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working on a new fire hose strop and wondered if any one has tried using a iron on one. I have tried wetting an then placing weights on it but it isn't as flat as i'd like. my next step would be to wet it again and hang it with weights on it but i thought a iron might be faster. Any one tried an iron?
Probably needs to be stretched, check with geezer on this. He and a few others are very good at this.
I have used an iron w/steam on my last two with success. I iron like any other article. Then I put under weight to dry. It does stiffen up a little.
I wash the material with mild detergent. Then rinse well. Washing machine is OK. Getting the strop stretched flat is the secret. I then hang the material from wood hangers one on each end to the bottom one I attach a five pound weight. If the material is long enough to fold over the hanger to make two strips with a bit left over. Old style locking trouser cuff hangers are best for precut lengths.
Oh yeah... The length for no handle barber strops is 27 inches. And a final cutting to length after putting in the two piece grommet. A bit of super glue to seal the but end and...voila' .
~Richard
Yes, the trick to fire hose is stretching, cleaning and RINSING it free of soap. Stretch it damp, let dry and stretch again. My hose was, new old stock, I washed it several times and each time, a lot of dirt came out. I think I washed it 6-7 times. Each cycle takes a couple days.
Once clean and stretched a fire hose will be soft. limp like a sock and lay perfectly flat.
I use a thrift store ball bearing rolling pin, hung from the ceiling, well my garage door actually. Here is a post I did on my firehose strop. (Oak Fanned English shell) post 52. Post 56 shows my rolling pin set up and how I use it.
BTW, they are super aggressive strops, lots of work, but worth doing…
Can ya post a photo?Quote:
Originally Posted by Geezer
thanks for the replies. this one i got from ebay and was pre-washed, seems clean so i think i can skip the washing step. I'll try hanging it with weights.
Like this:Quote:
Originally Posted by Mvcrash
Attachment 259046
~Richard
You might want to soak it in some detergent and see if any dirt comes out in your rinse water. I was amazed at how much dirt was in, a NOS hose. Dust gets in the weave and unless you work the fibers, it will remain there.
The dust/dirt is abrasive of random size and grit and will defeat the goal of stropping on linen.
Thanks, I did just that even before your post, thought it couldn't hurt and i needed to get it wet anyway. on the down side, it shrunk an inch (and i'd already cut it to length with the matching English bridal strop already done) hoping a praying it will relax and stretch back to length when it dries.Quote:
Originally Posted by Euclid440
I have recently got a firehose linen strop, and it looks like it loved the shape it got in transit, because it doesn't want to flatten. I followed some of the tricks in this thread, to no avail.
Here is the original state
Attachment 269620
So I made it wet with a water spray bottle and I ironed it with steam, and it got a little bit better.
Then, I made it wetter, and I attached a 3 lbs weight to it (and put a plastic bag around the leather to protect it)
Attachment 269621
While It was under weight, I also put lateral pressure on it, which created some kind of cylinder. This was in the hope of disrupting these waves in the fabric.
Then, I rubbed it on the back of a chair (about 100 passes)
The final result:
Attachment 269622
What should I do next to get this strop to the next level?
It is held by Chicago screws... I could detach it, but is there a risk that it would shrink or expand in a problematic way?
I would take it apart if it were mine and soak it completely wet (even wash it a little maybe) and then let it dry with weights on it as shown. it will appear to shrink when wet (i think this is all part of the weave and the linen that makes the fire hose hold water) but it will expand back to it's normal length when dry(at least that's how mine reacted). make sure the ends are sealed so it doesn't unravel . JMHO
Sealed? How? Painters tape? Duct tape?Quote:
Originally Posted by tintin
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i used super glue on mine.Quote:
Originally Posted by malaverdiere
Should I seal the holes too? Or will it become hard to assemble back?
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Sealing the holes would not be a bad idea either. By the way, cotton and some other fabrics smoke a bit when Cyanoacrylate "CA" is used on them. Not to worry. The holes can be drilled out as the surrounding area will be hard.
YMMV
~Richard
Euclid440, when you use the rolling pin is the strop dry, damp or wet?
Thx
Ok I figured it out. I gave it a light soak then ironed the two firehose strops. Then a soaker in the bath tub. Stuf came out. I hanged them from a chair on the patio, run a string through the pre existing holes. On the other side I attached a 5 lbs weight to each of them. Once dry they were very floppy and pliable.
I run them shortly on the rolling pin and voila, soft like a sock.
Trying again, taking an inspiration from alex1921..
After washing and one extra rince
Attachment 270180
Attached from a chair with zip tie and 3lb weight.
Attachment 270181
I was proactively shaping it. I cupped it and pushed material where I think it should go.
By morning, it was dry, but still in the cupped shaped. Conclusion: more weight than 3lbs is needed when drying.
Attachment 270182 Attachment 270183
After that, it was rolling pin time. Here's how stiff it was and my 'jig'
Attachment 270184
I wasn't satsified - it was better, but not flat yet. So, I wrapped it in a towel cloth (to protect from dust) and put it under my tool box.
Attachment 270185
The end result is much better, but still has a few indentations that need to be fixed. Tonight I'll try dampening and ironing.
The kind of 'memory' is material has impressive. I think that active shaping when wet is the way to go. Perhaps this is what happens when more weight is attached to it.
