Thread: project strops

Originally Posted by bouschie

From what I see in photos the Llama leather looks fine the way it is.

It has a big scratch, almost a gouge, to get rid of. Other than that it's in great shape.

The canvas on the C-Mon can easily be cleaned. Remove it from hanger. I use a finger nail brush and dish washer liquid with oxy clean. Scrub light pressure in all directions both sides and rinse thoroughly. Just do not scrub over label. Place on paper towels and dry flat.

Thanks! I was also thinking of a vinegar soak, in addition to this. Only for the C-Mon, probably.

Pretty cool projects. I have a strop I would really like to give a go at touching up but I don't really have ton confidence with leather to give it a go just yet. Looking forward to seeing how these turn out!

Originally Posted by ppetresen

Pretty cool projects. I have a strop I would really like to give a go at touching up but I don't really have ton confidence with leather to give it a go just yet. Looking forward to seeing how these turn out!

Well, I've only completed one in my life so far, but it was a lot easier than restoring a razor!

Nice bunch of Strops. Thanks for sharing.

I finally had a bit of time to work on these strops today. I sanded them down, brushed them with a horse hair brush and wiped them with a damp cloth. After I photographed them, I applied some saddle soap to the Clydesdale and the C-Mon (not to the Kanayama). The Clydesdale and the C-Mon each had a spot that I couldn't quite sand out (shown in the close-up photos), but still feels smooth enough to the touch that I doubt it will pose a problem while stropping. We'll see, I guess. Anyways, I'm happy how they turned out, especially the Kanayama (which was in great shape to begin with).

Well, I think the Clydesdale and the C-Mon are finished! They are nice and hydrated, very supple. I cleaned the linens, which was very necessary (see the bathtub photo after I was finished - gross!). They look great, and I can't wait to begin using them! They will still need a bit of a working in, so I probably won't use a razor on them for a week or two, but I'm very happy with the results.

The Red Imp was in great condition. I only cleaned it, and it doesn't look like it needs to be sanded in the end. I will probably put a bit of mink oil on it in a week or two, but it's pretty much ready to go. The linen component was pretty dirty as well. Unfortunately the stamp on the linen completely disintegrated when it touched water, which is too bad, it was really nice! But you can still see the remnants.

When I first started there were a lot of NOS strops on the market, and not so much anymore. Even nice vintage lines are rarely seen. Those three look like you will be able to enjoy them for some time.