I want to give leaded strops a try and have had good advice that the lead should be applied to a leather strop. But I have also read that guys are applying lead to linen strops.
I'm wondering why one and not the other? Or why not both?
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I want to give leaded strops a try and have had good advice that the lead should be applied to a leather strop. But I have also read that guys are applying lead to linen strops.
I'm wondering why one and not the other? Or why not both?
I'm interested in the leaded strop too. Was thinking of linen. Will be watching this one. :popcorn:
I don't know jack about applying lead to a strop however lead is toxic in any form and the lead will transfer to the razor and anything else it comes in contact with and may possibly go airborn as you strop.
With all the great stropping compounds available why would you want to take a chance with your health?
I know they used it years ago but they used all kinds of poisons cause they didn't know better. These days lead is being removed from just about everything.
I agree.
Before anyone chimes in saying something along the lines of "I've been using it for years and I'm fine," I would like to point out that a lot of medical conditions are the result of cumulative damage and/or accumulated toxins. Why risk your health?
alright I will address this for you ,, why risk your health? we do everyday and no one wants to jump on that at all but lead gets so many up in arms. Ron, whisky is a killer to , even in small amounts, living in major cities has you breathing toxins accumulating daily, eating a damn fast food burger, man that's death. I don't say you must use lead, I just get irritated when we pick on this one but not the millions of daily hazards that we will overlook that is far worse for us. the us army didn't pull me out of combat because they were concerned over lead poisioning in 1971.
as a research guy you probably know they relate Alzhiemers and other serious diseases to the chemicals in our processed foods too. all I,m saying is if were going to attack lead lets attack the even more commonly used products in our daily lives like, more people die from traffic accidents than lead poisoning, but no one will quit driving right Tc
I agree with you but ideally I'd like to do what I can to balance quality of life and health risk. I consider a leaded strop to be something that I easily can do without given all of the non-lead options. Others are free to disagree and use a leaded strop.
Thanks for the quick replies, I appreciate the differing opinions about the risks.
But if one were to apply lead to a strop.... Linen? Leather? Why one and not the other?
With all due respect yea, that's the old excuse. We live with all kinds of hazards what's another one or why don't you go after this or that too. Tell that to all the kids drinking that water filled with lead in Michigan or my deceased dad who worked in shipyards during WWll and fell victim to asbestos poisoning.Quote:
Originally Posted by tcrideshd
The point is we minimize our risks where possible and make sane decisions kind of the risk benefit principle.
Sorry for hijacking the thread for a bit.
Following because this is curious to me.
lets be clear I don't advocate anyone doing something they don't think is safe, but my point is very clear there are dangers just as real and worse, that we do every day, and by the way I have people in my family who died in car wrecks because of drunks, I don't stop driving. I just don't agree that lead is your only enemy, but it gets the hairs up on people who choose to do unsafe things every day. the very worst is what we eat. there are is a line drawn I guess about what us as individuals will draw if its not something we use. as to the guy wanting to use lead, make your decisions based on your own way of life, it makes for a very smooth feel on your blade. or don't. I feel for you if someone you know died from lead contaminants, but I know many who haven't, and many who have died from everyday interactions from a host of other chemicals, good luck Tc
My concern here is some young guy just starting sees this thread and just thinks putting lead on a strop is a routine thing everyone does and it's perfectly safe.
So now he knows.
I like the feel of an edge that has had a few licks on a lead strop. Have made a couple now, both out of roo leather.
The second one I sanded the leather with 1000 grit and seems to work better.
I think most here were exposed to a lot of lead in their life time from petrol, paint etc. The list goes on. Still occasionally have to deal with it anyway because it was used on nails for roofing here to form a seal on the corrugated iron. Not bothered.
Handle with care and minimise risk, clean blade thoroughly before shave etc.
Back to the IP. Metals when oxidized form very hard crystals. Those crystas we have named such things as "Rouge," "CBN," "CrOx," and many others. Lead Oxide was available as White lead for plumbers and Assorted whites for artists:
art-supply-education/lead-white-oil-pigment-paint
The Lead white is apparently the brightest available white pigment.
To lead a strop, one just rubs a lead object against it until a bit of grey shows. That grey color disappears after a short time leaving lead oxides on the strop. That may be done on leather and other strop media.
Snapping the strop will put fine lead particles into the air. Whether that will make a personal life shorter or not is up to the user.
YMMV
~Richard
Lead poisoning is a personal health issue I deal with today along several other health issues.
About 40 years ago I worked in several different leaded glass production studios as a craftsman. I had no idea at that time that lead was good for anything but making lead came for building windows and bullets. Soldering endless lead joints using leaded solder and flux and breathing the resultant steam/smoke as the joints came together for many years has left me with sky high lead markers in my system. My bad I suppose, but none of the craftsman I knew at the time ever gave a thought to even a simple paper mask.
This thread started about lead strops and that makes Nelson's warning completely valid in this thread.
So here is my last post on this topic, take it for what it's worth.
Everyone has an Uncle Louie who smoked 2 packs of cigarettes a day and drank a fifth of whiskey every day and he lived to 99 and never saw the inside of a hospital. if you are one of the fortunate ones with good genes almost nothing you do will affect you. Unfortunately most of us don't fall into that category though we like to think we do.
