Using Birch Polypore fungus as a strop?

I'm just wondering whether anyone here actually uses the Razor Strop fungus (Piptoporus betulina) or similar polypores for stropping razors? There is a history of their use as strops and since I am interested in fungi I thought it would be fun to dabble.

I believe to technique involves cutting a long rectNgle out of the fungus, peeling back the pore layer then drying it. I am thinking that drying it in a press might force it into a perfect flatness.

Has as anyone done this? Care to share your experience or tips?

thanks

david

I Tried snail mucous on a strop once,never tried mushrooms.

I always thought you were supposed to eat them and get high.

I say try it & document it for us,,,,could be the next big thing in stropping,,,:shrug:

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Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I always thought you were supposed to eat them and get high.

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Not those ones. There are quite a few that are awesome for that though!

Yes, yes, I have heard it all, and yes, there are some of those out there too. All take extreme caution.....

However, I have a fairly extensive knowledge of fungi of northeast North America and since I became aware of this use of the Birch Polypore, I have been intrigued. There are some other polypores which grow to sufficient size that I might be able to extract a piece from a large fruiting body that could be in the range of 3"x18" when dry. Could be an interesting ride

I think I will experiment with this and report back. It may be a number of months, as the season is some months off.....

You could probably with enough time and patience make a platen yourself. Process enough amadou out of the fungus; and glue it or sew it to a suitable backing. Might work since it has that fine crushed felt texture. Good luck if you choose to try, let us know how it works.

Interestingly, these hard northern temperate conk-like fungi have have very fine fibrous texture. These fibers have been used to make tough long lasting felts, yet also have an ancient history in fire making, and evidently produce an incredibly fine particle when turned into charcoal and made into black powder...Agarikon they were called....

Anyway, the fine fibers promise to make an excellent sharpening surface if I can create a strop that is flat.
The other considerations are size and durability.

There are different species in my area that could be effective: Ganodema tsugae("! (a tea of which cured me of asthma) which grows to significant size. Ganoderma applanatum, which gets very big. And Piptoperous betulinq, which has been used for strops over the centuries....:.should be interesting...

Still waiting to hear from someone who has experience using fungi to sharpen with....

This is an interesting idea, never heard of it before.

A little googling produced this snippet from "ESCULENT FUNGUSES OF ENGLAND"

The Polyform ... makes a razor-strop far superior to any of
those at present patented, and sold with high-sounding epithets, far
beyond their deserts. To prepare the Polyporm for this purpose, it
must be cut from the ash tree in autumn, when its juices have been
dried, and its substance has become consolidated ; it is then to be flat-
tened out, for twenty-four hours, in a press, after which it should be
carefully rubbed with pumice, sliced longitudinally, and every slip that
is free from the erosions of insects be then glued upon a wooden
stretcher. Cesalpinus knew all this, and the barbers in his time knew
it too, and it is not a little remarkable that so useful an invention
should, in an age of [something garbled], advertisement, and improvement, like our
own, have been entirely lost sight of.

Sounds like a lot of work, but it might turn out to be a cool project.

Amadou can an be made by hand it just requires removing the hard cuticle and spore baring surfaces to be removed carefully. the tough part is the very hard cuticle, to do it safely and maximize the amount of amadou. I use a sharp stout knife the carve away at the hard cuticle. using much the same grip and technique for using a hook knife to carve wood. it gives a great margin of safety and control when removing it. then it is just slicing off the pore surface and tubes.. then lightly pound just to soften the corky brown colored center, and gently stretch into a sheet or pieces they can be sewn or glued. when it is dry it is like a stiff felt. I find fresh young birch polypore under 4" across are about the biggest I bother with the cuticle gets very hard and a hatchet or small axe is needed to get through the cuticle on older specimens.

My wife tells me that I'm a fun guy!!

It does work - for a while, anyway. The fungus (just a simple bracket type that grows on birch trees) tends to get harder and harder with age. It is at its best when it still retains some pliability and softness. I have some that has gone rock hard over the years.

I see it as just a make-do kind of thing, although if I was lost in the backwoods making a strop would be the furthest thing from my mind and if I was to be travelling I would have planned to take a strop with me - a proper leather one, which I find far superior to a bit of fungus growing half way up a tree.

You can make plasters out of this fungus too, although the seasoned traveller is mote likely to take a box of bandaids.

I guess lots of things can be made to serve purposes other than what they are either neant for or are good for. The Razor Strop Fungus is one of those things. If it was that efficaceous thats what strops would all be made of.

Regards,
Neil

Wow! Thanks, guys for all the response!

Jimfishesvt, I think I can avoid carving through the hardened cuticle and pore surface by harvesting the Birch Polypore while still immature and soft. The pore layer should peel
Away readily. It will have a greater water content and fewer chitins but I have a dehydrator which should take care of that

Neil, thanks for the info. Of course the leather strop might be preferable, but sometimes raw materials and techniques are left my the wayside due to a change in availability or cost or ease of production, too. I figure I'll try it to see how it goes. I'm a mushroom nut, a pilznarr as the Germans would say, and I love being able to go out into the woods and find things that are useful culinarily, as medicine or as tools.

By the way, I heard you were in the hospital. I hope you feel better.

Does my veg-tanned elephant scrotum strop qualify for entry into this contest?

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Originally Posted by mrsell63

Does my veg-tanned elephant scrotum strop qualify for entry into this contest?

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Did you go and "harvest" that one yourself as well?

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Originally Posted by mrsell63

Does my veg-tanned elephant scrotum strop qualify for entry into this contest?

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,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,:gaah:

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Originally Posted by mrsell63

Does my veg-tanned elephant scrotum strop qualify for entry into this contest?

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Unfotunately, no. It tends to attract unwanted attention from the female of the species, and the lonely traveller making his weary way along the asian grasslands and forests is bound to get lumbered with an ugly one.

Might make a nice over the shoulder bag to carry a couple of coconuts in, though... :)

Regards,
Neil

Interesting, learn something new everyday, thanks for sharing. Good luck and keep us posted.

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Originally Posted by mrsell63

Does my veg-tanned elephant scrotum strop qualify for entry into this contest?

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Huh, I thought the elephant foreskin was the superior strop material.....learn something new daily.

Back on topic though, neat topic, had never heard of fungus strops, curious for sure!

:OTOh, by the way, has anyone had any experience extracting soap from petrified dromedary dung?

"...I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts..!"

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Originally Posted by Fiddlehead

:OTOh, by the way, has anyone had any experience extracting soap from petrified dromedary dung?

"...I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts..!"

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Dromedary or Bactrian? I know you specfied the former, but the latter has a lot to recommend it...

Regards,
Neil