Thread: Strop cleaning tip

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I'll never understand why folks use these sledgehammer approaches to cleaning strops. Bick has a leather cleaner which is designed for cleaning and is Ph balanced and cleans without deteriorating leather and contains no petroleum distillates.

If you want the cats meow get a kit of leatherique. It will make yer leather look brand new and supple and can be used for all leather. It's expensive but worth it especially if you have leather in your car or furniture in your house.

Any chance of providing links to your recommended products? Sure would make it easier for those interested in them.

Bick one is a fairly aggressive cleaner. Bick 4 is a lighter cleaner as well as conditioner.
The 4 is all necessary for most.
Harley dealer nearby? This stuff has to be the same product as Bick 4.



I have several vintage strops. The Bick 4 keeps them like new, used once a year. Supple and clean.

JMO

You can get Ballistol at Gander Mountain & many gun shops. OR, go to ballistol.com

Slawman

Originally Posted by Slawman

You can get Ballistol at Gander Mountain & many gun shops. OR, go to ballistol.com

Slawman

So, you put Ballistol on your strop?

I get leatherique from Autopia. They are located in Florida.

Haven't needed to put anything on my strop other than wiping with a damp paper towel once in a while to clean any dust particles other than that what are you getting on your strop from stropping? Balistrol is great stuff but why would you need to oil your strop? Tc

Love the Bick 4, its a great product.

Yup. I just cleaned my Kanayama strop with lighter fluid this morning. Worked like a charm! Cleaned it right up! Placed two drops of ballistol oil in my hands, rubbed hands together, and then palm rubbed the strop. Like brand new now. I don't baby my strops. I own them and am not afraid to let them know that. Sometimes I sand the fudge out of them cuz they looked at me funny. I don't rub my hands on them every day or buy fancy cleaners. It's fine if you do but I use them and periodically I clean them. That's just me but I have heard barbers do the same and I figured why not? It worked for them and it works for me.

edited to add: Thanks to the OP for starting this thread. A good conversation with different ideas and products.

Originally Posted by Steel

Yup. I just cleaned my Kanayama strop with lighter fluid this morning. Worked like a charm! Cleaned it right up! Placed two drops of ballistol oil in my hands, rubbed hands together, and then palm rubbed the strop. Like brand new now. I don't baby my strops. I own them and am not afraid to let them know that. Sometimes I sand the fudge out of them cuz they looked at me funny. I don't rub my hands on them every day or buy fancy cleaners. It's fine if you do but I use them and periodically I clean them. That's just me but I have heard barbers do the same and I figured why not? It worked for them and it works for me.

edited to add: Thanks to the OP for starting this thread. A good conversation with different ideas and products.

That's right !!! You teach them strops who's the Boss !! If they complain, give them a Vegetal rub down !!!

Ya gotta watch that lighter fluid. Uncle Zeke used to take his old strops with him and coat them with kerosene when he went Elk hunting. He'd light them and flail them around when the bears got too close. One day he flailed them too much and started a massive forest fire.

They're still looking for him.