Thread: Confusion on oiling my strop...

So I have a packet of Neatsfoot Oil (30ml) from Whipped Dog Straights. On the packet it says that I'm to "Apply sparingly, but regularly to leather strop." In Lynn Abrams "The World of Straight Razor Shaving" DVD he mentions only applying Neatsfoot oil to the strop once or twice a year, rubbing it in well and letting it rest a few days before wiping off the excess.

So which one is it? Do I only apply this once or twice a year or do I apply it frequently (like once a week or month)?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

I have never did anything to my strop besides rub it with my palm and never had an issue.
It's a SRD strop. I would say if it doesn't need it, don't apply it. JMO

That's some pretty good advice. I wouldn't use Neats Foot Oil if I used anything. If it needs any conditioning at all my preference would be to use From strop treatment and only a dime size dollop on the suede side not the stropping side. But, that would be very infrequent. All you'll need is to rub it vigorously with your palm to warm it before you use it.

Chasmo

Neatsfoot oil has been around a donkey's age and is used to treat leather to keep it supple. If used as recommended, sparingly, well rubbed in, let dry a few days before being wiped dry, should not harm a leather strop. I have used it to bring back old stiff as a board strops to life. I guess if and how often you use it would depend on how stiff/dry your strop is in the first place.

Bob

I recently picked up an old Illinois 6454 shell strop. Probably hadn't been used in 30 years or so, but was actually in pretty good shape and not terribly dried out. Rubbed in fairly dry tallow based lather and worked the strop with my hands for a good bit and let it rest for a few days with occasional palm rubbing. It's currently performing at 100%. If we're dealing with a new strop, Palm rubbing should be completely sufficient. If the strop starts to feel dry, lather works wonders, so will minimal neetsfoot.

Remember! You can only do nothing once.

I got an SRD strop back around May and palm rub it everyday. Last week I applied a dime sized dollop of mink oil to it because it sounded dry. That fixed the problem. All I can say is, if it sounds dry, then it needs to be oiled. I have to oil my knife and chisel strops about twice a year as well.

Originally Posted by QuietListener

So I have a packet of Neatsfoot Oil (30ml) from Whipped Dog Straights. On the packet it says that I'm to "Apply sparingly, but regularly to leather strop." In Lynn Abrams "The World of Straight Razor Shaving" DVD he mentions only applying Neatsfoot oil to the strop once or twice a year, rubbing it in well and letting it rest a few days before wiping off the excess.

So which one is it? Do I only apply this once or twice a year or do I apply it frequently (like once a week or month)?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

You have not said what leather or brand your strop is much less what condition it may be in. You will and have received advice that may or may not be relevant.

Originally Posted by lz6

You have not said what leather or brand your strop is much less what condition it may be in. You will and have received advice that may or may not be relevant.

I'd bet two dollars it's a Whipped Dog.

Chasmo

I have a Tony Miller strop, my 2nd strop. I was very happy palm rubbing the strop for months, even palm rubbing just to palm rub. Then for no reason other I had the stuff around I use the smallest portion of Dovo strop dressing, rub it in my palms and on the strop. There is a lot of muscle memory in stropping...and that small amount of dressing slowed down the draw so much that it felt like another strop and I really did not like it compared with the pre-dressing version. It bothered me so much I ordered another leather component which Tony was calling a fast draw strop and he wasn't kidding. So the original strop goes into a plastic sleeve for a few months and recently I decided to put it back as the leather component....and guess what? It magically returned to it's original draw. So in my limited experience you can change the draw on a strop with an oil or grease, this might not bother you. I'm with Entropy1049 although I guess tallow is grease, I'm still with him.....I think he is a scientist.