Quote Originally Posted by Euclid440 View Post
You do see all kinds of advice on treating leather and a lot depends on the variables, most importantly, what you expect from your strop, do you want it stiff or floppy and the finish you are looking for.

Not all leathers will finish the same, some can be aggressive, some polish more.

Conditions, where you live, Dry vs Humid climate, where the strop is stored Humid Bath vs Dry Closet and your routine, hand rubbing vs damp cloth wiping, all will affect strop feel and performance. And you have no idea of how old the strop actually is, and how or where it has been stored.

If you are looking for a softer/floppy strop, adding moisture and a bit of oil, will make it softer. I do mean just a bit, neatsfoot or Ballistol are my go to. Try adding moisture first, with a clean, damp paper towel. Look to see what comes off, just because it is new, does not mean it is clean. Wait a day or two and up to a week or two, see if the moisture made a difference.

If it did and you want more flex, then add some oil. Dampen the strop again, with a damp cloth, wait 10-15 minutes then add no more than a ¼ ounce on a clean paper towel and work it into the strop, The water will allow the oil to absorb deep, into the leather.

Wait a few days, or a week, before you add more, if needed.

Whatever you do, do so sparingly and slowly, allow a few days for the application to take effect.


Ballistol is very penetrating. I once set a folded, paper towel with Ballistol, on a stack of new veg leather cut strops. Overnight, it penetrated through 4 pieces of 9 oz. leather.

Here is a good link to a discussion on strop maintenance, from a leather worker and strop maker. Kevin at Hides to Art, page 4, post 37, is where he talks about adding oil to leather to customize draw and finish.
I guess it depends on how much Ballistol you use. I have never had that problem with it. All I know is that Ballistol works for me.


Slawman