Old timers used all kinds of nasty stuff in the old days and either didn't know or care or had no choice. Most will claim the bad stuff worked way better than the modern "safe" substitutes and they are probably right. Old timers worked in the coal mines and when masks came out they laughed at the younger guys I mean you work in the mine and you die young, that the way it's supposed to be. That was the attitude back then and that can be said of many industries. My dad was a painter and he used lead all the time and he practically bathed himself in benzene and turpentine and all that stuff that now has a skull and crossbones on it. Just about all the guys he worked with died in their 60s of cancer.
When I was in the Navy we used to do Naval Gunfire support and there was no ear protection. A 5 inch 54 is pretty loud. Some guys put cartridges in their ears and others laughed at them. My hearing ain't too good these days.
Life is full of risks. Some we have control over and some we don't. I used to say to my friend who died on his bike, riding is risky and he used to say well you have to go sometime and I used to say yea we're all waiting in line to see the big man some day but you don't have to sneak in front of the line.
I see you say leather and other stropping media, so is it best used on linen or leather? Is it best used as primary or secondary stropping? Or somewhere in between linen and leather? Thanks GeezerQuote:
Originally Posted by Geezer
I simply rubbed a piece of lead on my leather strop until it discoloured slightly. I had not really thought about putting it on my linen or other secondary strops. It goes well the way I have it set up. That particular strop has lead on the leather and cerium oxide on the felt. I use one or the other if I am trying to tame a harsh edge. I do realize there is some risk involved with using compounds, however I look at the possible level of exposure and think to myself, I'm ok with that level or risk.
@OP: lead is a poisonous substance, there are many non-toxic compounds you can put on your strop. So what do you think lead will do better than any of the other abrasive compounds available?
I don't paste linen, just don't :)
I have almost always got the best results using the softest leather possible using any type of paste..
I have never pasted nor used any pasted cloth (linen, canvas, poly, etc). Many years ago I picked up a 4 sided pasted paddle strop from Tony Miller. All pastes on soft leather. Used it for touchups for a while. Haven't picked it up in a couple of years though.
Aloha!
I have never treated linen nor leather with pastes or lead or other metals or compounds.
To me, a strop is for alignment, not a continuation of honing. I only strop 10 passes on bare leather before a shave to assure the blade is in alignment. I never have added paste, rouge, or lead to leather or linen. Bare linen I only do after shaving (20 laps) followed by 10 laps on leather to aid in drying the blade and bring it back into alignment for storage. That's it.
But I respect the philosophy and methodology of others that do add compounds to their strop. If it works for you, then go for it!
-Zip
I'm not really sure, to be honest. I've been seeing the use of lead on strops come up in threads lately and became interested in trying it is all. I have some lead at home, so I thought I'd have a go at it. But before dedicating a strop to this I wanted to see if I should dedicate a linen or leather strop, or both.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kees
It's well known that lead is poisonous and people should consider what that means to them as an individual before using it this way. After reading some comments here I am personally reconsidering it.
Perhaps some good alternatives could be suggested here for anyone who is reconsidering the use of lead.
I use CBN on a leather paddle strop. Works a treat. If, after reading all of the above, you still want to use the lead you have, make sure the crystals are all of a similar size.
I,ll concede that to you Nelson, I truly didn't think of the new guys coming on here and not being informed at their start. I will try to remember that in the future.
sometimes I get on edge about some things, it doesn't matter to me about what someone uses or what I use , to each their own. this rant went on from me not because I believe everyone should use it, only that I get upset with all the topics that come up on whats good and bad, yet the really bad stuff gets ignored for the cause. so all you new guys learn the trade with the basics and only try other tricks as you are more informed.
my lead strop works, but I would never intentionally ingest or inhale the dust. so always be informed . Tc
while we are worrying about lead, here is what the MSDS says about the health effects of Crox.
Potential Acute Health Effects: Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant), of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation.
Potential Chronic Health Effects:
Hazardous in case of inhalation. Slightly hazardous in case of skin contact (sensitizer). CARCINOGENIC EFFECTS: A4
(Not classifiable for human) by ACGIH, 3 (Not classifiable for human.) by IARC. MUTAGENIC EFFECTS: Mutagenic for
mammalian somatic cells. Mutagenic for bacteria and/or yeast. TERATOGENIC EFFECTS: Not available. DEVELOPMENTAL
TOXICITY: Not available. The substance may be toxic to upper respiratory tract, skin. Repeated or prolonged exposure to the
substance can produce target organs damage.
Any heavy metals are very bad for you. It's just that lead has been studied more mostly because of issues with brain damage in little kids going back to the 1950s where kids would eat paint chips of leaded paint.
Chromium oxide is used during tanning as well.
I don't know who told you about putting lead on a strop, but only traditional creams, oils or such, should be put on a strop, like shaving cream or just rubbing the palm of your hand on it, will help it stay in good shape.Quote:
Originally Posted by xiaotuzi
He wasn't asking about maintenance of his strop, only what strop to put it on. I think it's been covered and he got his answer, Tc