Originally Posted by
Euclid440
It depends on what type of finish and look you are after.
You can with a sharp card scraper, lightly cut a new surface that will leave a napped finish, similar to suede, that will have more draw. You can control the amount of draw by scraping and the amount of oil added.
If you want less drag, you can finish wax with any good shoe wax. You can also add color or use clear natural wax to enhance color but not change it.
Or you can also burnish with a piece of Linen, canvas or fire hose, with or without wax.
On a vintage strop I would start with hydrating with Ballistol, rolling to make the leather flexible and smooth, and burnishing with cloth. You can then adjust the finish, once the oil stabilizes in the leather, it can take months.
If you want to experiment, buy an inexpensive strop or leather belt, Chef Knives to Go sells a nice unfinished leather strop for $19 that is a good platform for finish experimenting. It is also a good beginner’s strop.