Thread: Horsehide break-in

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.

Dont worry about adding more neatsfoot, if you've already put some on you dont want to overdo it. Just give the strop a good rub with your hands to soften the leather.

The other option is to lay the strop flat and roll a wine bottle over it a few times to soften things up a bit. You'll also find that the strop naturally softens on its own as you use it.

My preferred option for softening strops is to just use the natural oils from your skin, so every time I go into the bathroom I give the strop a rub all over with my hands. The combination of the oil from your skin plus the rubbing really softens the leather up and increases the draw.

If you want to, you can even rub your hands on your forehead or something, then rub the strop to get more oil in. It sounds gross, but it really works very well..!

If that still doesnt have things where you want them, then add a little more neatsfoot oil. You can always add more, but you cant take it off..!

Good luck!

If it is the heavyweight, quite stiff type of hide you won't have much luck with neatsfoot on its own as you have found, let alone rubbing your hand on it! The hard type of horse leather requires an extensive break-in involving lathering (or saddle-soaping), rolling and oiling.

The exception is the very high-grade shell which needs very little or no breaking in, but which is incredibly expensive: you need 5 sq ft of shell cordovan to make a pair of shoes, and the shells are in the region of 2 to 2.5 sq ft. It is an odd shape too, and long pieces are rare so very expensive. The area most used for strop leather comes from either side of the shells - it is longer, but harder/stiffer than the shell cordovan.

I know that Tony only uses the best material he can get, so the break-in may not be necessary at all - perhaps you only have to get used to the different feel or horse-hide! I would ask him about it, if I was you.

Regards,
Neil

I have rejuvinated old ebay strops by liberally applying shaving lather and letting that dry. When it is dry I rub away the dried suds, hang the strop and then give it a good rubbing with a glass bottle.

I, too, have the TM horsehide, however, In standard thickness -still not sure what yours is, care to enlighten us, did you get the Heavyweight, or Artisan?- And I've had it for a month or two... I just use it regularly, and give it a ton of rubbing with my palm -haven't lathered on it yet, I only do that when a strop is too dry, not too stiff... Just my preference - I would reccommend using it nightly, even if the razor doesn't need stropping, you can't OVERstrop, you can only damage an edge if you strop incorrectly... So just use it a lot, and rub your hand over it...

The trick to the hand rubbing, rub until the strop -not your hand- is warm. Once the strop feels warm to the touch -test with your other, non rubbing, non warm hand- then you know you've put enough palm oil on the surface for it to retain the heat...

Hope this helps ya. Good luck!

Originally Posted by ShavedZombie

The trick to the hand rubbing, rub until the strop -not your hand- is warm. Once the strop feels warm to the touch -test with your other, non rubbing, non warm hand- then you know you've put enough palm oil on the surface for it to retain the heat...

Hope this helps ya. Good luck!

Ah, palm oil - so thats what is in soap and shampoo...

Precisely, that's why my hair is nice, shiney, and puts a wicked edge on a razor...

That's also why I keep it long.. Can't strop on a 3 inch handful of hair, now can 'ya?

Something I do is I take an unsharpened and/or otherwise not-in-my-rotation razor, keep it closed, put the spine on the strop and rub it, flexing the leather and what not (NOTE: with the razor CLOSED) I guess this is the same idea as the glass bottle though.

Most of the newer Horse hides are very slick for stropping when new. I have some that I have treated with neatsfoot oil and some that have only been hand rubbed. I agree with the more hand rubbing the better. It can take me several months and that is rubbing and stropping dozens of razors per day to get one to wear I am starting to feel a little draw. They do come around nicely over time though and last forever. If you look at most vintage strops, they are thinner vs. the thicker models on the market today and as well, most have had many years of use to get to the very nice draw that they usually have.

Lynn

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.