Thread: Strop Restoration - Martin J Rubin

Originally Posted by MJC

Great thread and thank you all for sharing.

I have a King Shell that came in with some bay razors that is in pretty good shape (pics to follow)
The second strop is pressed leather with Crox in pretty good shape.
The shell side is a little dirty, still very supple but it has a cut on one edge that I think will close up well with contact cement.

My question to the group is the order of repair.

I was thinking:
Fix the cut
Sand if necessary
Gently clean the grim with saddle soap
Condition if nessiscary
Leave the Crox side alone for the moment.

Is that the correct order?

I have been doing leather work for a while, and dealing with old saddles and tack since I was a kid. I would suggest avoiding saddle soap, until you clean it with a damp (but not dripping) rag several times. Let it fully dry (24 to 48 hours) between each attempt. If you put saddle soap on it from the get go, you will change the feel and surface of the leather, so it may not absorb any conditioner or oil, and may make it harder to clean. This doesn't matter with saddles as much, because they aren't being used to strop a blade. After the strop is clean and dry, if it needs conditioner, put very light coats on, and let it dry 24-48 hours between coats. Any moisture you put on the leather needs time for the fibers to absorb it and move it from the surface to the interior. Good luck!