Thread: Strop restorations

I have a few paddle strops and I have never even thought about trying to bring them back from the dead. I guess that I have to consider it now.

Originally Posted by MrZ

I have a few paddle strops and I have never even thought about trying to bring them back from the dead. I guess that I have to consider it now.

And please show us!

Here are a few strops picked up over the last half year in the UK and Germany:



Far right is a padded paddle strop with ivory handle in dark green Morocco leather case. Not sure how much I'll use this one, it's just a cool strop. I'd have thought this one was late c19th.

Going left, a large paddle strop, The 'Encore' Strop. I'd put this one around 1900, definitely no later than the 1920s. This one has red oxide or similar caked heavily on one side. The rosewood handle and metalwork are really nice, as is the case.

Then a 'Biber Echt Wild-Juchten' which does not appear to ever have been used, and has the remnants of a paper label three quarters the way up. This one has the double hooks rather than the later ring attachment. I'm not sure when these double hooks went out, but I'm putting it no later than 1950, quite possibly earlier.

Going left again, a black strop by H. Eicker & Sohne, Solingen-Wald, marked 'Prima Juchten' and '222' on the back. This one looks like it was a great strop at one point, but it has suffered and has quite a few big cuts in it. 1950s? I have a small Biber strop which originally had this black finish on it. As with this one, the surface on that one was shot, but once the surface was removed, it turned out to be a nice little strop. Not sure if this one is worth trying to salvage. It more or less came free, so nothing lost.

To the left of that one, a very simple strop, marked 'Made in Scotland' and 'Genuine Shell Horse'. This one belonged to a man who lived in Nairn, Scotland, and who died in 1954. As is often the case, it seems families often get rid of these personal items when the original owner passes out of living memory. I bought it from his grandson.

Then a fabric-backed strop marked 'Ama' and 'Prima Rindleder'. The fabric backing is a herringbone weave, and looks like it might be hemp rather than linen. This one looks very much like it was made by Herold, not too recent due to the way in which the fabric joins the leather, but not too old, due to the vinyl not leather end pieces. 80s-90s? A few small nicks, and has been folded so is creased, but it should be fine.

You can't really see the two at the left, both have been folded and have set in that position, so I want to be very careful about softening them before unfolding. The one at the top is marked 'Aristine No 6' and 'Shell Horse Hide', and belonged to a man who died in the early 70s. This one has the double hooks, so I'd put it 1920s-50s. The one at the left at the bottom is marked 'Sherwood Single', 'Genuine Shell Hide' and 'Registered' with a medallion on the handle. I'd also say very roughly 1920s-50s.

These are my first shell horse strops, first impressions are that the leather on all three is in pretty good shape. The Scottish one has very little wear, and still pretty soft and flexible in parts, but there is also a part which is very hard, so we shall see. The Aristine has a fair bit of wear on it, the Sherwood some wear. The Biber one looks great, it doesn't look to have been used and still has part of its label on it. It is very dry and dusty, but feels ok, still flexing to some extent.

So quite a bit to be going on with! I think these will satisfy the inner strop restorer for quite some time.