Thread: vintage strop recomditioning

i found a vintage horsehide Illinois strop at an antique store and am in the process of getting it in working order. the leather has no nicks in it only some surface scratches. i rubbed a little neatsfoot oil on it and have noticed when you look at it in the light there are uneven glossy areas running the length of it. is there some sanding or anything that should be done to the surface before use? when i run a blade over the surface i sound a little rough to me ( but i'm a noob so i wouldn't know what its supposed to sound like).

I might have cleaned it before the neatsfoot oil. With a damp towel at least. Preferably with a glycerin type soap. I do not use saddle soap for anything but boots and if you do you have to wash it off. And then a rub down with dry towel and then the neatsfoot. It's hard to say without seeing and touching it for me. Water does not kill leather. You just have to dry it properly and then condition it.

do you think it's too late to clean it? I debated about using water on it and I've heard negative things about soap and even neatsfoot oil but I did it any way. hopefully I didn't damage it. Ill try and post some pictures this afternoon.

You know, I always wondered why there was a prejudice against saddle soap and/or Neats Foot oil. When I was a kid we used that on all our leather horse tack and never saw a saddle explode or anything else from them. I have only rehabbed 2 vintage strops both done with a cleaning with saddle soap and a light rub down with Neats Foot oil.

Bob

Here's some pictures that might help.

I do renew some from time to time.
Read this Wiki
Strop treatment and repair - Straight Razor Place Wiki
Yours appears to be quite dry. and the glazing is from a waxy strop dressing if I am not mistaken.
You may try to abrade the surface with first:
Well washed wet / dry 600 grit abrasive paper used dry. The washing and crinkling when wet will remove any loose grains.
Wrap the paper around a flat block and draw tit along the length of the strop from the hanger area to the logo end.
When the surface looks about even over the stropping length you are ready for the next higher grit.
Then again with a higher grit til about 2000 grit.
Some strops seem very pleasant at a very light suede effect and others smooth and hard.

I use neetsfoot one an old sock to add oil.
Go easy on the oil as the strop surface is really going to soak it up fast.
Better to oil the backside once every couple days.

I ball up the sock and pour a little oil onto it and then un-ball and use the less oily parts of the sock to rub the length of the strop.
Use little oil from the sock and a lot of pressure on the stropping surface.
There were many patent strop dressings back in the day and there are none. that I can recommend today.

Go easy and slowly, watch what is happening and you will succeed.
~Richard