strop in another location, or that particular strop in another location, I really didn't know if it worked fine. I then considered stating that it worked fine for me, but then again considered stating that another strop/location (as above) may arguably work better. Then I considered stating that my face is clean shaven, but thought that rather obvious. I then considered stating that I don't care, but felt that might come across as abrasive and contrary, so I didn't say anything...

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Perhaps I should have been more precise, does it work adequately for you and the purpose you use it for.

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Originally Posted by celticcrusader

The only reason I don't keep my strop in the bathroom is ceramic objects and tiled floors everywhere, even though I've never dropped my razor while stropping I'm always aware of this, and the reason I have a dedicated stropping room with carpeted floors.

Jamie.

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For the above stated concern if why I always wear pants while I shave or strop