Thread: Gummy residue on Scrupleworks strop

I had a red died strop from SRD. That thing never came clean. Always had an oily died gunk on it. I got so tired of trying to clean it that i started using rubbing alcohol on it. Day after day after day. It never did come clean.
Im not saying yours is anything like the one i had but start with warm damp cloth. Let it dry and try again until its clean. Strop cleaning and or conditioning takes time.

This happens with oil and wax impregnated leather like Horween Chromexcel, and some latigo and bridle leathers. Under certain conditions of temperature and humidity the oils and waxes migrate to the surface in a "bloom" and leave a whitish, dusty looking coating. It can be buffed back to a shine much like the wax on a car after it dries and whites out.

Not sure exactly what combination of conditions causes it but my Horween leathers can look fine for months then one day nearly all of them have the white 'bloom" on the surface. My shop does not have direct heat in it so runs 15 to 20 degrees cooler than my house at times but it quite dry and just this past weekend many of my older hides all did this where the newest ones did not. I have had my old style latigo do this in my hot and humid bathroom as well.