Thread: I just sanded my strop

Hi guys,

I hope I am posting this in the right place, feel free to move it if not.

I got my first razor on Oct 1st last year and immediately had the most terrifying experience in my life, some of you might remember the youtube vid of the frightened noob.

Anyway, with my razor I got a corium leather board strop (it was part of a beginners kit).

I used it for a few days and then started noticing the experienced shavers here talking about Latigo and Roo etc etc.

I got all over excited and ordered a hanging strop so I could be an experienced shaver too

Anyway, my new English Bridal Leather strop arrived, I found a spot for it and went at it immediately. And took a chunk out of it.

I wiped my eyes, took a deep breathe and started again, and put a beautiful slice in it.

Since then I have the hang of stropping and do pretty well, even my razors like it now.

I have decided that I will probably replace that leather, Phil at Classic Edge has it pre punched for a good price so I thought I would see if the old one could be fixed. I don't have much to lose.

I have just put contact cement in the chips and glued downd the slices.

When the glue was dry I gently but with attitude sanded the entire strop with 320 wet n dry (dry).

I started to worry that 320 might be too much of a man for sanding a strop so I poured on some mineral oil that I coat my blades with and rubbed it in with my hands.

It has definately changed colour a bit, sort of very dark brown in places that had damage and where I got carried away with the sandpaper.

I have to say, apart from looking different now, it is beautifully smooth again and stropped perfectly. I don't have much experience of draw but compared to how it was the oil has made it so slick and I assume very fast.

I expect the oil to soak in and dry out again over the next few days but my first impression is that I just might not need new leather after all.

Sounds like you should be ok. I have a strop I have used for 30 years. Knicks on the edge have been sanded. Still my go to strop with great results.