Thread: Horsehide break-in

Originally Posted by PA23-250

Looks like I'll continue the hand rubbing, then! Probably lots everyday should do the trick!

ShavedZombie: it's an Artisan. I take it yours has also started to soften up a little?

I'll ask Tony as well & see what he recommends.

Mine is an Artisan, and mine has started to soften up a LOT. However, I'm a college student, so I put the strop next to my desk, fixed to the rail of my lofted bed, that way, whenever I am reading assignments, or browsing the net, I can hand-rub. So I rub mine -on average- an hour to three hours a day, every day -except for weekends-.. That, and I strop in my free time -and Every time I strop I give it a 5 minute hand rub prior to stropping- so I get about 2 hours rubbing and 30 minutes stropping on two of my strops every day (alternating daily from Horsehide and Latigo to Horsehide and Bridle [I only have the one horsehide, and it needs thorough breaking, so I rub it every day, and the other two trade days]

Wow... That was too long winded. Basically, I rub the horsehide a lot every day, and strop for fun every day... So it broke in in about a month... And I love it!

Good luck!

Hmm. I have 3 horsehide strops and though two were bought new one is a vintage DD extra thick horse and I have no draw from any of them.

Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

Mine is an Artisan, and mine has started to soften up a LOT. However, I'm a college student, so I put the strop next to my desk, fixed to the rail of my lofted bed, that way, whenever I am reading assignments, or browsing the net, I can hand-rub. So I rub mine -on average- an hour to three hours a day, every day -except for weekends-.. That, and I strop in my free time -and Every time I strop I give it a 5 minute hand rub prior to stropping- so I get about 2 hours rubbing and 30 minutes stropping on two of my strops every day (alternating daily from Horsehide and Latigo to Horsehide and Bridle [I only have the one horsehide, and it needs thorough breaking, so I rub it every day, and the other two trade days]

Ha ha - and I thought *I* had it bad, with the hand rubbing and gratuitous stropping! An entirely new level has been reached.

I just got a horsehide strop. It's a little stiff and the draw is a little slick but it does a marvelous job on my razor as is. IMO another reason for the stiffness may be the fact that more and more people are getting 3" strops. Has to feel stiffer than a 2" strop.

Mine's a 2.5, but yes, it's starting to soften. Slightly. It's certainly usable on razors in the meantime & that's what really counts!

The only way to get leather supple it s by working it. One suggestion I have it to use a clean, highly polished steel rod like a long, thick screwdriver or a steel burnisher(which I use) like this oneVeritas® Tri-Burnisher - Lee Valley Tools

Just work it up and down the strop in a similar motion as you would a razor.

In fact tonight I just finished working a really old strop in this manner which was quite stiff and rough. First off(yesterday), I cleaned and softened it using the Shaving Soap lather technique(fats etc.. in the soap work well for this).

After drying(today) I took 320, 600, 800, 1200, 1500 and 2000 grit sand papers to it to condition the entire surface. Then I followed up by using the polished rod and worked it back and for forth 100 times. I use a very agressive angle on the strop. Let it bow all the way down to slightly more than 90 degrees applying some decent pressure. The result was fabulous. The leather is soft and the surface has a finish to it approaching what I experience on my Kanamaya Stop. I say approaching because it's not quite there yet, but a little more work with the rod and it will be great. I stropped a razor on it afterword and found there was decent draw, but not too much to affect my stroke.

Anyway, you don't need to go at it with sandpaper, but try out a hIghly polished steel rod like a screw driver for example. But I don't need to tell you not to slip and screw up you strop right? Good luck.

Originally Posted by PA23-250

What have you guys done to improve the suppleness (TM horse here)? I treated lightly w/ neatsfoot twice, which bumped the draw up (very slightly), but the leather is still pretty stiff. I don't want to damage it by overdoing it, but a little more give would be nice for feedback as the draw is so light.

Any suggestions? At this point, I'm just using it a lot & rubbing it a lot w/ my palm.

I got to get me one of those.

Does a new less than flexible strop encourage
a light stropping technique. I would think
it does and that it is a good thing.

In another thread someone was placing wood under
his hanging strop because he felt he could not pull
it 'tight' enough but a thick heavy slab of leather
would do the same thing.

I rub my TM horsehide front and back with my hand and it getting softer with age.

Originally Posted by PA23-250

What have you guys done to improve the suppleness (TM horse here)? I treated lightly w/ neatsfoot twice, which bumped the draw up (very slightly), but the leather is still pretty stiff. I don't want to damage it by overdoing it, but a little more give would be nice for feedback as the draw is so light.

Any suggestions? At this point, I'm just using it a lot & rubbing it a lot w/ my palm.

I've got the tm strops my horshide came pritty supple compared to many other strops i have owned. There is absalutley no draw.I did add neats foot oil just twice and it has produced a tiny draw . If i was your i'd just keep stropping on the leather every time you get chance. My strop is two months old and its getting better with use. I realy love it now and its my favourite every day strop. The litigo is the oposite by having lots of draw. I only use the litigo after honingand if a razor is loosing its edge the litigo seems to whip the razor back up to par then i carry on using my horshide.

Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

Mine is an Artisan, and mine has started to soften up a LOT. However, I'm a college student, so I put the strop next to my desk, fixed to the rail of my lofted bed, that way, whenever I am reading assignments, or browsing the net, I can hand-rub. So I rub mine -on average- an hour to three hours a day, every day -except for weekends-.. That, and I strop in my free time -and Every time I strop I give it a 5 minute hand rub prior to stropping- so I get about 2 hours rubbing and 30 minutes stropping on two of my strops every day (alternating daily from Horsehide and Latigo to Horsehide and Bridle [I only have the one horsehide, and it needs thorough breaking, so I rub it every day, and the other two trade days]

Wow... That was too long winded. Basically, I rub the horsehide a lot every day, and strop for fun every day... So it broke in in about a month... And I love it!

Good luck!

Be careful. We don't want you to go blind!