Originally Posted by
Neil Miller
The original russian shell strops were top quality, made of horsehide, very slick and quite stiff. They were supposed to be that way and did not really require any breaking-in.
New russian strops, on the other hand, are mostly not horsehide - the "russian" refers to the method of tanning. A lot of people misinterpret this - even reputable shops, one of whom sells a "russian" strop by "Prima Rindleder" - the latter part is not a company, just german for best quality cowhide!
The 1900 Handbook of Subsistence Stores for the War Dept says that:
The razor strops furnished for the use of the Army consist of two parts or, rather, two strops combined in one implement. One part or strop is made of Russian horsehide leather, and the other of linen-duck hose canvas. [...] The razor strops are kept in good order for use by applying shaving lather from a cup to both the leather and the canvas parts twice a week with a shaving brush, and afterwards rubbing them with a stick of especially prepared lead, which is furnished with each razor strop. A small tin tube containing an oily dressing for occasional use on the leather strop is also furnished. To use the dressing, take enough of it from the tube to cover the tip of the forefinger and apply it on both sides of the leather part, evenly distributing it by rubbing. A razor strop should not be used within an hour of applying this dressing. This dressing should only be used when a proper edge cannot be otherwise obtained on the razor. These razor strops when properly stored are warranted to keep in good condition for five years. They are put up separately in cartons, 24 cartons to a case.
The lead bar is interesting - obviously it does the same job as rubbing with the bottle, but there must have been something about it's metallic nature that enhanced the strops performance. Further to this, the Household Cyclopaedia of 1881 says:
Another excellent mode of renovating a razor-strop is by rubbing it well with pewter, and impregnating the leather with the finest metallic particles
The old pewter alloy contained, among other things, tin and lead (I don't think modern pewter contains lead). So the common denominator is lead. Lead was present in the old newsprint-ink formulations, and people used to strop on newspaper. The stuff in the old black newsprint inks was probably 'litharge' - lead-oxide.
Not that I'm advocating the use of lead, of course - it's harmful effects are probably too well-known by us all to go into here, but that's how some of the russian horsehide strops were treated in the past.
Regards,
Neil.