Thread: Changing Leather Characteristics?

I have some bridle leather and was wondering if anyone knew how to increase the draw or make the leather more supple. Certain oils/conditioners, methods of breaking it in, or even light sanding?

I have the same issue with the same type of strop, so I will be watching this one.

I don't think you can make Bridle Leather much on the supple side. It has certain innate characteristics. As far as draw goes you can play with that. A little Bick Conditioner will give you a bit more draw and a tad of Neatsfoot will do the same.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

I don't think you can make Bridle Leather much on the supple side. It has certain innate characteristics. As far as draw goes you can play with that. A little Bick Conditioner will give you a bit more draw and a tad of Neatsfoot will do the same.

Thanks
I was considering using a little neatsfoot (have some already). Definitely not expecting it to feel like latigo or cordovan afterwards, but thought I might could change it a little.

As mentioned use a tad bit.

It is very easy to go overboard.

Err on the side of not enough.

I'm looking to go the other direction. Faster with less draw.

Is it a new strop?

You can add oil to leather sparingly and roll the strop to make it supple. I have done it to several new and rehydrated stiff vintage strops.

Add oil sparingly and slowly. First dampen the strop on both sides with a wet sponge, do not soak just wipe with a damp sponge. Wait 15-20 minutes to allow the water to penetrate deep into the leather. The water will open the pores of the leather and allow the oil to penetrate deeply and evenly.

Take a ½ teaspoon of neetsfoot oil or Ballistol to a small dish, fold a paper towel into a small pad about 2x2 inches. Dip the pad in the oil, apply to the face side of the strop in the middle and wipe from the middle out.

Coat the face side of strop with a light coat of oil. Hold the pad over any spot that needs more oil, it will wick from the pad. Work it into the leather with the pad. Do not add any more oil at this time or you will clog the pores of the leather and if too much is added too quickly it can cause rotting. Now wait a day, you will see the color even out and the strop will be a bit more flexible.

Pick up a rolling pin from a thrift store and hang it from the ceiling, I use my garage door with a couple pieces of Para cord. I first began using this technique to clean and make Firehose strops more flexible and posted photos in this thread. (Oak fanned English shell, Adrian, Michigan).

If the strop is flexible, gently put the strop on the roller and lightly roll it, if it feels stiff do not over bend it. Do not bend more than 45 degrees the first time. Bend in the other direction rolling lightly. Wait a couple days and roll it again, flexing a bit more each time. Do it slowly over a period of days allowing the oil to penetrate further, it can take a couple weeks to a month for the oil to fully penetrate.

If stiff do not push it, bend lightly. Wait another week and apply another coat of oil after wetting the leather and waiting for it to absorb. After a couple days, roll again lightly do not over do it and stop if you feel the leather cracking.

The trick to adding oil is use a small amount and allow it to absorb into the leather. It may take a couple months to make the leather soft and flexible. If it is a vintage strop, it can take months to re-hydrate a dried strop. Go slow and do not add more that a teaspoon at a time, once every 2 weeks to a month. Less oil is better, keep flexing the strop on the roller, bending a little more each time.

Eventually the strop will become more flexible and the draw will increase with the hydration of added oil. In time the strop will be as flexible as an old well washed sock. Go Slow it can take months, to hydrate and soften a vintage strop.

Just because a strop is new does not mean it hasn’t sat in a hot warehouse for months.

If you want to give the leather a more nap finish, like suede, I find it is better to lightly scrape the leather laid flat on a table with a sharp cabinet card scraper, than to sand. Sanding will leave micro bits of grit that will imbed into the leather and scratch rather than polish a bevel. You can make an inexpensive strop into a nice flexible strop with a little work and a lot of time.

Originally Posted by Gasman

I'm looking to go the other direction. Faster with less draw.

I've wiped a strop with a clean rag and some rubbing alcohol, for that reason. It had a bit too much oil in it, after restoring, Jerry.

Josh, try hand rubbing till the leather warms up. It works for me. But I like a slick Bridle, for the most part. Guess that why I have different strops, their all different draws.

Originally Posted by Gasman

I'm looking to go the other direction. Faster with less draw.

I've had luck with Kiwi saddle soap.

I increased the suppleness of my boarhide strop by rubbing a small amount of mink oil into the heel of my hand and then rubbing my hand onto the water dampened back sideof the strop.