Thread: My strop has curled at the edges and bowed towards the center

How do I make my strop flat again?

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Pics would help. Try laying on a flat surface and weighting with large books. If that doesn't work making it as supple and flexible as possible may help but will take some work.

When I've had that happen I just bend it back the opposite way until it is flat.

When you hand rub the strop,cup your hand,rub it till it is warm and it will take the proper set.

I had the same problem with a 3" strop and didn't notice it until killing a couple of edges. I applied a small amount of Neatsfoot oil and massaged/bent it in the opposite direction of the curl. Also ran a bottle over it. It seems the oil and warmth really helped in the reshaping. It was successful but I think I would not go with such a wide strop in the future, just seem like curling is inevitable.

Originally Posted by MandoRob

I had the same problem with a 3" strop and didn't notice it until killing a couple of edges. I applied a small amount of Neatsfoot oil and massaged/bent it in the opposite direction of the curl. Also ran a bottle over it. It seems the oil and warmth really helped in the reshaping. It was successful but I think I would not go with such a wide strop in the future, just seem like curling is inevitable.

My strop is also 3". Hmmm. It was fine until I went against the advice of those who told me not to treat it with Neatsfoot, or anything else. I put a thin coat of Neatsfoot on the business side and darned if it didn't curl overnight. My remedy was to put more Neatsfoot on the 'backside' of the strop and then hang a 5lb. weight on the "D" ring handle. It's now flattening out considerably, but not all the way there, yet. My thinking is that the light coat of oil expanded the fibers on the top side, causing them to expand while the fibers down deeper remained un-affected by the oil/expansion of fibers. Adding oil to the backside should 'logically' expand those fibers too making for equal/opposite expansion, on both sides, which I'm hoping will work. With all of that speculative 'blurbage' being said... I've already purchased another 3" strop, just in case! I won't be touching the new strop with anything but my hands and a blade!

If oiling both sides does not work, I'll be laminating a piece of 20 gauge stainless steel to the backside via contact cement. Damned thing will 'never' curl again, after that! (I hope)

Originally Posted by TMJudd

My strop is also 3". Hmmm. It was fine until I went against the advice of those who told me not to treat it with Neatsfoot, or anything else. I put a thin coat of Neatsfoot on the business side and darned if it didn't curl overnight. My remedy was to put more Neatsfoot on the 'backside' of the strop and then hang a 5lb. weight on the "D" ring handle. It's now flattening out considerably, but not all the way there, yet. My thinking is that the light coat of oil expanded the fibers on the top side, causing them to expand while the fibers down deeper remained un-affected by the oil/expansion of fibers. Adding oil to the backside should 'logically' expand those fibers too making for equal/opposite expansion, on both sides, which I'm hoping will work. With all of that speculative 'blurbage' being said... I've already purchased another 3" strop, just in case! I won't be touching the new strop with anything but my hands and a blade!

use glycerine soap on your strops friend .it works rather well.salute .

Being of a heavy, heavy hand and ruining a couple of edges stropping. To encourage lighter pressure I cut 1/4" pressed wood the width of my strops and about 2" shorter than the length and secured them between the linen and the leather with Velcro straps, top and bottom. In essence, hanging bench strops. It has made me, now, get to using feather light pressure, if any, to strop my edges. Have had great edges since. Only treatment is rubbing the leather with my palm before using.