Thread: Reviving old found strops

I have an old strop which I restored with neatsfoot oil. It's got a bit too much draw for my liking - should I try cleaning the surface somehow? Or would Ballistol treatment help? Or?

Originally Posted by benhunt

I have an old strop which I restored with neatsfoot oil. It's got a bit too much draw for my liking - should I try cleaning the surface somehow? Or would Ballistol treatment help? Or?

It can't hurt to try the Ballistol. After using it I found both of my shell strops just feel like butter. I have used Ballistol on my Koken shell strop after using the other treatments with no problems & the draw feels great to me.

Dave Huffman

Originally Posted by benhunt

I have an old strop which I restored with neatsfoot oil. It's got a bit too much draw for my liking - should I try cleaning the surface somehow? Or would Ballistol treatment help? Or?

Neatsfoot oil is a great way to waterproof leather but since it clogs the pores of the skin it will in time cause the material to degrade. Ballistol was invented by the Germans to help the boots worn by their WWI military in wearable and useful condition. I highly recommend that you use small amounts on the reconditioned strop. Hand rubbing also will be helping to maintain that strop. Good question and best of luck. Dave has made an excellent suggestion. I don't think you'll be disappointed using Ballistol.

Usually if you add oil, it will give you more draw. You may have over oiled your strop. You only can add a few drop at a time on a paper towel, rub it in well and let it soak in, for days.

Be sure to mist the leather damp, let the water soak in for a few minutes, then add you oil. Or you oil will sit on the top, not penetrate and can rot the leather.

If you have over oiled, wrap the strop in paper towels and set out side during a warm day, out of direct sunlight, on a flat surface, with some weight on it, a length of 2x4 with a brick or two works well.

Do not leave out, over night, but change the towels and repeat the next day if a lot of oil come out.

Once you remove the excess oil, try just misting with water, I use distilled to avoid minerals and let it set, Water will hydrate the leather and drive the oil deep into the strop, much like a sponge will, after it has been wet, it is much more absorbent.

Leather that is dried out got that way slowly, from lack of moisture for years. It will take time for it to come back. A hard leather strop can take months to revive, applying a couple drops of oil a week. If you rush it, you can rot the leather.

Ballistol is good stuff, but use any oil, very sparingly and let it absorbed well, (days), then add more if needed.

To remove draw and make a strop slicker, remove oil, then burnish with a brown paper bag, you can add a dab of shoe or bees wax, to the paper and work into the leather.

Whatever you do, go slow with old leather.